Hallmark Mother's Day Gifts: Recordable Artwork, Conversation Books and Greeting Cards {Review & Gift Pack Giveaway}

While there is no one perfect gift for Mother's Day, I think moms everywhere can agree that the thought behind the item is what really counts. Whether we awaken to find breakfast in bed, a bouquet of flowers or a colorful craft project, what matters is that the day is filled with love, appreciation and care.

So when it comes to expressing our feelings, finding that gift can often take a great deal of time and searching. Which is why it is consistently easy for me to be impressed when Hallmark can take that task and make it simple year after this. How do they always know just what to put in their cards or how to design a gift that can pull at your heartstrings?

This year is no exception, as just in time for Mother's Day 2012, Hallmark has released Recordable Artwork, Conversation Books and great new Mother's Day Greeting Cards.

After having spent the last 100 years helping people stay connected and best express their feelings, it isn't hard to see that there is so much more available than just the greeting cards that are most commonly associated with Hallmark (although those are always amazing).

Whether you're shopping in a Hallmark Gold Crown Store or searching their easy-to-browse website, finding the next gift, wrapping paper, ornament, album, card and more couldn't be easier and you'll always love the new products as well as the old.

As I have always been in awe of all of the new and innovative items that Hallmark debuts, I had no doubt that their new gifts and cards for Mother's Day would be just the thing to brighten Mom's special day.

Sure enough, these items brought a smile to my face that hasn't left!

Hallmark's Canvas Art Kit takes the classic hand painted picture and turns it into a keepsake work of art — complete with the artist's interpretation!

While kids have drawn pictures for moms for years, this kit takes a Mother's Day drawing to the next level by capturing a child's voice and the story behind his or her artwork. Coming equipped with a removable canvas panel, Crayola washable paints and a single paintbrush, all that is required is a big imagination to end up with a result that will be treasured for years to come.

After using the washable paints to complete their artwork, kids simply press the button on the back of the 9" x 9" frame to record a 40-second special Mother's Day message to share their unique story behind their art or just tell Mom that they love her.

Available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores and anywhere Hallmark products are sold for $14.95, I love the idea of the Canvas Art Kit and the joy that it can bring. Kids can feel proud that they painted a masterpiece for Mom (or Grandma) while she has the ability to play back her child's precious little voice and experience his or her creativity on Mother's Day and any day.

For another unique way to celebrate a child's personality, Hallmark's Mom & Me Conversations to Keep Recordable Interview book has proven to be a fun way to capture their voice and thoughts in a humorous and sweet way.

Filled with open-ended questions that spark imaginative answers, Mom & Me has page after page of humorous queries such as "If you and Mom made the world's grossest pizza, what would you put on it?" and "If you and mom were aliens, what would you look like? What would you name your planet?"

With a simple press of the record buttons, the giggles, laughter and answers to each page's questions will be forever documented — what a great item to pull out over the years to reminisce... as well as to compare with Hallmark's other Conversations to Keep books such as Dad & Me, Grandma & Me, and more!

Available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores for $24.95, I've loved the way that this Mom & Me book allows for easy personalization and customization. Whenever I need to be cheered up, I can just open this up and enjoy my girls' voices and have this stage of their childhood forever bookmarked (there's even a switch in the battery compartment to ensure that the words aren't accidentally erased).

What mom wouldn't want to hear firsthand their kids' answer to "What does Mom do to show you she loves you?"

Finally, it wouldn't be Hallmark and it wouldn't be Mother's Day without a great selection of greeting cards. This year Hallmark has taken Mother's Day cards to a new level with a variety of innovations, including lights and animation, as well as pop-ups with mechanics so complex that they had to be designed with the help of a paper engineer to construct them.

No matter if you buy your mom cards that are sentimental and moving or ones that are lighthearted and funny, Hallmark always manages to find just the right touch to make the results special. I love the small details that they always include, from a touch of glitter or metallic ink to jeweled attachments that sparkle...

...to bright colors and lights that accompany upbeat, jazzy music!

The lights rotate through the hearts while the card plays "Some kind of wonderful" on this great card!

Whether you pick out a card that is simple and classic or elaborate and modern, Hallmark's huge variety of designs, styles and colors are sure to supply you with just the right words to convey to Mom how much she is loved... and she'll want to hang onto it for years to come.

This Mother's Day, give Mom something new and different that shows her how much you care by heading to your nearest Hallmark Gold Crown store to pick up a gift that is nearly guaranteed to surprise and delight. Or, thanks to their generosity, one person will have just the right presents delivered right to their door, because...

One lucky person will win a Hallmark Mother's Day Gift Pack including the Canvas Art Kit, a Conversations to Keep Recordable Book and three Greeting Cards!

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below - if you don't see the form, click here! If you have any problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Hallmark for providing a Mother's Day Gift Pack of these items for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.