easy fathers day gift {printables and custom keychains}

Father’s day is right around the corner, and it always feels a little tricky around here. So we thought we’d help you out with an easy fathers day gift.

We’re not really the buy-presents-just-because type {which also probably translates to officially the un-fun types}. So holidays and events are a bit of a …challenge.

So we usually resort to handmade or sentimental things instead… and the older I get, the more I’m realizing why my mom always loved the handmade things more. {Case in point: We made this  years ago for Jamin, and it’s still special, especially now that those little handprints are bigger. These are the things he’ll remember}.

Easy fathers day gift

So this year, I decided to make something cute/silly/sweet all rolled into one, with the kids’ help… It’s super fun for them to be involved as well, and we all have a blast making things!

While I realize I should definitely be put on official probation for the cheese-fest factor in this one, the possibilities with the combos to celebrate the dad in your life are kind of endless.

These are sweet little shrinky dink keychains, {did anyone else bake these in the 80’s?} with the kids as models… and a printable you can use to combine with all of it for Dad’s special day and his easy fathers day gift.

Easy fathers day gift – the keychain – What you’ll need: 

• models or a photo of said models {I used the kids, but you can definitely use their art instead… or anything for that matter} • Shrinky Dink inkjet paper – they have different versions if your children would like to draw directly on the paper instead {see photo of inkjet version below} • keychains • computer/printer • baking sheet, foil, a sheet of cardboard + oven

Once we took the photos of the kids, I let them select which photo they liked best to use in this easy fathers day gift idea.

You have two options from here for your easy fathers day gifts:

a. you can simply find a photo on your desktop or scan one, and print it out on the special paper.

b. Or, you can use a photo with whatever programs you have/are familiar with, or photoshop, to take out the background for a cleaner look.

I used photoshop, and this is the route I’m familiar with… so thought I would share here since we’ve received a few questions. I’m touching on it quickly, for those who are curious about the best steps in photoshop. If you’re not interested in these steps, you totally won’t hurt my feelings. Skip to the ‘once they’re printed’ part, below.

For the kids’ photos, you may notice that I had them stand against a plain solid background that they could have a little contrast. This makes taking out that background super easy.

You’ll need another layer behind your photo so that you can take out your background.

You have to unlock your photo first, so double click the layer so that you can add a new background/layer behind it.

Double clicking will ask you to rename it. Maybe one day I will properly name all my layers. Today was not that day.

When you’re finished renaming, click on the little paper icon, beside the trashcan. {Bottom of the image} It will add a new layer for you, and you can click and drag that layer to the bottom level, behind your existing photo. You, my dear gifted photoshop friend, are ready to subtract that bad boy.

There are plenty of ways to do this – but after years and years of removed backgrounds, this is where I start: with the magic wand, {usually in the upper left toolbar} so I’ll know how much work I have to do on the photo.

Once I have a good part of the area selected, unless the image is super simple, there are usually areas on the subject that are missing if I were to go ahead and hit delete. So by clicking on the {second to bottom-dotted circle inside a rectangle} icon on the toolbar, it changes everything to red. This is so I can edit in mask mode.

Switch to the eraser tool once in mask mode.

This basically highlights everything in red, so that I can see more clearly what is selected, and what is not. To control editing the image in mask mode, I can alternate between the black square {what the document will not keep} and white square right above it {what the document will include} while the eraser tool is selected-see photo below. This will add to or subtract from my image.

When I am satisfied with the red area, {as you can see in this photo, Emerson’s plaids were blending in too much with the backdrop so I had to edit those} I switch back from mask mode by hitting that button again {the rectangle with the dotted circle in the middle – second section from the bottom} and I am back in magic wand mode. {The dashed lines move around like they’re ready to work for ya}

Hit delete, and the area behind everything {that layer you created to go behind your subject photo} should give a mini checkerboard effect.

Then I use a combo of cropping the image so that the main subject is left, and the eraser tool to select what’s left of the image that I don’t want included.

Your image is ready, and should have no background left.

Now, for a lazy man’s shortcut: to print your image at a certain size, I simply create a new document {I wanted it at 8 x 10} and drag my subject onto my new document.

Once you drag the image over to your 8 x 10 document, your image may be too large or small depending on the size. Hold the shift button so that it’s not warped, and size it accordingly.

With shrinky dinks, I knew that the images would shrink significantly. On their package, it also recommends scaling back on the color, because the shrunken objects become super dark as they shrink. So I changed the opacity {upper right hand corner} to 75 % before printing.

And our image was ready to go. Simply insert the paper into your printer, and let ‘er rip!

Side tip: Our printer and paper combo gave us light lines across the finished subject. They aren’t visible when they’re shrunken, so don’t worry if that happens to you.

Easy fathers day gifts – Once they’re printed… 

Leave a small border around your subject, and if you plan to make a keychain, use a hole punch to add a hole for the finished product. {Yes, it did feel odd putting holes in my children’s heads} I found that ours was a little small once shrunken, and had to use the drill very lightly so that the keychain could fit. Try to make the first hole a little bigger than the hole-punched size, but if it shrinks to be too small no worries. Just alter it a bit… if you have a drill or X-Acto blade to loosen it a little.

Simply bake according to the directions, with foil underneath… and I placed a piece of cardboard on top {this was recommended to prevent the image from curling on itself, though putting cardboard in an oven did scare me, so keep a close watch}.

I baked mine for longer than the recommended time, so depending on your oven and the instructions, just keep an eye on it and watch it as you go.

The anticipation! – Each kiddo waited while they were ‘shrunk’.

When it’s finished, pull it out, and either keep it covered with the cardboard until it cools to prevent curling, or place it under something else a little heavy for a few minutes while you wait.

Oh the excitement and the possibilities!

Malone turned out the biggest of them all, and he thought this was amazing since he’s always the smallest. Not for long, kid… He’s closing the 18 month growth gap with his sister, fast. #peoplekeepaskingiftheyretwins

You could use these sans holes for tacks, magnets, pins or anything you can really think of. We may be using these images in a different version for school stuff, too.

Easy fathers day gift – free printable

And then we combined them with these printables for a little booklet to make out easy fathers day gift.

Each kiddo can fill them out and have their own booklet, or you can do different pages combined for different kids. It’s all up to you, and this sweet little memory maker! We have ours available in Daddy, Grandpa + Papa versions for anyone looking for a sweet gift! Simply click + print {we used card stock} for these little printables and easy fathers day gift ideas..

easy fathers day gift ideas – Key-per tags: {keyper}

Easy fathers day gift ideas – Here’s the ‘Daddy’ version: {dad1 dad2 dad3 dad4 dad5}

+ the happy father’s day page what will go with all of them: happy father’s day

Easy fathers day gift ideas – The grandpa version: {grandpa1 grandpa2 grandpa3 grandpa4 grandpa5}

The Papa version: {papa1 papa2 papa3 papa4 papa5}

Just a sweet little set for the kids to make for a meaningful gift this father’s day- no matter who you’re celebrating.

Be sure to check out products in our store for the perfect, simple ans easy fathers day gift idea…

And more easy fathers day gift ideas and round ups here for a little inspiration.

As always, let us know if you try it or have any questions about these easy fathersday gift ideas – happy creating + have an inspired day!