Spring is filled with gift-giving holidays, from graduations and end-of-the-year thank-you tokens to Father’s Day and spring wedding anniversaries. It can get a little crazy to keep your shopping list organized, but you can turn what might be a chore into a fun project if you go the DIY route. Instead of fighting crowds at the mall, you’ll get to enjoy some “me” time and let your creative juices flow — and there’s no better way to show your love for the special man in your life than to make something with your own two hands!
Our five homemade gift ideas for guys are inexpensive, thoughtful, and easy to make. Best of all, you can personalize them to make a truly memorable gift he’s sure to love. Just pick which gift is best for your man and get crafting!
For the Globetrotter: The Power Cord Roll
Help him keep all those chargers and power cords from getting tangled on a business trip with this fun, no-sew power cord keeper. To make it, you’ll need some faux leather in his favorite color, large snap buttons, an X-Acto knife, a metal ruler or straight edge, a cutting board, and a pencil.
The basic design is simply a long rectangle with a triangular point on top. A mid-sized roll measures about 6” wide, 12” tall, has a 4.25” triangle on top, and can hold about four cords. Use the ruler to measure your template on the fabric side of your faux leather and cut using the X-Acto knife — drag it against your straight edge with the cutting board underneath to protect your work surface. The knife will give you much straighter lines than scissors for a smoother finished product.
Once your basic roll is cut out, add the loops that will hold the cords by cutting several pairs of 3-inch slits, about 1/2-inch-tall, down the center of the rectangular portion of the roll — don’t continue into the triangle. You should be able to fit three to four loops along the length of the material. The cords can be tucked into these loops to be held securely.
The last step is to add the snap. To get the placement right, fill the roll with cords and roll it up; then mark the spot where the snap on the triangle’s point meets the roll. Press your snaps into the fabric and bend back the studs according to the package directions, and you’ve completed a chic and useful travel organizer!
For the Bearded: Rosemary Mint Shaving Cream
Help him keep his skin smooth and fresh without using harsh ingredients with this home-made Rosemary Mint Shaving Cream! Great for sensitive skin, this cream uses no soap and only oils that create a layer of protection. Always be sure to test the ingredients on a small area of skin before use. You’ll need 1/3 cup shea butter, 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, ¼ cup jojoba or sweet almond oil, 10 drops of rosemary essential oil, 3 to 5 drops of peppermint essential oil.
Add the shea butter and coconut oil and stir in a small pan over low heat. Remove the mixture from heat when melted and add the jojoba and essential oils. Place the ingredients in the refrigerator and once they solidify, whip with a hand beater or mixer. Keep in a cool, dry place preferably in a closed container ready for him to maintain his skin and scruff!
For the New Dad: DIY Daddy T-shirt
Becoming a new dad is an amazing experience, so why not give him a keepsake item that he can proudly wear? This project is quite easy and can also be made for not-so-new dads with the help your children. All you will need is a dark plain t-shirt, a bleach pen, 8.5 x 11-inch vellum paper, 8.5 x 11-inch cardboard, craft knife, spray adhesive and your design template.
Print the template of your choosing on the vellum paper and cut the lettering out using your craft knife. Insert the cardboard inside the t-shirt and cover the back of the vellum paper with spray adhesive to prevent the design from bleeding. Carefully stick the paper to the shirt evenly and smoothly – take your time doing so before completely smoothing it down. Fill the entire area of the stencil using a bleach pen moving from the edge of the stencil to the center to reduce bleeding.
Allow the bleach to fully dry before removing the stencil to prevent any additional bleeding. Once the main lettering has dried, add in any smaller letters or numbers carefully using the pen and let dry. This fun activity creates a memorable item that can withstand time. Avoid washing it with other clothing items as it bleach may bleed off onto other articles of clothing.
For the Father that Does it All: Accordion Coupon Book
This DIY is for the father that does it all, the father wants nothing in return and is probably hard to shop for because the greatest gift is simply quality time. This coupon book is a gift of time,
love and appreciation. While this coupon book is just an example of what can be done, it is just as heartfelt to use printable coupons or construction cut-outs with the help of your kids! For this gift, you’ll need 3×4 journaling cards, plain cardstock, markers, an accordion pocket template, a scoreboard, corner rounder, glue and dad-themed stickers and décor.
First, create about five coupons using the journaling cards. You can give him free hugs and kisses, a meal at the restaurant of his choice or spare him from some of his chores by providing car wash and lawn moving coupons. Using the template, cut out as many accordion pockets as coupons and fold/glue each piece together. For the booklet cover, cut a piece of cardstock to 7 ¼ x 4 ¼ inches and fold at 3 ½ and 3 ¾ inches, round the corners if you are able and glue to the folder pockets. Decorate the folder to your choosing and this gift created from the heart is ready to be given!
For the Grillfather: Apron
Many dads love their time on the grill, so why not make a grilling-related gift? Try this easy apron, perfect for any grill master. For this project, you will need fabric paint, foam paint brushes, plastic cups, adult apron in white or any other light color, stencils, pencils, fabric markers and your child(ren)’s hand(s).
Make sure the iron has been washed and pressed prior to decorating. Using the stencils, trace your preferred wording on the apron. Trace over pencil with fabric markers and color in. Fill the plastic cups with different colors of non-toxic fabric paint and apply a layer to your child’s hand and apply to the apron. Clean off the hand to apply another color to the apron and keep applying until you have reached the desired result. Allow the paint to dry and iron the backside of the apron to allow the paint to fully set. Other fun apron ideas include this BBQ King Iron-On and Matching Father-Son aprons!
