I've been hit by some kind of delayed nesting fairy this past week and have been organising, sorting and clearing clutter. One of the things that has to go now is a box of photographs my daughter loves to scatter around the house. I've been scouring the web for ideas on what to do with leftover photographs that never made it into the photo albums, and I love the idea of photo bookmarks. Not a bad idea for a crafty Fathersday for a dad who reads either!
I thought I was everso prepared for Father’s Day as I’ve been working on review products for the big day for months. Well, no. I still haven’t finally decided what to get my husband to thank him for being such a lovely dad so finding deals like this really helps! This Braun M90 shaver set is a good bet for any dad as it has been reduced by a lot and includes lots of lovely extras.
The Braun M90 gift set was selling for £34.99 so this deal is for less than half the original price. The kit comes with a Braun mobile shave M90 shaver, a premium Braun washbag, Gillette deodorant, moisturiser, face wash and a three year guarantee.
At this price you can probably get away with giving him just this, it is a very good kit and looks like you spent far more. Great for anyone on a budget. The reviews on the site also give it a big thumbs up, saying that it does what it should, looks good, and works well.
Thanks to wishihadadonkey at HUKD!
Do you remember when you used to have loads of time for shopping, relaxing, reading, watching TV or getting pampered? When stress didn’t seem quite so dominant? Yeah, me too. When you have kids your life can suddenly get a bit, well, regimented as you try to juggle everything and those lovely lazy moments are few and far between.
You also have the extra cost of raising a child and managing a family, which can be very limiting on book shopping or beauty treatments or extravagant holidays. So, today I went on the prowl for ideas that let you spent some time on yourself. Just you. And you won’t spend too much on the pleasure either.
To start with why not use the things you have at home to create a zen space just for you. This works just as well for Dads as it does for Mums and can even be a part of his Father’s Day present if you like. I know many men love lying in a hot bubbly bath with a good book and a glass of wine just as much as women do!
Take a look at some of our ace bath product reviews that we’ve done this year and you’ll see some great products at really low prices. The Tesco Skin Wisdom range is one that really springs to mind as they have a phenomenal range of products at low, low prices. I have used these on my husband and he really likes them as some of the scents – like gingerlily and orange – are not excessively sweet and feminine.
Run the bath, make it bubbly, turn on the music, pour some wine (or whatever your poison) and relax. Relaxation has become an increasingly essential item on the modern to-do list. We work harder, we live faster and we do far more than previous generations and it is taking its toll on our bodies and minds.
Giving yourself permission to take an hour out for a hot bath or to lie on the sofa and read is more about ensuring you stay healthy and well than you realise. Stress can cause illness, affect digestion and blood pressure, it can provoke depression and self-destructive behaviour.
Relaxation does the opposite. It improves your energy levels, helps your cardiovascular system and improves life longevity. If you are feeling forgetful, your body aches all the time, you’re irritable or struggling to sleep, then it is very likely that you are juggling an unhealthy amount of stress. Allow yourself to stop and rest. To unwind.
While simple tasks like hot baths, reading a magazine or falling down in front of the TV can offer you benefits and help you to unwind, they are not as effective as deep meditation or exercise can be, especially on a regular basis. Take a look at my feature on how to get fit for free if you need ideas on how to improve your exercise regime and start incorporating small amounts into your day. It’s as important as buying milk, making sure you have nappies, and paying the bills.
Being creative also helps to relax you. It inspires you and feeds your creativity which will make you better at doing your job. So, why not make your own bath scrub (it would make an ace Father’s Day pressie) by mixing coarse sea salt with essential oils and almond oil? Just add 15-20 drops of the essential oil to a mixture of sea salt and four cups of almond oil and stir it up vigorously.
Rub the salt onto your skin in a clockwise direction to boost circulation and exfoliate the skin. Choose essential oils that are designed to relax and calm you like lavender and make sure you know the risks if you are pregnant.
If the idea of going to all this effort for some R&R doesn’t appeal to you in the slightest, then why not use some cheap alternatives. Local beauty schools offer discounted treatments for people willing to let students practise on them. I am so bad at putting on nail polish that I don’t mind if a student is a bit wonky and that I only pay a fraction of the usual price. You can find a list of beauty schools in your area at Beauty Finder.
Also, why don’t you do all of these things with your partner. It can be so difficult to keep that fizz going when you are both tired and stressed and working all hours. I know that my husband and I have once gone for three days without doing more than saying “HI” because we’ve both been so busy working and juggling our children and our jobs.
