Are you a saver of cardboard tubes? If so, then this idea is just for you! Helena from Crafts and Creativity used an empty TP tube to create a cute little cardboard rocket. This is a great project for Memorial Day or the 4th of July, or for anytime if you have an aspiring astronaut or astronomer! This is also a great stashbusting project – make a pile of paper scraps and let your imagination run wild. [how to make a cardboard tube rocket]

Project estimate:

• Cardboard tube, free
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Scrapbook paper, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total: Free and up!

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Geometric patterns are all the rage in decor these days. Want to get in on the action? Over at Drawn to DIY you can find the instructions for this cute grid desk caddy. Believe it or not, this started out as a dollar store suet bird feeder! The post also includes a couple of other clever ideas for different ways to make over the same suet feeder into functional decor pieces, so make sure you check it out! [how to make a geometric desk container]

Project estimate:

• Suet bird feeder, $1
• Spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Scrapbook paper, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up!

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St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! Feel like greening up your decor, but short on budget? Corrie from The Apple of My DIY put this cute chandelier together with some basic supplies, and the results are definitely not-so-basic looking! Her design incorporates honeycomb tissue paper spheres, but if you can’t find those readily available to you, you can get a similar look using green pom poms instead. Or, for that matter, any other embellishments that you happen to have on hand can be worked into this fun project! [how to make a St. Patrick’s Day chandelier]

Project estimate:

• Embroidery hoop, $1 and up
• Beads, on hand or $1 and up
• Straws, on hand or $1
• Honeycomb paper or pom poms, on hand or $1 and up
• String, on hand
• Green paper, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

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We were asking around to our blogger friends about what the big trends will be this year, and a prediction was made that all things tiny are going to be huge! We’ve longtime fans of DIY dollhouse miniatures, so we were delighted to see this itty-bitty, realistic looking cutting board. Stella at Simplystella’s Sketchbook made it out of just paper and paint! Her instructions even include a pattern you can use to cut out and create your own. [how to make a miniature dollhouse cutting board]

Project estimate:

• Cardstock, on hand or $1
• Pattern, free
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total: Free and up!

The post Make a Miniature Dollhouse Cutting Board appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Um, it’s almost 2016? Yikes, that certainly snuck up on me quick! Luckily there is still plenty of time this week to make some cute and festive accessories for ringing in the new year, like these glittery headbands from Sarah Hearts. Whip up one for yourself, or go assembly-line-style and make up a whole batch for your entire crew! [how to make glittery New Year’s headbands]

Project estimate:

• Printable 2016 template, free
• Headbands, $1 and up
• Streamers, on hand or $1
• Paper, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Glitter, on hand or $1

Total: $1 and up

The post Make Glittery New Years Headbands appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

One of my favorite craft tools is the humble paper punch.  Oh how I love paper punches!  They are so much more versatile than some people give them credit for.  If you have a few basic punch shapes in your collection, you can create all kinds of other designs, like these super clever pencils by Amber at Damask Love.  They are great for teacher gifts, or anything school-related! [how to make pencil gift tags]

Project estimate:

• Paper punches, on hand or $3 and up
• Paper, on hand
• Glue, on hand

Total: Free and up!

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Deck out your next barbecue or pool party in fresh, fruity style with these DIY fruit slice balloons!  These mylar balloons in bright solid colors got a sweet makeover at Balloon Time, using tissue paper and a few other basic supplies to transform them into wow-worthy party decor.  Use this method to create other motifs as well, not just fruit.  The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!  [how to make fruit slice balloons]

Project estimate:

• Mylar balloons, $1 and up
• Tissue paper, on hand or $1
• Black vinyl or paper, on hand or $1 and up
• Spray adhesive, on hand or about $3 and up

Total: $1 and up

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Can you believe that graduation season will soon be upon us once again?  If you know anyone with the honor of being a grad this year, this cute and simple card idea from Jessica at Mad In Crafts is a fun idea that is easy to customize with any school colors.  This would also be a fun project if you are planning to make DIY graduation announcements to send out to friends and family!  [how to make simple cap and tassel graduation cards]

Project estimate:

• Paper, on hand or $1
• Embroidery floss or string, on hand or $1 and up
• Number stickers, on hand or $1
• Scrapbook adhesive, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  Free and up!

