Father's Day BBQ Gift Basket {Tutorial}

While all of us Moms are still being treated like the queens we are {yeah right}, let's not forget those awesome Dads in our lives that help keep us sane.  With Father's Day only one week away, I made a gift basket that'll show that master behind the grill how much you care and put that tired tie of yesteryear to shame.  You might have first seen this when I was helping Allison out during her maternity leave by guest posting over at A Glimpse Inside.  Keep in mind, this one includes all the instructions to make this, so it's a bit of an epic!

So what's the lucky guy getting?

• Apron
• Homemade BBQ Sauce 
• Silicone Tongs
• Homemade BBQ Dry Rub
• Specialty Beer
• Newspaper Card

Keep your man's clothes free from those pesky BBQ sauce stains with a handmade apron.  The saying, a spin on a quote referenced to Wilhem II of Germany, says, "Give me a woman who loves BBQ and I will conquer the world."

I picked up a simple, white apron at the local craft store, some fabric paint and a set of letter stencils.  Then I went on a hunt for bbq clipart.  Either of these two would have been great and they are free to use. 

{VIA}

{VIA}

I printed off the bbq clipart, cut it out and centered it on the front of the apron and then traced around it with pencil.

Next, I used letter stencils to trace the quote in pencil.

With your bbq & letter outlines onto the apron, start painting.  I used a small brush for the letters, but I'd recommend using a fabric paint pen for a cleaner look.

I threw the apron in the wash to get rid of any visible pencil marks.  When it came out, I gave it a good ironing and then touched up any paint that got lost in the wash.

The silicone tongs, while more practical in nature, replaced my husband's well-used metal tongs. And the homemade BBQ sauce is not so much homemade as mixed at home with our favorite wing sauce - a mixture of Sweet Baby Ray's & Frank's Red Hot, plus some additional spices.  Even though I didn't slave in the kitchen making a sauce from scratch, the sentiment is overflowing. 

 Ingredients to make this spicy sauce:

• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 2 cups Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce
• 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:  Heat ingredients up in a sauce pan, use immediately or let cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.


This homemade dry rub is simple to make, but creates an intricate degree of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons onion powder 
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 2 tablespoons salt
•  2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Directions:  Shake all ingredients together and rub onto beef before grilling.  Ingredients can be stored in an airtight container.

And no BBQ is complete without some brew.  This one is a homebrew given to us by a friend.  Does your man prefer spirits?  Make him homemade mixers to create a perfect cocktail. Not a drinker at all?  Try making your own homemade soda!

And last, but definitely not least, I finished the BBQ gift basket off with the Sunday paper - complete with comics & a "What We Love About You" crossword.   I downloaded the newspaper Template and then channeled my inner reporter.

I created this personalized crossword using Discovery Education's Criss-Cross crossword creator.  It's simple, just enter each of your clues and the software generates a crossword for you.  As for the funnies, I just did a quick google search and found ones that seemed to fit our personalities.

So, there you have it.  A gift  full of grilling fun that's sure to please - for those that like BBQ, anyways!

So, what about you?  What's on the craft docket this Father's Day?