Spend time together in the bath, giggle like teenagers, stick bubbles in each other’s faces, be stupid and laugh. In fact, before you go any further watch this movie because laughter really is the best therapy.
The Garmin Nuvi 205W sat nav is one of the better known sat nav brands and well worth getting as a lovely Father’s Day present for the man who has everything except satellite navigation. Down to a lovely £49.97 at Currys, this is a good price for one of these gadgets.
The Garmin Nuvi 205W sat nav system comes with City Navigator NT maps for the UK and Ireland which are displayed with an incredible level of detail on the 4.3inch backlit colour screen. You only have to touch the screen to enter your destination and the system will lead the way.
It includes voice prompts and a host of routing options including eco-route that calculates the most efficient way there. It also gives you route avoidance so you can avoid tolls and highways plus it will auto reroute if you are stuck in traffic or have to take a diversion.
The system has lots of extra features that include photo navigation and an anti theft system.
Thanks to Wowhats at HUKD!
You can't possibly have missed the fact that it's Father's Day on Sunday; yes, THIS Sunday!
Yesterday was my day for buying all the various Father's Day present and card paraphernalia for the children to present to their dad on Sunday; I must confess to feeling rather smug that I have all of this done and orgainsed before the day before.
Giving cards is one of my most favourite things about occasions, it doesn't matter if it's birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, 'just because' or Father's Day. I love spending ages choosing the perfect one and the teenagers often refuse to stand near me in card shops because I'm often reduced to a giggling mess with tears rolling down my cheeks.
Personalised cards make for the ultimate in perfect cards, in my opinion and we asked PlayPennies mum, Ella, to order three such cards from Hallmark to test their quality and service.
There are lots and lots to choose from - cute ones from the kids, funny ones and spoof ones; first Father's Day ones (they're a lovely idea, the first Father's Day is always super special I think) and Grandad ones.
I'm really not sure when our father's fathers got in on the act, it's FATHER'S day...not Grandfather's Day.
Anyway, Ella duly paid a visit to www.hallmark.co.uk and chose her three cards; here's how she got on and her thoughts about the Hallmark experience.
"I choose the iPhone card as my other half hates iPhones, including mine, so I got it for a joke," Ella laughed. "It was quite good fun, as I was able to add silly captions underneath all the icons on the iPhones."
Ella also ordered The Pun card; she told us she has always found the newspaper style cards hilarious.
"I could edit some of the little captions on it, to say personal things about family and friends."
To cover the 'cute cards from kids' angle she also choose the Daddy and Daughter card.
Some of the cards can be personalised with photographs. In my experience it's worthwhile choosing which photos you're going to use before you start personalising your card, it just makes the whole process smoother and quicker.
So, your pictures have been sorted and you've chosen the cards you want to personalise; the next step is to create your Hallmark Personalised Father's Day card using their online card maker.
"The online card maker was fairly straight forward, for anyone who is used to making personalised items online," Ella told us, "Obviously if you've never used a personalised photo service it might take a bit of getting used to, but it's nothing too tricky."
Ella's used to doing this sort of thing online and going through the process did highlight a couple of things she felt were a little awkward or missing.
She reported there wasn't an 'undo' button, so you can't go back a step if you make a mistake or don't like what you've done and was disappointed she couldn't add an image to the inside of the card; this is something she's been able to do before on other personalised card making sites and would liked to have been able to do again.
Ella also told us, "The positioning of the photos was a little tricky, I had to keep re-selecting the zoom tool and the move tool, to get it right. But I got there eventually, and managed to position the photos where I wanted them."
Once your cards are made you need to go through the checkout process; Ella confessed to us how surprised she was to discover there was a postage and handling fee.
"I was spending £9, and the order total came to £9.81," she said. "There's no link at the bottom of the page about handling fees, it's not mentioned at all until you get towards the end of the checkout."
Hallmark do mention their postage and packaging fees in their price guides, but if you're like Ella, who freely admits she never reads them and just jumps straight into things, you could be in for a bit of a surprise; the larger your cards and order the larger your P&P costs are going to be.
All of that said, Ella was very happy with her Hallmark personalised Father's Day card results.
"The cards were of a very high standard. They were on thick card, and the printing was good quality," she said, "The outside of two of the cards had a nice glossy finish but the newspaper style card, the finish was matte."
Ella doesn't recall reading any notice about this being the case on the Hallmark website and confessed she would have preferred it glossy.
