I’m going to start this post off with a few favourite photos of my love with our little.

Father’s day round two. I love my Mackenzie, not only is he the most supportive and loving husband, he is an amazing father to our little Ez. His compassion and patience shines through as a father. He was made to be called ‘DaDa’ and deserves way more than one day to be celebrated! For all the work he does day & night, and yet, still has a smile on his face and constantly asks, “how can I help you?” Isn’t he the sweetest? Along with Kenz, I’ve had my father and father-in-law who have been beyond supportive and their willingness to always help astounds me. I’ve got some amazing men in my life and I’ve put together a gift guide that will hopefully help you with your most loved and cherished ones as well.

These gifts are the perfect way to celebrate every type of dad. From the outdoor adventurer, the bearded brewer, the city commuter or the big kid that will never grow up. I’ve got you covered! So sit back, scroll down and pick your poison!

1. The ‘Homebody’ Dad

Enough with all the vanilla and lavender smells filling up your house (and mine!) and give the gift of scent with a more masculine approach. A little bit more of an indulgence then a ‘need’. Using traditional methods, these candles are handmade from premium soy wax, perfume-grade fragrance oils and 100% cotton wicks. They’ve got tons of different scents from around Vancouver and the Toronto area, if you’re guy has a favourite hot spot area in Vancouver, Vancouver Candle Co. may just have a candle that has embraced and captured that scent to enjoy at home! Click here to browse.

Pictured above are Gastown – Tobacco, Amber & Black Pepper and North Shore – Spruce, Mandarin & Coriander

2. The ‘Hat’ Dad

A couple weeks back we did a photoshoot with Beluga Baby and I wore a hat from a company called Nine O’Clock Gun,  being the hat-conesure that he is, my husband looked up their shop. He instantly grew fond of one of their designs and so I got it for him for his Birthday. GUYS. I ordered it and it was at my door within two days. They are a Vancouver based company, but I was so impressed on how quick I received the product. The quality and design is really nice and well done. I will definitely be ordering from them again. Click here to browse.

PS: They also have toddler/children’s hats with adjustable snapbacks if you’re wanting to gift a ‘Daddy&Me’ set! Check it out >> Kids Snapbacks

3. The ‘DIY’ Dad

Here are a couple of my favorite crafts that I’ve found online when I was scouring what to do last year. They are precious, keepsake for their teeny tiny hands and feet and a great story at the end. (You know, the part where you wrapped their whole body except for their foot in a towel so they wouldn’t eat the paint?)

|Footprints – When Ezra was born, it was just over two weeks away from Father’s Day. Luckily, I was on maternity leave and had TONS(not) of time to decide what I was going to do for the perfect gift. I searched and searched for something I could do for a brand new newborn and what types of DIY things were okay for baby’s skin. Because, in the end, all that I really could do was a footprint/handprint of some kind! I opted to do the feet because Ezra always had teeny tiny clenched fists and I didn’t want to get in to that fiasco of cleaning and the possibility of it getting in her eyes or face. It’s so funny as I look back now thinking of myself in that moment. Mackenzie had just started back at work, I was still finding my bearings, both as a mother and a human being, and little Ez just slept, like the little angel she is. We had one of those bouncy chairs with the fold back metal piece that I would plop her in when I wanted to do something, and wouldn’t ya know, it was the perfect spot for a footprint painting. I waited until she was sleeping, wrapped her whole little leg up with an entire towel, and got to work. I used wipes at that moment to clean off her feet and then when she was awake I gave her a bath – do not leave evidence of your work for dad to see!! I then remembered that he was a huge toy story fan so I recreated the ‘ANDY’ on one of the feet and wrote ‘DADDY’. After it dried, I found a frame at Winners and wrote a note on the back for him. To say the least, I think he may have loved it. (This can be recreated with any age too! Not just newborns!)

