It's hard to believe that the first of June has already arrived. And of course, one of the most momentous occasions this month is Father's Day, Sunday, June 20th! I have challenged myself and the team to get creative with how they are celebrating that special man in their lives this year, sharing ideas that you can utilize yourself.
I always like to do something nice for David on this special holiday. He's such a wonderful father & role model to our children... words just never seem to be enough to convey how much it means to me to have a partner that is so dedicated to this important role. (I did a post about him last year expanding upon my thoughts & feelings, which you can read HERE).
I have seen silhouettes making a comeback over the past few months and I thought it would be so meaningful for David to have some freezing the children's sweet little profiles, in this moment. Perfect to adorn the walls in our new home that will hopefully be completed by Christmas!
So let me show you how some of your paper crafting supplies paired with a few simple steps can create treasured keepsakes, perfect for Dad!
To begin, I took profile shots of all three kids in front of a blank wall. They all cooperated pretty well...except Ethan thought it was a pretty lame idea and thought he should make a grouchy face!
Next, I opened my photos in my photo editing software and increased the contrast so I could easily see the profile line more clearly. You don't have to do this step if you aren't familiar with editing photos, but it does help streamline the process a bit.
I printed out the photos to the size I wanted and used a bit of adhesive in each of the four corners to tack the photo down onto a piece of True Black cardstock. I then used a nice, sharp craft knife to cut through both layers, tracing around the edge of the profile line. If there are any little places that have any extra zigs or zags, you can use an emery board or sanding block to remove them.
I matted each of the silhouettes in an 11" x 14" white frame that has a 5" x 7" opening. I got the frames at Target very inexpensively. This is the finished frame featuring Hannah.
This depicts little Ethan. Notice how I had each of the kids sign their name to the lower right-hand corner of their silhouette. I also added their age and the date.
And lat but not least, here's Owen! I love how you can tell he was smiling, even with it being just a silhouette! Such a great memory piece!
Here's all three of the frames together on the wall. I really think David is going to enjoy having these. And they make such a great decor statement as well!
Of course, these need to be wrapped and ready to go in style.
I stacked all three of the frames on top of one another and tied them together with SImply Chartreuse Twill. I made a tag using Fillable Frames #4 stamp set & coordinating die, stamped in Simply Chartreuse ink. I also brushed just a bit of the Tea Dye Duo around the edges. I used Rustic Button Twine to tie the tag in place as well as accent it with a Simply Chartreuse button.
The card is a simple little project, but I know it is something that David will just love.
The sentiment, from Father Knows Best, is stamped on another die-cut & stamped version of Fillable Frames #4. It is always fun to cut portion of a frame off like this, giving you more options and versatility.
Three Simply Chartreuse buttons are attached to the upper corner with glue dots. They help to balance out the heaviness of the frame.
The focal point was created with Background Basics: Text Style and the silhouette image from Through the Trees. I stamped the text repeatedly on the background with Simply Chartreuse ink, then stamped the trees with Versamark ink on top of that. I sprinkled on some clear Filigree embossing powder and heat to set. The magic then happens when you rub Simply Chartreuse ink over the trees in soft circular motions, making the image pop from the text. One of my favorite techniques!
I think this all adds up to a wonderful gift that David will enjoy for years to come! Not to mention easy and economical too! That wraps it up for my project... now you get to embark on a journey through all of the other talented designer's work! Enjoy this celebration of fatherhood!
CLICK HERE to see more from Betsy Veldman.
CLICK HERE to see more from Dawn McVey.
CLICK HERE to see more from Heather Nichols.
CLICK HERE to see more from Lisa Johnson.
CLICK HERE to see more from Michelle Wooderson.
CLICK HERE to see more from Ashley Cannon-Newell. This is her last assignment with us as a Distinguished Guest Designer. Be sure to let Ashley know how much you enjoyed her time with us! It has been such an honor to have her onboard for this short time!
And just to provide you with a few more ideas, here are some other posts that may interest you...
CLICK HERE to see a special mini-album I created for David in 2006, complete with a list of fatherly quotes that might come in handy for you when creating your own version of the project.
CLICK HERE to revisit the group post the entire team participated in a few months ago, entitled Boys to Men. It features tips & tricks for creating masculine themed projects with ease, which can help give you confidence when creating projects perfect for dad.
CLICK HERE to see Debbie Olson's special stationery set that is perfectly suited for dad.
Aren't everyones creations just amazing? I am confident that we have prepared you with the inspiration to create special gifts for all of the special father figures in your life! I hope that you are able to take one of these ideas (or two or three) and give them a unique twist to make them your own! Happy Father's Day everyone!
FATHER'S DAY CARD
- STAMPS: Father Knows best (sentiment), Background Basics Text Style, Through the Trees, Fillable Frames #4
- INK: Simply Chartreuse, True Black, Tea Dye Duo, VersaMark, Vintage Cream
- PAPER: Kraft, Rustic Cream
- OTHER: Simply Chartreuse buttons & twill, Rustic Jute Button Twine, Fillable Frames #4 die, Woodgrain Impression Plate, Clear Filigree Embossing Powder, foam dimensionals
- FINISHED SIZE: 4.25" x 5.5"