Prices for personalised Hallmark Father's Day cards start from £2.00 for small ones, £3 for medium and large cards will cost you £5.99; there's a full money-back guarantee if you're not completely happy with the results.
If you order before 2pm, Monday to Friday, Hallmark will post your cards to you by first class mail that same day, so you've still got time to order yours in time for Father's Day (this Sunday, remember!).
Looking for an awesome Father’s Day present for your partner? Well, if he likes whiskey then here you go – a 12 year old malt whiskey for a lovely £20 at ASDA. That is a really nice saving off the usual price of £32.97 and just delicious.
The Glenfiddich whiskey is my favourite. In fact, I was lucky enough to have landed a holiday cottage right beside the river Spey so I visited the distillery and went on the tour and got to enjoy a free mini slug or two of this scrummy beverage.
The distillery has been around since 1887 and the signature flavour has a complex note that blends pear and oak into a mouth watering treat. What more could anyone, much less dad, ask for in a Father’s Day present?
ASDA actually have quite a few different types of whiskey on sale at the moment so fee free to browse if your partner has another favourite flavour.
Thanks to david_robinson94 at HUKD!
As a nation of tea drinkers, this offer should go down... refreshingly. Especially given the weather of late, 15% off real, excellent quality tea and accessories just about hits the spot. And, if you’re looking for something that isn’t socks or a joke item for your tea-drinking dad in time for Father's Day there’s even 15% off accessories.
Hit the spot with a great cup of tea
Tea Pigs is a small company, with a handful of staff who are, it seems, pretty passionate about tea, travelling the world to taste it. They have black (including chocolate flake tea!!), green, oolong, white, Rooibos, herbal, organic and adventurous (including chilli chai and spiced winter red) teas which sound amazing and Teapigs makes up lovely looking gift sets too.
Included in gift sets are the tea accessories – and I have to interrupt myself here to tell you a story. I have bought my husband many gifts over the years that we have been together, but to date, his favourite gift ever was a stove-top coffee brewing pot I bought one Christmas as a stocking filler! So much for that driving experience that cost 8 times as much!
Anyway, I’m loving some of the accessories that are included in this offer. My personal favourites are the glass cup and saucers and the Brugo mugs for on the go drinks. But the best simply has to be this candle lit tea set - although not your cheapest tea set option!
Teapigs is an ethical company, which makes them all the better to support, and their customer feedback on some of the teas is pretty incredible. Apparently, this is what real tea tastes like.
This is another brilliant Father’s Day present right here. I have yet to meet a man who doesn’t enjoy a couple of hours with John Wayne, some beer and a little yee haa. Here you get the entire John Wayne western collection for only £6.99 including free delivery from Bee.
The series included in the box set are Hondo where Wayne plays Hondo Lane a cavalry rider who becomes the designated protector of Angie Lowe. In McLintock, Wayne plays a baron, banker and model citizen who is on the lookout for his missing wife.
Then you get True Grit, a Wayne classic, Rio Lobo, El Dorado, Big Jake, The Shootist, The Sons of Katie Elder, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
An entire set of fabulous classic westerns that will definitely make your man happy if he is a fan of John Wayne and the good old fashioned shooter.
Thanks to andywedge at HUKD!
Find me a Gift have really delivered some amazing things to my door over the past few years, from customised labels to weird sparkly charms to shining bath creations. This time they sent me a simply awesome Father’s Day present – A Joker bathrobe for the inner maniac of your little Batman (I mean, husband).
You’d think that a bathrobe designed in the effervescent purple and green of the Joker’s colours would be a hideous exercise in eye-clenching drama. Well, you’d be wrong. While I definitely have a bizarre sense of colour appreciation (pink and red, for me, have always worked) this bathrobe did not shock and dismay as I had expected it to.
When I first unfurled the Joker bathrobe I was first taken aback by the colours and how, when placed on my husband, they worked with his skin tone. Perhaps you need to ensure that your partner, or whoever you are buying Father’s Day gifts for, works well with Royal purple and green.
The second thing that got my attention was the texture. This bathrobe is Oh My Goodness I Want To Stroke You soft. So very, very, very soft. My husband has been wearing the same bathrobe for years. I don’t mind this, it is a part of who he is, but it was still nice to see that he was prepared to give the Joker a try the next morning.
And the next. And the next. And now the Joker bathrobe from Find me a Gift is the only bathrobe he will wear. I think it is the fact that it is utterly soft, dreamily soft. And so far that soft hasn’t washed out in the laundry, like such fabrics often do. And there are some nice, big pockets on there too.