The post Make Simple Cap and Tassel Graduation Cards appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Spring is a great season for pinwheels – especially these flowery pinwheels!  Jessica at Mad In Crafts made these out of vellum and washi tape.  (See?  You’ve been hoarding all of that washi tape for a good reason!)  She used vellum to make hers, but any heavier paper will work well.  It’s a fun project for Mother’s Day, or for any time!  [how to make washi tape pinwheel flowers]

Project estimate:

• Paper, on hand
• Washi tape, on hand or $1 and up
• Paper straws, on hand or $1 and up
• Pins, on hand or $1

Total:  Free and up!

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Tissue boxes come in a lot of fun prints these days, but it’s still sometimes difficult to find a box that matches your decor.  Don’t want that box of tissues on the end table to stick out like a sore thumb?  Make yourself a custom tissue box cover, and then no matter which tissues you buy, they’ll always look good with your decor!

Project estimate:

• Foam core board, on hand or $1
• Box of tissues, on hand or $1
• Double stick tape, on hand or $1 and up
• Scotch tape, on hand or $1
• Scrapbook paper or heavy wrapping paper, on hand or $1
• Embellishments, on hand

Total:  Free and up

Measure tissue box and add one inch to end and 1/2 inch to the top. Cut 4 pieces of foam core using these measurements. Measurements have to be exact and cuts need to be clean, so make sure you use a very sharp blade for precise results.

To cut the foam core, place a metal ruler on the line you want to cut. Cut from one edge to the other and gently break the two pieces at the cut. From the back side, cut a straight line between the two pieces.

Carefully tape the pieces together making a square. Place it over the tissue box to make sure it fits.

Place the foam core box on another piece of foam core and trace it. This will be the top of your tissue box cover. Carefully and evenly cut it out.

Using a plain sheet of paper, draw an opening for the top of the tissue box. I suggest a round opening for the smaller tissue boxes and a rectangular opening for the long tissue boxes. Cut it out and position it in the center of the top piece of foam core. Carefully and evenly cut it out of the top piece of foam core.

Tape the top onto the sides. It must fit perfectly.

Covering your new Tissue Box Cover

Measure and cut apiece of paper that overlaps the top of the box 1″ all the way around. Place the tissue box on top of the paper and trace the edges. Fold those edges so that you have 4 sharp edges.

Holding your paper with the wrong side up, cut out the folded corners. Place 2 pieces of double sided tape on the top of your box and put the paper on the top. With regular tape, tape the edges to the sides of the box and below the corners so that they don’t gap open.

Turn the top of the box over and using your cutting tool, cut inside the opening as shown in the picture. Using regular tape, tape the pieces to the inside of the opening.

I used scrapbook paper so I needed 2 pieces to cover the sides. I over lapped them about an inch and secured them together with double back tape. Measure the sides and add 1″ to the height. Also, I started the paper on the sides about 1/4 inch from the top. This way, when I embellished it you couldn’t see where the two papers met. Use the double sided tape at the top of the paper you’re using. Starting at a corner, go around the box, folding each corner you pass until you get to the corner where you started. Use double back tape to finish the seam.

Then it’s time to EMBELLISH! Use ribbon, gems, flowers, beads, fancy cut paper, make it your own! The possibilities are unlimited so have fun!

Tips:

• I didn’t use hot glue in making and covering the box for two reasons: One, it sets too quickly and your corners take time to fit perfectly and two, no matter how little I used it left a bump. I did, however, use it while embellishing.
• Make your corners very sharp and even. It is very noticeable if you don’t.
• You can reinforce the corners on the inside with a bead of hot glue if you feel your tissue box isn’t strong enough. I used lots of tape so I didn’t think I had to, it was pretty strong.

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