craftgrrl | Looking for a gift idea

This community has been great, so I turn to it for some advice/ideas.

I am going to a retirement party for my mom next week (she was an awesome elementary teacher), and I plan to show I care with a Barnes and Noble gift card (more time to read and stuff!) and something handmade. I can't think of the perfect thing to make though. Here are my thoughts:

- I have supplies for beading/jewelry (little experience), polymer clay (little experience), fabric and sewing (more experience), and knitting (but it takes me forever to even make a scarf). I could do other simple crafts too if they don't require buying a lot or a steep learning curve.

- My mom likes gardening, and I recently found some tutorials for making fabric flowers. Not sure what I'd do with them though - sew them to a throw pillow cover? I can applique some simple foliage. Or to a wall hanging? Or make them broaches/pins?

- I learned once to make a wire bird nest necklace and she mentioned liking it when I wore it. Not sure I remember how to do it though.

- I feel like it might be cool to coordinate something with the gift card. Something related to reading/books? No ideas there though.

- I have this blue plaid fabric with sliver threads that she likes and I've made stuff with for her before. I have about a 1/4 yard left so I want to save it for a good project.

Any thoughts or ideas from the community would be great for inspiration. Thanks so much.