I love to wear boots! I bought an inexpensive pair of boots last winter that turned out to be crazy comfortable. Unfortunately, because they *were* cheap, the upper started to fall apart.  Rather than give up on my favorite boots, I decided to update them.  With a little paint and a bit of Cuddle fabric, my boots look new again!

Project Estimate:

• Boots – on hand
• Paint – on hand
• Rose Cuddle – $2.50 for quarter yard on Etsy
• Glue – on hand

Total:  $2.50 and up

Step one:  Clean the boots and paint the lower the color you want.  I used So Soft Fabric paint because it doesn’t crack and is made to work on fabric.

Step two:  Cut the fabric to fit the cuff of the boot.  I used Cuddle Fabric because it looks great and it doesn’t need to be hemmed.  All I had to do was sew the ends together to make a tube.

Step three:  Slide the fabric over the boot.  Use fabric glue or super glue to adhere the fabric to the top of the boots.  I held it in place with mini clothespins.  I also added some glue to the bottom of the fabric to keep it from sliding up when I wear them.

I love metallics and bright colors, but you could make yours a lot less flashy than I did by using different colors.  I’ve hardly worn my boots because my youngest two keep stealing them and wearing them around the house.  They love the super soft fabric and asked me to make them some boots, too!

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Crafting supplies can get expensive, and I’m always looking for inexpensive substitutes, especially when a trip to the craft store is out of the way.  These colorful mesh shower sponges reminded me of floral mesh, so I decided to use them to make a pretty, light up Frozen-inspired wreath for my daughter’s door.

Project Estimate:

• Mesh Shower Sponge, $1 (I used 2)
• Wire, on hand
• Foam snowflakes, $1
• Battery operated lights, $2 and up
• Ornament, on hand

Total:  $5 and up

Step one:  Cut the string at the center of the sponge to unravel the mesh tube.

Step two:  Cut approximately 2 feet of wire.  Wrap the light strand around it.

Step three:  Slide the wire into the mesh tube.  I put a small bulb ornament on the end of the wire to make it easier to slide through without catching the mesh.

Step four:  Twist the ends of the wire together and shape into a circle.

Step five:  Hot glue the snowflakes onto the mesh and hang an ornament from the center of the wreath if desired.

I tucked the battery compartment into the wreath holder hook before hanging the wreath on top to hide it.  You can tape or glue the compartment in place.  Photos really don’t do this wreath justice!  It emits such a beautiful glow when it is lit at night.  Everyone in my home gasped when I turned it on! This winter wreath will be a beautiful door display as we transition from Christmas.

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It’s been snowing here non-stop. Snowing and snowing and snowing some more, with lots of snow days all around. Need a fun snow day activity? Try making these recycled soda tab snowflakes! Like real snowflakes, you can make endless variations on this theme so no two are exactly alike.

Project estimate:

• Soda tabs, on hand
• Nail polish, on hand or $1 and up
• Paper, felt, or craft foam, on hand
• Rhinestones, on hand or $1 and up
• Glue, on hand

Total: Free and up!

Start with a few soda tabs – about 5 or 6 per snowflake is a good number – and paint them with nail polish. I like thins particular polish because it was cheap, it gives a fairly opaque finish with a single coat, and it’s super duper glittery.

When the nail polish dries, arrange the tabs in a circle on a piece of paper, felt, or craft foam and glue into place.

Arrange rhinestones in a patten around the soda tabs to fill out the snowflake and add even more sparkle. Glue these into place as well.

After the glue dries, carefully cut around the design, leaving a thin strip of the background material showing around the edge as evenly as possible. Voila! A snowflake!  Wondering what to do with your finished snowflake? Mine is going to go on my bulletin board. To hang it, glue a loop of string or ribbon to it. Or use it as an embellishment in any other number of craft projects!