Retailing for £39.99, this is not a cheap gift, but it is also a very nice one. If you don’t like the Joker, then why not nab Yoda or Obi Wan Kenobi?
While Father’s day doesn’t seem to bring out the Hallmark moments, pastel posters and commercial overkill that mother’s day does, there are still plenty of ideas around for how to treat dad.
Of course, one of the first places that comes to mind when I’m looking for little bits and pieces for gifts and cards is Clintons so we asked PlayPennies mum Tammy to review a selection of their Father’s Day stock for us.
Tammy was sent a bell which says “Ring for Beer”, an “I’m a Retro Dad” T-shirt, and a Mr.Grumpy mug.
To get us started, Tammy shares her thoughts on the “Ring For Beer” bell. “This is a small dark blue bell with white writing. It comes packaged in clear plastic and is rather good to look at.” That’s a good start, as we generally like our gifts to be good to look at!
However, the joke was a little lost on Tammy’s partner. “My husband is not the kind of man who appreciates this kind of humour so he glared at the bell a bit and muttered about male stereotypes. I have to say that I kind of agree but the point isn't really about philosophy is it? It is about the fact that someone could buy this for their other half as a cute little extra joke pressie. And for that it is very cute.”
My mum had a bell she used to ring when we were kids. No matter where we were, we knew it was time to get home for dinner/bath/bed or whatever was next in the day. As did the rest of the neighbourhood, but this was life before mobile phones. At least it saves dad running around trying to find his kids.
“I don't know the price yet” – its’ £3.99 - “so i can't comment on that but it is well made, rather solid and has a pleasant ring to it. Once it was out the packaging our child adopted it until we both hid it to preserve our sanity. I then used it one morning to ring for coffee in bed, sadly this did not go down well.”
And, as a final thought, Tammy says, “Ok on further investigation you can get Ring for a Cuppa which I think I'd like for Christmas please :)”
Next up is the “I’m not Old, I’m Retro” T-shirt, which you’ll have to pick up in store.
“Like most Father's Day t-shirts,” says Tammy “this one is sweet and pretty targeted”.
She’s pretty impressed with the quality too. “The fabric is good quality and not too thin and crap”.
But it’s not really her sense of humour. “I didn't get the joke about Retro Dad if I am honest. Well, I got the joke but it wasn't funny. Not my sense of humour at all. The husband refuses to wear it as it says he is old (that's what he says) but I reckon that grandpa's will dig it and so sent it on to my Dad from his granddaughter. He thought it was hilarious and wears it on Sundays to ‘slooomph’ around in”.
Tammy doesn’t get told the prices of items she receives, so she’s guessing here. “If this is under £10, it’s good value for money with quality stitching, thick material and a nice transfer that hasn't washed off and gotten all peely after 5 washes so far.”
It’s just £5, so doubly good value, by my calculations!
The final item Tammy received from Clintons was the Mr. Grumpy mug, which was a massive hit.
“A few years ago,” she tells us, “I bought my husband a Mr Grumpy T-shirt which he loves and my daughter loves (especially now she is into Mr Men more) and when I whipped out the Mr Grumpy mug both their faces lit up in big fat smiles.”
Tammy was really happy with the mug, and thinks the mug and T-shirt should come out as a set.
“The mug is cheap, dishwashes nicely and is big. I hate tiny little mugs that give you one sip of bloody coffee.” Said, of course, in her best “I’m a tired mummy” voice!
Tammy’s final thoughts on the mug? “This is a MUG and does everything very nicely. I think this is a definite winner for our house, especially with the low price.” Which is £4.99. “Oh, and I see they also have Mr Happy mug, so I ask this - how did they KNOW my husband was Mr Grumpy? (HAHAHAHA)”
There are loads of other options for Father’s Day, so check out the website, and if you pass one, pop in store too, and have a happy Father’s Day!
Father’s Day is on its way. On Sunday 19 June you better have something lovely lined up for your partner or you may end up spending the day feeling guilty instead of having fun. Although, if he did nothing for Mother’s Day feel free to just ignore it then…
Ok, so to get to the point. Superdrug is selling the Babyliss i-Stubble 7890U for £30.29 including the delivery charges. Usually this fancy little device sells for £61.20 so you have £31 shaved (hur hur) off the original price. Then you can tack on the rather lovely 10% discount using the code TILL0507 which takes off 10% on your first order.
The delivery is free until midnight 19 June, you get 300 Beautycard points worth £3 and you can nab cashback via Quidco.
