Simple, DIY-Tweaked Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Father’s Day is just a few days away and I’m sure more than a few of us are still stumped on what to get dad this year. Or maybe you’re looking for a small gift to add to your existing offering. No matter what your situation is, it doesn’t take much to put some DIY efforts into personalizing some store-bought goods into a useful gift dad is sure to enjoy.

Embroidery Hoop-Framed Vintage Patches

I keep a stash of vintage patches, ranging from Girl Scout badges to state shapes, in my craft closet. A visit to your local antique store or thrift shop this week is sure to result in finding an offering of vintage patches, like these two small patches once worn on a uniform. They can be sewn or adhered with fabric glue to a piece of fabric and then placed into an embroidery hoop. Trim the excess fabric and glue down with tacky glue to create the finished look.

Arrow Signs for the Home

I found this plain, ready-to-decorate wooden arrow in the Hand Made Modern section at Target and knew it needed to be turned into a sign for my husband’s bar for Father’s Day. You can personalize the sign for a favorite room or area in your recipient’s house by adding alphabet stickers to the arrow after it’s been painted. I used gold spray paint and a coat of Mod Podge to keep the stickers from un-sticking over time. The arrow doesn’t come with any hardware for hanging it at home, so add a pair of eye hooks and cord or a picture hanger on the back for easy display options.

Scrap Fabric Shoe Bags

We can all use canvas shoe bags when traveling or on the go. Not only do they keep your shoes from touching your clean clothes while packed in your suitcase, they can be used to wrangle hair dryers or dirty laundry. Instead of presenting a store-bought bag as is I trim fabric scraps to squares and rectangles and sew onto the front of the bags.

Puffy Painted Beverage Coozies

You can never have enough can coozies, especially during the summer. Give a plain coozie a DIY makeover with a bottle of puffy paint. I upgraded this Peanuts-themed Fourth of July coozie by painting the white scribble designs with light blue paint. Since the coozie is so inexpensive, I’m pairing mine with a bottle of one of my dad’s favorite local beers here in Detroit, Motor City Brewing Works’ Ghettoblaster.