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Nothing says “cozy” in the winter quite a like a big, chunky cable knit sweater.  So when Barb at The Everyday Home decided to add some seasonal flair to her decor, she decided that dressing a lamp shade in a sweater would be a great way to do it – and she was right!  Using a thrift store sweater she gave the lamp shade a makeover in just minutes.  It’s a great way to cover up a shade that is stained or dented, and when spring come you can remove the sweater just as easily.  [how to make a no-sew sweater lamp shade]

Project estimate:

• Lamp shade, on hand 0r $1 and up
• Sweater, on hand or $1 and up
• Tape or hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up!

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Is it turning into a winter wonderland where you live?  Here in Michigan it’s snowing like crazy today!  Get into the spirit of the season with this wintery pine cone wreath from Deirdre at Simply Simplisticated.  I love how the red birds and ornaments pop against the white pine cones!  My Dollar Tree even has cute little plastic cardinals that are motion sensitive and sing a pretty little song whenever anyone walks past, which could be a fun extra twist to this project.  [how to make a wintery pine cone wreath]

Project estimate:

• Wreath form, $1 and up
• Pine cones, on hand
• Spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Christmas ornaments, on hand or $1
• Birds, $1 and up
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

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I love when kids have clothes that look like animals. They’re fun for kids and make everyone around them smile. These shark mittens that Kimberly from A Night Owl made are no exception. These work as a puppet for shark week and are totally wearable come winter. [how to make shark mittens]

Project estimate:

• Mittens, on hand or $1 and up
• Blue felt, on hand or about $0.25 and up
• White rick rack, on hand or $2 and up
• Embroidery thread, on hand or $0.50 and up
• Needle, on hand
• Buttons, on hand

Total: Free and up!

Looking for more shark week ideas? Follow the Shark Week Pinterest board!

More shark crafts:
Follow Mrs. Greene’s board Shark Week! on Pinterest.

The post Make Shark Mittens appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Project estimate:

• Plastic snowflakes, $1 for 6
• Glitter, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand
• Clear packaging tape, on hand
• Resin, on hand or $5 and up

Total: $1 and up

To make your own iced snowflake coasters:

Step 1: Paint your plastic snowflakes with glue and pour on glitter. Shake off excess and let dry. (I purchased my snowflakes and a multi-pack of glitter at Dollar Tree).

Step 2: Tape clear packaging tape to the pack of your snowflake. This will give your coaster an even, smooth back.

Step 3: Mix your resin according to package instructions. (See this post for more info about resin). Use a plastic spoon to pour the resin over the center and the “arms” of the snowflake. Let cure for 24 hours.

Step 4: Mix a small batch of resin and paint it over any missed spots of glitter. I also painted the entire surface to enhance the shine. Let it dry.

Step 5: Remove the masking tape from the back of the snowflake.

Pictures really don’t do these coasters justice! The resin enhances the color and shine of the glitter, and the snowflakes look like they’re encased in ice. They’d look gorgeous on your table, or wrapped up in a ribbon and presented as a gift. Have fun creating!

The post Tutorial: Make Iced Snowflake Coasters appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

It’s been an unseasonably warm winter so far here in Northern Michigan.  We’ve only had a dusting of snow, not nearly enough to make a snowman.  If you’re missing that winter-y feeling right now, here’s a project to get you feeling more into the season.  Over at Small Fry & Co. there is a no-sew tutorial for recycling the sleeve of an old sweater into a cute little plush snowman!  If you can’t find a white sweater to chop up for this project, try using a white tube sock as an alternative.  [how to make a no-sew sweater sleeve snowman]

Project estimate:

• Old white sweater, on hand or $1 and up
• T-shirt, on hand or $1 and up
• Brads (or other embellishments for eyes), on hand
• Felt, on hand
• Polyfill, on hand
• Rice, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

wp-content/uploads/2011/12/no-sew-sweater-sleeve-snowman.jpg

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When it comes to Christmas, I like to decorate in blues and silver rather than red and green.  This is partly because I think the colors are prettier, and partly because I can also call them winter decorations and not feel bad if I don’t take them down  until Valentine’s Day.  (They’re so much more fun to put up than they are to put away!)  For a long time I’ve been wanting to do something with the long stalks of bamboo they have in the floral department at Dollar Tree, and inspired by the oncoming snowy weather, I made a bouquet of bamboo that has a very wintery feel.