The Babylish i-Stubble (ridiculous name) is the next generation in stubble control technology with 15 ultra precise length settings and unique floating contouring head. It has all the bells and whistles and would make a lovely Father’s Day gift on a budget.
Thanks to Mattytc at HUKD!
Who remembers Airwolf? That ace and yet terribly cheesy show from the 80s. Pure genius. The intro alone will make you laugh for hours. So, with Father’s Day coming up on 19 June (not long now folks!) how about getting your man a stunning Airwolf remote control helicopter as a pressie?
So this particular helicopter is not actually from the TV show but who cares, it is truly awesome with lots of great features and any guy who likes his remote-controlled things and gadgets will love it. The helicopter is a three channel mini remote control special operations combat helicopter modelled on the Bell 222 Airwolf Aurora Special Operations Combat Helicopter.
It is 5.9inches long, fitting perfectly into the palm of your hand, and is fully functional allowing for movement in all directions. It has the latest aut-stable technology and it can fly from 6-8 minutes from a 15-25 minute charge.
Thanks to rattler9uk at HUKD!
Father's Day is just one and a half weeks away; it's on Sunday 19 June and if you've been stuck for ideas then this Liz Earle Men's Face Scrub, Cleanse and Polish review might give you some inspiration.
It's taken a long time for men and skin care routines to become comfortable bedfellows, and there are still hardcore guys who flatly refuse to go anywhere near anything vaguely resembling moisturiser.
Fortunately for us we have PlayPennies dad Simon on hand, he got wise to the benefits of skin care years ago and was more than willing to put some Liz Earle products for men, sent to us by QVC, through their paces on our behalf.
The Liz Earle Men's Face Scrub, Cleanse and Polish set contains Men's Cleanse & Polish (100ml), Men's Face Scrub (75ml), Aftershave Moisturiser (15ml) and two muslin cloths; at QVC it retails for £23.20.
I saw the products before they were sent off to Simon and was interested to hear what he thought of the packaging.
"I was relieved when I saw the packaging for the Liz Earle products for men," says Simon, "It's subtly manly without a bulldog, or garish colour, in sight which makes a refreshing change."
The Cleanse and Polish cleanser is suitable for all skin types and has a two-step process which promises to clean away dirt and the excess oils that build up, block pores and cause spots.
"The hot cloth cleanser is great," Simon reveals, "it's lovely and creamy and easy to apply. Then taking one of the muslin cloths, dipped in hot water and wrung out, you rub off the cleanser."
"It leaves your skin feeling clean, relaxed and refreshed - although at times with my shaved head I did feel like I was polishing a bowling ball!"
The Cleanse and Polish cleanser is mineral oil free and it's 'Naturally Active' ingredients include eucalyptus, to purify, and cocoa butter for smooth skin.
The face scrub can be used one or twice a week after cleansing and/or after shaving - it can help prevent ingrowing hairs apparently - but it's not suitable for sensitive or damaged skin.
"The scrub leaves your skin feeling clean and seriously smooth to the touch," Simon tells us, "Like most scrubs it has rough bits in it but they don't feel like they're shredding your skin whilst you're massaging it in!"
Now I rather like that, but I understand feeling like you're rubbing sandpaper on your skin isn't everyone's cup of tea.
The rough bits in the Liz Earl Face Scrub for Men are actually tiny bits of pumice stone and jojoba beads. It also contains eucalyptus to cool the skin.
Finding the perfect moisturiser can be a bit hit and miss; some can be a bit watery, others too heavy, some can smell horrendous and others have far too much of a scent to them.
The Liz Earle After-Shaving Moisturiser claims to be light, easily absorbed whilst being very effective at the same time.
Simon certainly agreed.
"I really enjoyed using the after-shaving moisturiser," he says, "it really was easily absorbed and left my skin feeling moisturised without that horrible oily feel you can get sometimes."
Don't be put off by the small size of the moisturiser, Simon says you don't need to use much at all as a little bit goes a very long way.
The Naturally active ingredients in the After-Shaving moisturiser include self-heal extract (I have NO idea what that is, but it sounds like it's a good thing to have in there) to help soothe small nicks and calm razor burn plus borage to help moisturise
There is a very strong natural and environmental ethos behind all of the Liz Earle products.
They describe themselves as a botanically-based beauty company doing their upmost to keep their environmental impact down, whilst not compromising on product quality.
They won't settle for anything but the highest quality naturally active ingredients, which have to be ethically sourced, and try to ensure they're certified organic too.
