Father’s Day always seems to sneak up on me. There’s Mother’s Day, End-of-School-Year parties, Memorial Day barbecues, and then…BAM, Father’s Day! And, let’s face it, men are a little harder to shop for (or craft for). What’s one thing they ALL enjoy? Photos of their kids!

I love homemade gifts, and especially something the kids can make themselves. Better yet if it gets us outside!

So let’s make a frame!

What you’ll need:

• Cheap frame for your base (try a dollar store or thrift store, or grab a plain wooden one from the craft section of Walmart for a couple dollars)
• Whatever nature items the kids choose to decorate with, like sticks or small stones
• E6000 adhesive or hot glue gun (this is the adult-supervision portion of the project)
• Photo of the kids
• Little embellishments that Dad would enjoy (for example, you could add a fishing lure, golf tee, or nuts and bolts. Whatever floats his boat.) My kids chose small smooth stones, and heart-shaped rocks as their special touches.

I have quite the collection of heart-shaped rocks, guys. For years, my kids have scoured beaches and trails for them, then presented these gems to me. Even my 15-year old contributes.  I try not to let on how much this means to me because, let’s face it, too much sappiness might deter their efforts. They are boys, after all.

Let the kids plan out the frame design, then glue on the nature items or other trinkets, with your supervision.

Next, add your photo to the frame.

You could spell out “Dad ROCKS” on their feet instead, or use that as a label on the frame. With the stick frame, you could get really cheesy and use a photo of the kids holding a sign, “You’ll always STICK in my heart!” Too much?

It’s fast, easy, kid-made, and I guarantee Dad will love it.