Project estimate:

• Bamboo stalks (3  packages), $3
• Glass vase, $1
• River rocks, $1
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Stencil, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $5 and up

The snowflake stencil I used in from Martha Stewart’s Holiday Icons stencil set.  The paint colors I used for this project are Martha Stewart Craft Paints in Wedding Cake, Summer Haze, and Sterling.  I also used Martha’s Glitter Finish.  Check out the full line of Martha Stewart paints and supplies at Plaid Crafts.

The number of bamboo pieces you will need for your bouquet depends on how many will fit in your vase.  I would recommend a vase that holds at least a dozen stalks for the best results.

Paint the bamboo white.  I used 2 coats of Wedding Cake, then decided I also wanted them to have a snowy  sparkle, so I added 4 coats of Glitter Finish on them.  I’m totally in love with this glittery stuff!  Tip:  I found I had the best results when I placed the bamboo across wire baking racks to dry rather than on a flat surface.

Paint the rocks that will weight the bottom of the vase.  I painted most of my rocks a gorgeous light blue shade called Summer Haze, and about 1/3 of them a metallic silver (Sterling).  Tip:  Make sure you let the paint on one side of the rock dry completely before you flip it over, or the partially-cured paint will stick to your work surface and little bits may pull off of the rocks.

Stencil a snowflake onto the vase.  I wanted my snowflake to have a handpainted look, so I stenciled it lightly first, then peeled off the stencil and went back over the design with a paintbrush.  I used a thick coat of silver to give it an embossed look.

Once all of the paint is dry, you just put it all together!  First, put a layer of rocks at the bottom of the vase, then put the bamboo in the center of the vase.  Add more rocks around the outside edge until the base of the bamboo is covered.  Don’t add too many rocks though; there should be enough space left in the vase that the bamboo can spread out at the top, and too many rocks will make the bamboo all stand straight up in one clump.

If you enjoyed this project, check out these other great holiday tutorials using Martha Stewart Craft Paints and supplies!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post. Paint and painting supplies for this project were provided by  Plaid Crafts.

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Even if you’ve never picked up a crochet hook in your life, you’ll have no problem making this fabulous multi-strand scarf.  It was inspired by a similar scarf I spotted at a pricey boutique.  The scarf I saw consisted of many long braids tied together in a series of knots.  I looked at the dozens of tiny braids and thought, “it would be a zillion times easier to crochet one of these!”  It’s also a great  project for using up random odds and ends from your stash, including novelty yarns.  I’ve found some novelty yarns to be difficult to work with in the past, but they work up very easily for this project and add some interesting variety to your finished scarf!

Project estimate:

• Yarn, on hand or $1 and up
• Crochet hook, on hand or $1 and up
• Scissors, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The only stitch you need to know to make this scarf is the easiest crochet stitch there is: the chain stitch.  If you’re not a crocheter, check out this video to see just how easy it is!

To make your scarf, you’ll need to make lots of very long chains.  In order to make a scarf long enough to wrap twice around the neck, I started with chains about 10 feet long.  You should make at least 15 chains, though you can add as many as you like.  (This one has 18 strands.)  The more chains  you add, the thicker your scarf will be.  Use a variety of different yarns and hook sizes to get lots of different widths and textures of chains.  (This might take you a while, even if you’re a fast crocheter.  Hey, I promised you an easy project, not a quick one!)

Hold all of the chains together and tie an overhand knot.  Pull the knot as tight as possible; you may need to pull on each individual chain to tighten the knot completely.

Continue knotting approximately every 8 to 12 inches along the length of the chains.

Trim each individual chain to the desired finished length at the ends and tie a knot in each end to stop them from unraveling.

I’m loving these scarves so much that I can’t stop making them!  Here’s another one, this time with 24 strands.  Not that I want summer to go too quickly, but I can’t wait for fall so I can start wearing them!

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