Liz Earle are also committed to making sure that as much of their packaging is made from already recycled material and can be re-recycled.
Simon told me he feels the Company's efforts to go green and be a environmentally responsible and ethical manufacturer hasn't compromised the products in any.
If anything, he was surprised they weren't more expensive as a result.
All of the Liz Earle products were a big hit with Simon.
"All of the products had a very pleasant neutral fragrance; it was light and fresh without being perfumed." Simon explains, "The whole system is quick and easy to use too."
"In the past I have mainly used L'Oreal for Men but I'd switch!" concludes Simon. "Liz Earle has a popular Facebook page where fans can get promotional offers and extra product information - I 'like' Liz Earle for Men!"
Liz Earle Men's Face Scrub and Cleanse & Polish @ QVC
Oooh, now this is a very tasty deal from Thorntons. You get to choose from a nice range of delicious choccies that are part of a buy one get one free deal plus you can then shave an extra 10% off the final price using the voucher code below.
The BOGOF collection includes things like the milk, dark & white summer collection, the continental milk collection, the classic collection, assorted toffees, fudge boxes, and classic dark collections. There are some nice options here that will do you very well for presents.
Instead of spending £22 on an enormous box of delicious chocolates you can spend £10.99 for two of the same box and then take another 10% off with the code WR10 and save a lot of lovely cash. It’s ace. I really hope that you aren’t on diet though, this deal is almost worth breaking dieting ranks for.
They also have specials on Father’s Day choccies for half price so take a peek at those while you’re on the site too.
Thanks to godofwar7 at HUKD!
Did you know that children are far happier if they talk to their dads 'seriously' most days? This came from research undertaken by the Children's Society this time last year.
I found this interesting because it seems like the role of dad is still a bit vague, even now in the 21st century. As if fathers are a bit more of an optional extra rather than a key figure playing an important role.
For instance, it occurs to me that here we are, two weeks from Father's Day, and I'd not had the same barrage of marketing that preceded mother's day. Then I thought about how there were so many traditions associated with Mother's Day, or Mothering Sunday.
Daffodils, either the real flower or crafted ones. Mum's traditional breakfast in bed complete with burnt toast and handmade cards. Lunch, out at a restaurant or cooked by dad. A day to put your feet up, but a day definitely spent with the family.
Then there's Father's day. No flowers here. I'd go with the breakfast in bed, but there's no real tradition of this. Then what? Do dad's put up their feet while the, er, lawn is mowed? Maybe have lunch cooked for them if they're the ones that do the cooking? There's really no stereotype here, is there?
Apart from the giving of socks and ties. But the same can be the said of birthdays and Christmas too.
So what is Father's day? Does it really matter, and should we make a fuss of it? And if we do, how?
Unique Father's Day Craft IdeasIt is always nicer to have the kids make a card. But what else can they do? I quite like this one, it is a Father's Day banner, and it looks dead easy to make. Just three triangle flags, a bit like bunting, and some wool to string it up should do the trick.
How come we don't see more necktie crafts nowadays? I remember there was always something along these lines as a kid. It took a while to dig it up, but this one shows how to make a necktie glasses case. What I like the most is that you can do it using a bit of hand sewing and fabric glue. I'd adapt it and make an iPhone cover. It'll give you a bit of excuse to go rummaging through charity shops as well.
Making It PersonalI've spent a number of Father's days at the park, with other mums on their own, as the dad is off doing his own thing. For them, it seems that Father's Day is their guilt-free day. The one day they can take off and do whatever they feel like doing, for the whole day, answering to no-one, with no recriminations.
I wondered about this as I toodled around the roundabouts, a widow for car racing, with another mum, abandoned for a car show, and mum number three whose partner was off on a bike run. Why is it so different?
If mother's day is about being together as a family, how come father's day seems to be the opposite? We're well into the 21st century now, dads aren't relegated to the role of breadwinner and 'wait till your father comes home' anymore. Why aren't they more central to family life?
I'm readdressing the balance somewhat this year. Using some acrylic paint my son and I put our handprints on a stretched blank canvas. It looks pretty cool.
Unique And DIYI asked around for some unique ideas that you can make yourself and that dad's might think is cool. There's only a slim possibility that I'll be making one of these myself though.
Dad of three, Don, was harking back to his school days I think when he suggested making a key ring holder out of old cutlery. It sounds suspiciously like one of those first metalwork projects they give eleven year olds. Although it isn't metal or wood work anymore. It is called 'resistant materials'.
