Homemade Father's Day Present: Jar of Awesome

I really wanted to have something sweet and special for Dan this year for his first official Father's Day. I was also operating on a budget, so I had to stick to something homemade. Pinterest is full of ideas for homemade gifts, but most of them are either really complicated or relatively costly once you buy all the supplies. I ran across an idea for making a "date night jar" a while back, and that one seemed doable - but then I thought of something even better. What if, instead of date ideas, I wrote things I loved about Dan and put them in the jar? I'd call it a "Jar of Awesome", and he could pull them out and read them at his leisure. Here's how it turned out:

Want to make your own Jar of Awesome? Here's what you'll need:

-wooden craft sticks (similar to Popsicle sticks, but bigger - I found them at Target)
-extra fine tipped permanent marker
-quart sized lidded canning jar
-pretty paper for tag
-ribbon or string to tie tag around jar

1. Write the awesome things about the lucky dad on the sticks. It's helpful to make a list first so you don't waste any of the sticks. You can write on one side or on both - but if you write on just one side, you can face all the blank sides out so he has to pull the sticks out to read them.

2. Put the sticks in the jar a few at a time, so you can make sure they're all straight and tidy. This also makes it easier to face the written sides towards the center.

3. Cut a label out of your pretty paper (I used some leftover scrapbooking paper) and use your creativity! I wrote "Jar of Awesome - Father's Day 2013" on mine, but you could tailor it to the recipient and the occasion.

4. Punch a hole in the top left corner of the tag, thread the ribbon or string through it, and then tie a bowknot around the top rim of the jar.

5. If you'd like, wrap the jar in a gift bag and tissue paper, and get ready to delight your favorite dad on Father's Day!

Dan said this was by far the perfect gift for his first Father's Day with his family, and he loved it. I think it would also make a fabulous gift for an anniversary or birthday. I hope you all had a fantastic Father's Day too!