By Jessica Dolcourt and Mark Sikes
(5/11/06)
Break out of the usual routine this Mother's Day with a gift beyond the ordinary to show your mom you care. She deserves it, and she'll love your creativity. We've assembled a collection of programs to make you a Mother's Day hero--from offering her a much-needed service (the digital equivalent of cleaning your room) to providing the perfect software for her hobbies and needs. She'll be so thrilled she'll forget all about the 37 hours of labor you put her through. Well, maybe not.
Nothing says "Thanks for raising me" like a personalized mix CD. With great audio tools and step-by-step instructions, this DIY feature will have you making schmaltzy Mother's Day mixes in no time. Check out Download.com Music's extensive selection of MP3 files (we suggest at least one Bonnie Raitt song).
Moms love screensavers like cats love milk. Perhaps that's an exaggeration, but most moms will get a kick out of her own custom screensaver. Quickly learn the process of turning your digital photos into a homey Mother's Day screensaver surprise.
A fancy gift is all well and good, but don't forget the card! By letting you create your own custom Mother's Day card, Belltech Greeting Card Designer showcases your wit, charm, and thoughtfulness.
You may not understand your mom's hobbies, but at least you can pretend. Introduce her to PM Stitch Creator, which lets her design and produce her own cross-stitch patterns. The application is straightforward, even for novice computer users.
With unlimited free calling, Skype leaves you no excuse to not call home on Mother's Day. The VoIP pioneer offers great sound quality and even supports video chat. If you need a Webcam, check out the CNET reviews.
While one picture is worth a thousand words, a slick, well-managed digital album is worth a lifetime of memories. JAlbum lets you organize your digital snaps into a stellar photo album. The more bloopers, the better!
The vast array of tools to help organize recipes and catalog food inventory makes BigOven the perfect gift to let your mom know how much you love her cooking.
Mother's Day is all about family, so it's fitting to trace your family's roots. GenoPro boasts an intuitive interface and a host of features for mapping and maintaining family trees.
Give your mom a giant bouquet that's always in bloom. Tulip Festival Screensaver offers crisp, professional-looking photos and will keep it springtime on your mom's PC all year round.
Turn your mom's landscaping dreams into reality with Garden Planner. Design the perfect yard for her space, or show her how to use the software and watch her creativity bear fruit.