EASY FATHER’S DAY GIFTS TO MAKE

Welcome to another Wacky Workshops project. This week we’re getting ready for Father’s Day with some really quick and easy Father’s Day gifts to make.

Father’s Day as we know it is not even 100 years old, but some scholars believe its origins are rooted in tradition more than 4000 years old.

Some say it can be traced to the ruins of Babylon where, it has been recorded, a young boy carved a Father’s Day message to his father out of clay.

The modern-day version originated in the USA and then spread to other countries around the world. Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of every June in the USA but for us, in Australia, it is just around the corner (September 6).

While it was originally intended as a day of tribute it has also morphed into a commercial feeding frenzy where the sales of socks and ties skyrocket.

If you think Dad or Grandad has enough of these accessories and may want something more sentimental then you are in the right place.

Below are four easy gifts that can be made in under 15 minutes each.

FATHER’S DAY GIFTS – The Easy Peasy Father’s Day Bookmark

If you can’t let go of the neck-tie idea why not give him one in the form of a bookmark?

This can be given on its own or incorporated into a home-made card and given with a book.

All you need is a bit of cardboard and some patterned paper.

METHOD

• Cut the cardboard into a rectangle. Mine is 4 ½ cm x 16 cm but you can go a bit bigger if you want.
• Cut your paper, (I used heavy scrapbooking paper) into a tie shape slightly smaller than the cardboard rectangle
• Tape the top of paper tie to the top of the cardboard rectangle so that you can lift the tie and leave a personal message.

A LITTLE ZEN FOR THE STRESSED OUT PAS AND GRAMPAS

SUPPLIES

• Square dish (bought from bonsai section of garden centres)
• Clean sand
• Interesting rocks
• Plastic fork or wooden chopsticks, paddle pop stick, matchsticks and glue

METHOD

• Half fill the dish with sand.
• Add rocks
• Add plastic spoon for the ‘rake’. If the stark white of the spoon bothers you, as it did me, you can cover the handle with rope or material (I used a shoelace) OR;
• For a nicer looking rake, cut two matchsticks into four equal lengths. Cut 1/3 of paddle pop stick.
• Glue matchstick pieces to paddle pop piece, making sure they are evenly spaced
• When dry glue wooden chopstick to paddle pop piece as per picture.

FATHER’S DAY GIFTS – FOIL PHOTO FRAME

SUPPLIES

• Thick cardboard
• Thin cardboard
• Foil
• Masking tape
• Glue
• Scissors
• Matchstick

METHOD

• Cut thick cardboard to desired size (mine is 20 cm x 20 cm)
• Decide on photo size (mine is 10 cm x 10 cm – I used the customise feature on the printer to create photo to the desired size) and cut a hole for it in the centre of your thick cardboard.

• Place the cardboard on the non-shiny side of the foil, then carefully cut a hole in the foil for the photo window, cutting from centre to each corner which will produce four triangles
• Glue the foil triangles to the back of the frame and then put glue all around the edges of the back of the frame and secure foil.

• Cut your thin cardboard to match the size of your thick cardboard.
• Cut a thin cardboard triangle which will form the stand for your frame. Secure it in place with masking tape.

• Glue three sides of the thin cardboard to the back of the thick cardboard leaving an opening at the top to insert your photograph.
• Use a matchstick or blunt pencil to gently carve your design in the foil. Be sure not to push too hard or you will tear the foil.

• Add your photo.

 PADDLE POP PICTURE PUZZLE

Try saying that five times really fast!

I especially love this one and have made three, one for each Goddess. It has the sentimental element of a photograph but can also be a fun and educational toy for the kids, or grand-kids.

SUPPLIES

• Paddle pop sticks. You can use plain but I used different coloured ones for each Goddess and Grandad photo.
• As it’s easy to customise the size of your photo printout you can make these puzzles any size you want. I chose 10 cm x 11 cm (that uses 10 sticks, 11 will make your picture puzzle square).
• Masking tape, glue, photographs, cutting knife

METHOD

• Carefully line up your paddle pop sticks and tape with the masking tape

• Print your photograph and glue to the other side of the paddle pop sticks (so the tape is at the back)
• Flip over your puzzle so the photograph is face down and carefully cut between each paddle pop stick.

Want some more fun ideas? Check out my post, Easy Father’s Day Crafts to Make.

Happy crafting and have a gleeful week, Tamuria