DIY Father's Day Cards

Make your own Father's Day cards and save a bundle! No DIY project is as appreciated as a handmade card. The purpose of a Father's Day card is to express feelings to a well-loved Dad, and a DIY card is a tangible expression. It was not penned by a stranger, but straight from the heart of a loved one.

If you love to craft, you could go to the DIY extreme crafting a Father's Day card, but I am going to give you some very easy ideas which don't require much more than paper . A computer and digital camera open up the possibilities a little. You can certainly take my ideas and add your own creative touch. Some of you may be creative adults or younger folks crafting a special memento for dad, but some of you are probably young mothers, maybe on a budget, creating a card with your children for your husband. The first idea is geared to you.

DIY Father's Day Card Idea #1 :

Materials:
blank card stock, or plain paper folded for the card.
contrasting paper, marbleized, colored, etc...

Start by tracing your child's hand on contrasting paper. Your child may be able to do this without help. Cut the shape out. If you are able to get a tracing of Dad's hand, do so and cut out. If not, use your hand.
The concept is to glue Dad's hand and child's hand overlapping slightly on the front of the card, as though they are hand n hand. This would be priceless to Dad. Inside you want to write a message, preferably from the mouth of the child! If you are not able to get a tracing of Dad's hand, you can use just the child's hand, placing a snapshot in the center of the hand. Or let the card be from Mom and child and put hands of both on the front. Putting the personalization on the card is what Dad will treasure. Don't just write Happy Father's Day. Kind of question and cue the child to get a cute remark to put in there.

DIY Father's Day Card Idea #2:

For this one you need a couple of pictures of the child and dad. You can do this two ways: you can use actual snapshots and glue on card stock or folded paper. You could scan the photos into the computer. If you are digitally set up, use a digital camera or photo and print your own card. Most graphics software has greeting card capabilities. You will be incorporating two photos. One on the front, and one on the inside. The picture on the front should just be a traditional straight facing shot of the two of them., and the one inside should be a hugging, laughing, intimate, less posed picture. The text you want to put on the front is just traditional Father's day words...."Happy Father's Day to a Wonderful Father" in serious print. Upon opening the card, there should be a picture of dad and son informally laughing, hugging, etc The text now will be something like, "But more importantly, you're a GREAT DAD! This is written in big, crazy letters of different sizes. What you are doing is creating a contrast between traditional Fathers and a loving DAD.

DIY Father's Day Card Idea #3

The next card is a theme card, based on whatever activity your child loves,using a photo of them doing that. For instance, using a picture of them with bat and ball. The text would say something like "Happy Father's Day to a Grand Slam Dad, " and the inside, "You've hit a home run with me! If they do gymnastics, it would be , " You'll flip for my dad...... or Dad, I'd turn flips for you....or on the bars, "I love to just hang around with you!" Use a cheerleading picture and write a verse of a cheer ...."or, "Happy Father's Day to my biggest cheerleader."

You can do this card, of course, with digital photos and greeting card software, using sports clip art. Or with scanned photos. Or you can go really handmade and use construction paper and cut out a football, etc and glue a snapshot in it.

With all these cards, if you don't have an envelope that fits, it is not imperative that you do. If you desire, you can make one. I have l enclosed an illustration showing how to make an envelope. You basically place the card in the center of a diamond- shaped piece of paper. (See Illustration #1) Then, fold the points in to form an envelope. Remove card and glue together. (See Illustration #2)

Have fun making DIY Father's Day Cards. I will include links below that offer more ideas.