I did a bit of digging around and found this really easy approach to cutlery key racks. Also it looks like a fairly interesting decorating statement but more importantly, dead easy to make. I'm guessing that Gorilla Glue is the equivalent of Superglue or No More Nails.
You could screen print your own t-shirt. This project guide here uses materials that are fairly easy to come by. The end result probably won't be all that professional, but that would be part of the charm.
I think that PlayPennies dad James might be dreaming a little when he suggested this one, custom speakers with a colour scheme that looks a bit Starsky and Hutch.
However, a rummage on that site could be worthwhile. This is quite interesting - how to make a USB stick look like a pack of chewing gum.
And finally ...Or you could make him a voucher. One guilt-free day to be taken as he likes, when he likes. Except for Sunday, the 19th of June. Because Father's day is for family.
With Father’s Day fast approaching, I’m thrilled to have this 15% off voucher from YourSurprise.com at my disposal.
Personalised gifts for Father's Day from YourSurprise.com
YourSurprise are a Dutch company, based in the Netherlands, but serving the UK public. While they offer the usual ‘personalise a pillow, soft toy or greeting card’ service, they also offer a few other unique twists on the theme – such as a label for a bottle of wine, chocolates with a photo or text, creating your own song, and loads more.
I’ve ordered a personalised story book for my daughter, who currently loves seeing her name or her self in books and videos, and as you can add characters, Daddy and child can be heroes of a personalised bed time story! While the book itself is £11.95, the 15% discount brings the total for the book to £10.16. Shipping from Holland is an additional £2.95 via a courier service, and you can choose your delivery preferences when placing your order.
It’s also an ideal way to send a gift directly to someone, as it can be gift wrapped.
My favourites from YourSurprise for Father’s Day are the photo beer mug, which will cost you £12.28, and the personalised Zippo for £30.56.
And, to add to my list of things I like about YourSurprise.com is the fact that you can pay by PayPal, so no finding your card, entering your details and faffing around with all that – just simple and easy, browse, buy and pay.
Use this Marks and Spencer promotional code to get £1 off personalised cards. Very handy with Father's Day fast approaching.
Click here to use your Marks and Spencer promotional code
To use this code, you'll first need to create your card. Then go through checkout. You will have to either log in or register on the site. Then when you get to the last page of checkout, enter it in the Voucher Code box and hit the Validate button.
You'll see the price of the card immediately reduce by £1. I tried it out on a standard sized Father's Day card. This cost £1.99 and delivery to my UK mainland address was 49p. Once the discount was applied, the total for the card came to ££2.48.
Which isn't a bad price really considering I got both his dad and my son's photographs on the front of the card. I didn't fill in the inside of the card though, I think that's always nicer to have handwritten. However, there was the option to write three messages, one on the inside flap, and two more on the main side of the card where you'd normally write the To and From bits.
Thanks to grumpygrim at HUKD!
Now THIS is the sort of deal I like to start the day with - if you're a Porshce, Lamborghini or VW Camper Van fan and fancy building your own, you can if you pop over to Play.
I couldn't help it, it was just too much (or little) for me to resist - I just ordered a Lamborghini and a Porsche.
You see, I fell in love with Lamborghinis when I sat in my first one aged 14, and have subsequently played with a few real full-sized ones to know that it is the only super car for me.
My husband, on the other hand, is a Porshce man through and through; our motoring rivalry can be fierce, but I'm kind and lovely so have just bought him a Build Your Own Porsche - I bet my Build Your Own Lamborghini will still go faster than his Porsche *grin*
The Lamborghini has a die-cast metal body, opening doors, pull back and go motor (that is faster than the Porsche, I'm telling you!) bolts, lights, dashboards and a screwdriver with full instructions
The Porsche and VW Camper Van are the same in terms of body and motor spec - except they're much slower than the Lamborghini of course! - and they're all in stock and just £5 each, including delivery, instead of £8.99.
A nice little gift for the kids to give to dad on Father's Day perhaps..?
Thanks to 07johnstona at HUKD
Father's Day is creeping up on us rather rapidly; it's Sunday 19 June if you weren't sure when it is.
Dad's can be tricky devils to buy for sometimes but I came across this site yesterday which might solve that problem for you this year.
Doodle is an iPod/iPhone/MP3 player/laptop speaker that you can personalise with ANY design of your choice!
If you have a little one you could take a print of their hand and foot, take a photo of it, upload it to the site and have it printed on a speaker for dad.
