How to Make A Father's Day Placemat

Searching for a great idea for a Father's Day gift? Creating a placemat for Dad, Grandad, or an Uncle can be a fun project that holds special meaning for him. He'll think of you every time he sits down for a meal!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clear Contact Paper
• Scissors
• White (or other solid color) Vinyl Placemat
• Photos (don't use originals, make photocopies)
• Magazines
• Drawing Paper
• Crayons
• Glue Sticks

How to Make a Father's Day Placemat

1. Choose a plain colored placemat you think your dad will like. The plainer it is, the better, as you'll be decorating it for him.

2. Gather magazines and printed pictures and start looking through them for pictures. Find anything your dad has an interest in, or enjoys doing. Cut these pictures out and set them aside. For example, if he likes sports, look through some sports magazines and cut out pictures of his favorite athletes or favorite teams.

3. Scan photographs into your computer of the family and print them out for use on the placemat. You can also print out digital images. Make sure the photographs you use are clear after they are printed. Trim the pictures to the size you want so they are ready to add to the placemat.

4. Arrange the pictures on the placemat until you figure out how you like them the best. Keep at least a quarter to a half inch margin from the edge of the placemat free of pictures so the contact paper will completely seal to the placemat.

5. Glue the pictures to the placemat using the glue stick. You only need a little bit of glue to hold them down. Make sure you seal the edges of each picture to the placemat so they don't curl up.

6. Allow the placemat to dry for a couple hours. This will ensure there is no extra moisture on the placemat from the glue that could cause problems when you try to stick on the contact paper.

7. Measure the contact paper to fit over the placemat. The sheet of contact paper should be slightly smaller than the placemat by about a quarter inch on each side. This will allow the contact paper to better seal to the placemat.

8. Cover the picture-covered placemat with the contact paper, sealing it to the edges and making the placemat waterproof. Make sure you get rid of all air bubbles under the contact paper so there are no wrinkles. The surface of the contact paper will make the placemat easy to clean; just wipe it clean with a damp washcloth and dish detergent.

Tips & Warnings

• Find photos of items your dad likes and create a collage.
• You'll get better results if you make sure all pictures used in the placemat project are about the same thickness. This will help ensure there are no air bubbles under the contact paper, and that the contact paper seals well to the original placemat.
• Be careful using scissors. You may need to assist younger children when using scissors to cut out pictures.
• Don't use any original pictures, as they may be ruined if liquid leaks under the contact paper. It's a better idea to scan a photo into your computer and print it out for use in this project.

Resources

• Father's Day Cards
• Fun Family for Father's Day