Supplies

1 x bottle of acrylic paint (whatever colour you’d like)

1 x sponge brush

1 x frame

3 x piece of cardstock paper (I would have multiples in case something goes wrong)

                  **canvas, stone, tile, apron, whatever surface you would like to create

Directions

1. Prep paint, brush, towel and wipes by wherever you’ll be painting
2. Wrap babe’s whole leg in towel – if they’re little this will actually hold their leg up and all you have to do is paint the foot and press the paper!
3. Hold foot by ankle and paint with sponge brush (dabbing foot in paint won’t work with newborn, too squirmy and delicate!)
4. Hold up cardstock and ankle with one hand each and press firmly. Remember to put a little pressure on the heel and toes to make sure you get the whole print.
5. Wipe foot down
6. Repeat same with other foot (If your child isn’t loving this craft for dad, you can always pack up and come back to it! Luckily it’s not very demanding in terms of set up)
7. Set aside to dry (if you are doing a tile or canvas I would suggest doing a top layer of Mod Podge to protect the print for years to come!)
8. Wrap and gift!

||‘BUGS & KISSES’ coaster

This DIY again, is super simple, you just need to have everything prepped either while babe is awake or quickly when they fall asleep. For this craft I did it at the same time I did the footprints – she is a pretty heavy sleeper. Here are some ideas for different bugs, supply list and directions to make your own unique coaster!

Bug ideas – these are just a couple suggestions but get creative! Have fun! Maybe you’ll even end up with a squished bug on your coaster (if you’ve got a super squirmy little one!)

Blue – Beetle // Purple – Butterfly // Pink – Butterfly // Red – Ladybugs // Orange – Butterfly/Beetle/Worm // Yellow – Firefly / Bumblebee //Green – Caterpillar / Grasshopper (add long bent legs)

Supplies

1 x Bottle of yellow (bumblebees) acrylic paint

1 x Bottle of red (ladybugs) acrylic paint

1 x Black Sharpie

1 x Colored sharpie

1 x White 3” x 3” tile

1 x Spray Mod Podge (matte or gloss) – I usually go in to Michaels for this with a 40% off coupon from their website! Then it makes it the cheapest place to buy it!

Directions:

1. Write ‘Bugs & Kisses’ on your tile
2. Wrap babe in towel & prep paint on dish
3. Make child’s hand into a fist (if they are newborn or else every finger gets in the paint) and have pointer finger out
4. Dab finger into paint and position wherever you choose on the tile (leave a little bit of space because you will be adding legs and wings afterwards)
5. Put tile aside to dry (24 hours to be safe)
6. Add eyes, smiles, wings and legs to your bugs
7. Spray Mod Podge to entire surface and let dry (you will want to use spray just in case you smudge the prints with the sponge brush)

*You can also add small felt pieces on the bottom four corners – you know those ones you buy for cupboards etc? I would recommend this if coaster is going on hardwood it wont scratch)

8. Wrap and Gift!

4. The ‘Burly Bearded’ Dad

Moustache Mugs || What’s that? You’ve never heard of these. WELL let me enlighten you of these miraculous porcelain beauties! Mackenzie and I actually found these both while we were out thrifting in Victoria and Tofino a couple years back. Luckily for those of you who may not be in to thrifting or the time it may take to find one of your own, there’s places like beardoholic.com who can cut a few corners for you!

“Nothing can be more frustrating for a guy than to have his moustache dipping into his coffee in the morning. All that work to keep your facial hair clean and manicured, and now it is full of a hot beverage and dripping on your clothing. Luckily for guys with an abundance of facial hair, a cool little gadget will eliminate the soaking of the moustache when you enjoy your favourite morning beverage.” – Beardoholic.com

5. The ‘Outdoor Adventurer’ Dad

|Alchemy Goods Recycled Bike Tire Wallet

A couple years ago I purchase this wallet for my husband from the MAKE shop on Granville Island for his birthday. He is quite a minimalist when it comes to carrying things around (wallet, keys, change) and this wallet is nice and slim, he loved it! He is an avid biker and is a ‘recycled material’ enthusiast, if that’s even a thing. Well, let’s just make that a thing. I found this wallet at the MAKE Shop on Granville Island. It wasn’t that expensive and what a unique gift! (They’ve actually got their AG Money Clip wallet on sale for $16 right now here.)

||MEC Backpack Cover

This compact little number has come in handy so many times when on the go and we LOVE it. You can find these backpack rain covers at MEC. The one pictured here is their smallest size and if you pull the cord all the way it fits over a regular backpack, but when fully extended it is large enough to fit over a suitcase or a hiking backpack. We have used this cover when walking and biking to and from work and also when we were in Ecuador for a mission trip. With weather that never really decides on where it wants to go, having this compact cover is a must! The one I have is blue, but they also carry an orange and a black. Pick one up here.

