Notes for Dad {an upcycle with love}

My husband's birthday is almost here, and I've been trying to think of a neat project for the kids to create a really meaningful gift for him. It had to be a recycle/upcycle. It had to be from the heart. For weeks, I've pondered this.

Husband: Remember this guy? The chicken whisperer.

Then, while spring cleaning (OK, in spring I'm OUTSIDE; so I do my spring cleaning when it gets cold) I found this really neat jar of cilantro. The cilantro was old, so I discarded it and set that jar aside because I knew I'd do something with it.

Fast forward to a recent trip to Crafts 2000. I've been trying to pick up etching paste for a while now and they've been out. Bingo, they had it in stock, so home with me it went.

Etching paste in hand + pretty jar on counter... you can all see where this is going. My crafty mind is racing! What to put in the jar??? What doe he need? I asked the kids. {LOVE} says my son. Love! That's it.

I grabbed a blank sheet of paper and started asking my children what they love about their dad. I got some great answers! Really, EVERY parent deserves one of these.

"I like it when Dad builds things with me, like rocket launchers and legos."

"I like it when Dad sits and talks with me before I go to sleep."

"Dad protects me. That makes me feel safe."

{are you tearing up yet?}

"Dad is super honest. He's just a good person and I want to be like him."

I picked up some really simple stencil letters when I got my paste. So I followed the directions on the paste and etched the words "notes" and "for dad" on this charming little bottle. It's very subtle, but pretty {and a bit hard to see in a photograph}.

 

 

"notes" using etching paste and peel letter stencils.

Then I spray painted the lid {so you couldn't read "cilantro"} with some spray paint I found in the cellar. And...

It's simple. It's upcycled. It's LOVE. Like I said, every parent deserves one of these!

Have a simple, warm, peaceful and blessed day!