The possibilities are endless - a treasured photograph, a handwritten message, a picture that your child drew especially to mark an occasion - a Doodle speaker doesn't just have to be for Father's Day.
For those technically minded among you, here's some spec' info for you:
The speaker is small enough to fit in your pocket (as long as you don't have teeny tiny pockets that is), has a total output of 3 watts and an be used with anything that has a headphone socket.
It can be powered with 2 AAA batteries or USB and costs £29.99 including delivery, which will take between three and five days.
I really like this idea and it sure beats having to give socks or that yet another car cleaning kit as a gift and just to make it even better I have a 25% off gift code for you to use too - just enter FATHERSDAY25 at the checkout and you'll get 25% discount off your Doddle speaker; marvellous.
The F1 season is upon us and Lewis Hamilton is currently sitting in second spot in the drivers championships. That sounded pretty knowledgeable didn't it? However, it means nothing to me, it is just what PlayPennies dad Andy told me.
He reckoned that the best way to celebrate this fact is to give an F1 mad dad (and he seems to think that most are) the chance to make his own miniature version of Hamilton's F1 car. So I gave him this Revell model car kit to review.
Revell has been making model kits for about the last 60 years. One of these kits is the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 (#2 Lewis Hamilton). Model Hobbies has it on sale right now, marked down from £20 to £18.
According to the blurb on the website, the kit has a "multi-part eight-cylinder engine, a detailed suspension, a detailed cockpit, a true-to-the-original under-floor with diffuser, realistic front and rear wings, authentic tires, rotating wheels and MP4-25 Grand Prix decals for Great Britain, Canada and Bahrain."
Traditionally for the dadsAndy has fond memories of these model kits himself, from when he was a young lad. He recalls sitting watching his poor Dad frustratingly looking at instruction manuals mumbling, “Insert E 25 into Decal point 103?? Which one is E 25?”
It was, he felt, all good practice for that MFI Kitchen flat pack that was ordered a few days ago. "Inevitably though after a few choice words and a several hours later we would have a miniature completed model of a World War 2 Aircraft that my father would proudly show off to my mother. “We’ve finished” he would proclaim with a smug smile. What’s with the ‘we’? My total inclusion in this project was to sit and watch and occasionally hand over part E 25 etc."
This was back in the 1970’s though. A time when there were only three TV channels and the nearest thing to an Xbox360 was a scientific calculator. Yes, a lot has changed since these model kits were at the height of their popularity. So, with all the modern distractions of technological development, do these model kits still have a part to play in a Dad and lads life? According to Andy, the answer is yes.
Different skill levelsThe Revell model kits are available in five categories/skills. From level 1, where they are easy to make, requiring no glue or paint up to level 5 which contain over 150 parts requiring a very high level of skill.
The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 is set at level 3, although Andy felt that even the most unskilled model maker should be able to make this.
The 86 individual pieces that neatly slot together are accompanied by an instruction manual that Andy found easy to use. "Each plastic part is clearly numbered so that even the most useless of kit builders (like me) can build this F1 car. Some of the parts are very small (a fraction of the size of a small fingernail), but with a bit of perseverance and a steady hand they all fit as one so that in the end you have one splendid looking McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 (minus a miniature Lewis Hamilton)."
The (not quite) finished article is a dull grey mini replica. Andy was a little disappointed. "This is my only minor quibble. The actual car should mostly be a fabulous shiny metallic grey, so although this kit is described as ‘no painting required’ I would take the option of popping down to your local model kit shop and purchasing a small pot of metallic grey paint." He suggests using the images on the front and side of the packaging and a very fine paintbrush to carefully finish off the kit before entering the next stage of completion.
Tricky transfersOnce the paint has dried you then get to add the 100+ transfers to the car. "This is incredibly tricky as you pretty much have to get this right first time. There is no margin for error." Andy comments. He found that if you place the transfer in just slightly the wrong place it can look shoddy. "If you try to remove it slowly to reapply you run the risk of tearing the transfer. A lot of patience is required here."
So, although a small child of say, aged 8+ (with assistance from Dad) could probably manage the actual kit building, the application of the transfers is a much more testing task that lies ahead.
In all, Andy thought it was a great kit and "a fabulous bit of challenging fun for the F1 fan". Drag your youngster away from the 500 channels that now occupy our televisions. Turn the games console off and set yourself up at the dining table for a few hours and with endurance and diligence Dad and the lad will be the proud owners of a fine miniature replica McLaren Mercedes MP4-25.
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