6. The ‘Brew Bro’ Dad

If you haven’t had a chance to walk down Brewery Row across the way from Rocky Point park, you’re missing out! There are tons of locally brewed & bottled companies there, equipped with different craft beers, apparel and growlers for take home Father’s Day gifts. An idea for our ‘Brew Bro’ was maybe a $10 gift card from each brewery, maybe even gift this to a few dads that are friends, and take an afternoon to enjoy a taste of each brewery! If your guy has a favourite brewery you could also gift him a shirt, glass or growler crate.

Rocky Point
Brewery Row
Yellow Dog Brewing 

Parkside Brewery 

Twin Sails Brewing 

Moody Ales 

7. The ‘Beachcomber’ Dad

Have you seen these hats before? The perfect hat for that dad that is so busy loving on his littles, making sure they are safe and protected for the sun, he often forgets about himself. Well, not only will he love this hat, his face and shoulders will be covered by the shade it provides! Trendy AND useful. My husband lives in his each summer for the past couple years. Whether it be summer camps, at the beach or even playing soccer (yah, try and picture that).In our family, we each have a sunhat; they’re awesome.

Here’s where I picked up my husband’s.

8. The ‘Capture-every-moment’ Dad

|New camera lens

This one goes out to the dads who are either, photographers for a fact and those aspiring to be, or just those who have a DSLR and love to capture each moment. A little bit more on the pricey end but a fun and thoughtful gift (that also pays back with the beautiful photos they take) is a new lens! Is there one that they’ve had their eye on? A favourite of my husband’s is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens. Most of my photos are now taken with this lens, it’s bright, crisp and just a beautiful thing. Check it here.

||SD Card Camera Reader

This is the perfect gift for the dad on the go, when you just can’t wait to get those photos on to your computer or want to send them to family right away, this is what they need. This tiny little adapter plugs right in to your phone, you pop the memory card in and away you go. Uploading whatever you would like from the photos you just took! Nifty little thing! Grab one here or Best Buy by you.

9. The ‘City Commuter’ Dad

Part of living in the city and fast pace lifestyle these days involves a lot more travel time. Whether you’re stuck in rush hour for 2 hours or on the long route home riding the bus and sky train, you may find these beneficial. If you have a hard working, commuting man in your life then this is ideal for him. Here are two items that will make that commute just that much more comfortable.

|Wireless Headphones (Outdoor Tech)

These headphones are great for someone on the go who loves their music. Drown out the work day commute with these Portable Bluetooth Outdoor Tech Headphones. Compact, light AND you can keep your phone in your pocket while listening to them, no more annoying cord in the way! You can grab them here.

||Portable Battery Charger

This may be one of those bonus double gifts, you know, the ones you buy for your husband or significant other but really, you just want it. Like that time you bought him that really cool mug, that you just so happen to use every morning now, or that rain cover for his back pack you bring with you when you walk to work. No worries, lol, no judging here! At the end of the day though, this is a very good thing to have, especially for long hikes, camping, or even a day touring the town! (TBH: My phone is usually dead because I take a million photos).

10. The ‘Gardening’ Dad

For Mother’s Day we get big floral bouquets, hanging baskets and plants for the garden. So why not get our guys a little something green? Not all floral and greenery needs to be feminine, look for a nice grouping of herbs together in a planter for when he’s barbecuing or an arrangement(again, not feminine!) with succulents and rocks and dirt. If the dad you’re buying for has an office space with a desk or even a window ledge, this will liven up that space with a little pop of colour!

Hopefully you’ve been able to pick up something from here that your father, father in law, grandpa or husband may like! Enjoy your day with your loved ones and remember, if all else fails, you know they’ll always take a hug.

Other ideas not photographed:

• Whitecaps tickets
• Beer tour @ Granville Island
• Hot blade shave
• Watch/FitBit
• Patterned socks – Old Navy is great for this!
• Wireless Adapter (This little loonie sized bit makes whatever you plug it in to; wireless)

Have a suggestion of your own? Drop me a line in the comments, I’d love to know what you’re gifting!

Take care loves!

xox

Cass