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Mother’s Day is one of the biggest events on a florist’s calendar, such is the outpouring of love and gratitude we express every May. But what about Dad? Surely a celebration of the first man in our lives should be given the same attention come September?
We’ve put together some gift ideas for Father’s Day that children can make themselves (with just a little adult help). Look for that long-forgotten stuff lurking in desk drawers or on garage shelves. Find the bits and pieces that are meaningful to him, repackage them and create something special.
“Fatherhood is pretending the present
you love most is soap-on-a-rope”
Bill Cosby
Time travel
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Make a memory book. Here’s a postcard from his mother when he was a boy; his childhood agricultural club’s second-prize card for runner beans; a used Paris Metro ticket that took him to the flea market where he blew the budget; a coaster from his favourite bar. Album $24.95 from Trade Aid.
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Web Exclusive - How to make a Memory Book
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1. Gather memories like certificates, feathers, stamps, coins, old transport or theatre tickets that took dad to past memorable places, postcards and more… flat items that will fit between pages. |
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2. Buy a scrapbook or photograph album (This Nepali handmade paper album is from Trade Aid) ,craft glue and wooden initials (Spotlight)
3. Arrange the memories and glue them in. Add captions if you like. |
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4. Glue dad’s initials to the front cover of book. These could have a paint finish if you wish. Initials from Spotlight. |
Memory lane
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Be the family detective: find evocative memorabilia such as old sheet music, found objects like leaves, stones and feathers from special places, pre-loved gardening tools, photos old and new and maybe fishing flies. Wrapping paper $4.95 a sheet from Trade Aid; basket lid from Spotlight; wooden letters (top right) from Spotlight; ribbon (bottom) $1.40 a metre from Scarlet Ribbons. |
At work
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Put a smart new shirt in a historical context by adding an old collar box full of vintage starched collars found in a second-hand shop. Make the card by cutting out a favourite image, soaking it in cold, strong tea, drying and pressing it in kitchen towels under a heap of books and then gluing it on to a handmade paper card. Shirt $249 from Working Style; accessories stylist’s own. |
What’s cooking?
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A pork, wild mushroom and pistachio terrine and the new cast-iron dish you cooked it in – a perfect gift for the dad who’s happiest in the kitchen. The recipe for his next culinary venture is written on the back of a card decorated with an old family photo of Grandad and his bounty of wild ducks. Cast-iron Le Creuset 32cm terrine $286 from Milly’s Kitchen Shop. |
Gone fishing
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For an angling dad, find some pre-loved fishing flies, his certificate for winning that holiday fishing competition or a photo of a prized catch, then preserve them in a frame. Here we’ve used a first-day cover (special edition envelope with newly issued stamps) depicting fishing flies as well as real flies lined up below. Frame and felt backing from Spotlight; stamps and fishing flies stylist’s own. |
Digging in
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The gardening father may need some new tools for spring. Personalise a gift basket by attaching an old trowel to create a handle. Basket from Spotlight; red-handled tools $24.99 each, pigskin gardening gloves $12.99, seeds $2.99 a packet and assorted punnets, all from Palmers. |
Family tree
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An accordion card depicting several generations – or holiday memories – is easy and fun to make and it’s a lovely way to remind him of family links, past and present. If your photos are one-off originals, have them copied at a digital printing store. ’Polo Stripe’ ribbon $1.40 a metre from Scarlet Ribbons; card from The French Art Shop. |
How to make an accordion card
You’ll need: Family photos, heavy card (we used 300gsm), narrow ribbon, craft glue, glue stick, a bone folder to make creases (or use a credit card), scissors/paper cutter and ruler.
1. At a commercial printing store, get family photos copied in black and white on to 160gsm card. Cut the copied photos to 5cm squares.
2. Buy a piece of heavy card at least 65cm long and cut it into a 15cm-wide strip. Fold into five sections (ours are 13cm wide). Create sharp creases with a bone folder.
3. Glue the photos in the centre of each section.
4. Frame each photo with four strips of ribbon (we used ‘Polo Stripe’ from Scarlet Ribbons). Secure with craft glue.Write a caption under each photo.
Green fingers
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Dad’s six-year-old son could give him a punnet of lettuce seedlings for his thriving vege garden. And if he bought it with his own pocket money, it will be all the more special to them both. Lettuce seedling punnet from Palmers; pots and tools stylist’s own. |
First steps
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Create a lovely memento from the children’s babyhood. Take his little girl’s first pair of shoes, tie them together with ribbon and pop them into a handmade envelope, with his favourite photo of her and a drawing or card she’s just made. Shoes stylist’s own. |
Stockists
Milly’s Kitchen Shop 0800 200 123
Palmers 0800 725 637
Scarlet Ribbons (09) 476 5315
Spotlight 0800 276 222
Trade Aid 0508 872 332
Working Style (09) 302 0532
Photographs: Kelly Eady Loveridge
Stylist: Fionna Hill
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