Every Dad will treasure a handmade gift.What kind of Dad do you have? What are his hobbies? What is he “into?” These questions will steer you in the right direction to the endless possibilities you have to create a one-of-a-kind personalized gift from you to Dad. One of the most affordable projects would be to shop at a second hand clothing store to create your special gift.

Make his tablet feel and look like a good book

Most dads already have a tablet, iPad or Kindle and love the convenience of reading their books on it, but maybe they also miss the look and feel of holding an actual book. Combine the two for a new, personalized look created especially for him. How do you do this? Shop second hand stores for a book with a paper book cover on it, make sure it’s of the genre dad likes, like a mystery or western or whatever his tastes are, then fold the paper cover to fit his “modern” techie reader, and voila! He’s got a great gift homemade just by you.

Courtesy of: Creative Upcycyling 

Picture this!

Create a perfect photo album with just pictures of you and Dad. Okay, you can include pictures of other siblings or moms and grandparents too if you want. First purchase a gently used and sometimes even brand new photo album at a second hand store for a fraction of the cost you’d pay in a retail store. Second, buy several used neckties, cut them to fit and cover the album using a patchwork design. 

Courtesy of Lil Blue Boo

Tie-ing One on a Hot Drink

At your local second hand clothing store, purchase a nearly new metal or ceramic tall hot beverage container, the kind dad drinks his coffee from. While you’re at that second hand store, pick out a themed tie – maybe one with golf balls on it if he’s a golfer, or one with a cartoon character if he’s into that sort of thing – and cut, wrap and Velcro it onto the cup. It will protect his hands from the heat of the cup and his cup won’t get confused with anyone else’s.

Courtesy of That’s What {Che} Said 

For the Sports Fan Dad

Every Dad has a favorite sport, or maybe he likes many different sports that will make it easier for you to decide which “ball” to use in your crafty, homemade Father’s Day gift. Surely Dad has books on his favorite sport. If not, you can purchase books on golf, baseball, football, or soccer at your nearby second hand store and combine them all, maybe 4-6 books you can make bookends for. Find used baseballs, golf balls or small toy-sized soccer, basketball or footballs to use as the ends at that same second hand store. A way to prop up your father’s favorite reads with tokens of America’s favorite pastime? Now there’s a homerun of a gift. The secret to knocking it out of the park: a couple of metal brackets and some strong glue.

Glue the metal brackets to the insides of the balls with the bracket facing into the books. Place the books and your good to go.

Courtesy of: The Winthrop Chronicles

Dad’s Personalized Throw Pillow

Reuse one of Dad’s old t-shirts or shop at the second hand clothing store to find a cool one to make a personalized throw pillow. Cut the t-shirt fabric to the desired size, allowing for 1/4-inch seams. Sew with the wrong sides together, making sure to leave an opening to fill. Use filling or forms to stuff the pillow; sew closed (push the filling to the bottom of the pillow and feed the unfinished edge through the sewing machine).

Get creative with your design — different sizes, multiple shirts on one pillow, and embellishments, such as buttons, can personalize the gift. Dad is sure to love it because it’s handmade by you. If your Dad is as thrift-minded as many are he will also be grateful that you saved money by shopping at a second hand store in the process.

Courtesy of The Sewing Rabbit

Whatever gift you make for Dad this year, no matter how simple or difficult, it will be his favorite, guaranteed to be kept for a lifetime because it was made with love by you. Tell your friends they can find these tips for homemade Father’s Day gifts, along with blogs on money saving tips and other ways to save money by logging onto www.thearcstore.org

Click here to find more great make-it-yourself Father’s Day gifts.

To find out what merchandise is on sale for any given day visit the Arc Stores’ Facebook page and be sure to download the coupon below to bring in with you while shopping.

Happy Father’s Day to all Dads, Moms and kids from the Arc second hand clothing stores of Chico, Paradise and Oroville.