Peeps are a traditional Easter candy in my family — we must have them every year, or it isn’t really Easter. I am always excited to see them at my local dollar store when I start shopping for Easter basket supplies and goodies. This year I picked up a few boxes of Peeps so we could get creative with them — I put the boxes on our table and we started brainstorming what fun things we could make with them! Our top project: a Peeps Terrarium Easter Dessert.

I have seen so many other Peeps crafts, like these Peep Brothers tell us:

I’m excited that they didn’t mention our project in their list — maybe we came up with a new way to use Peeps!

Peeps Terrarium Easter Dessert Recipe

Project Materials:

• Peeps Bunnies, $1
• Clear plastic tumblers, $1
• Pudding cups, $1
• Chocolate sandwich cookies, $1
• Flaked coconut, $1
• Green food coloring, on hand or $1
• Assorted Easter candies (eggs, carrot), $1 each

Total: $7 for 8 terrariums

Save money by using things you already have on hand, like pudding, coconut, food coloring. You can bring the cost down to about 50 cents per serving if you use what you already have on hand.

How to make Peeps Terrariums:

1. Spoon half of a pudding cup (or about 1/4 cup) of chocolate pudding into a clear plastic tumbler.

2. Crumble up chocolate sandwich cookies until they resemble dirt. Spoon on top of chocolate pudding to resemble dirt.

3. Tint flaked coconut with a few drops of green food coloring. Stir until all the coconut is colored. Spread on top of cookie crumb layer.

4. Insert a Peeps bunny, a carrot candy, and a few easter egg candies to embellish your terrarium.

Alternately, create your desserts inside mason jars:

We made mason jar Peeps terrariums too, and they were super cute. If you are transporting these desserts to a party, the jar is a great way to go because you can seal it up and keep it fresh and safe while you travel. Plus, you can reuse the jar after you’re done with dessert! This will add about $1 to each serving.

To find out more about your Peepsonality, visit Peeps online, or become a fan of Peeps on Facebook!

*This post was sponsored by Peeps, but project and opinions are my own!*

The post Tutorial: Peeps Terrarium Easter Dessert appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Whether you love ’em or loathe ’em, Peeps candies have become a classic (and adorable!) symbol of Easter. Jenn from Rook No. 17 combined them with another springy, Eastery item – tulips – to create a fun new way to gift the marshmallowy treats. Each blossom is home to a Peeps bunny, with just the ears peeking out at the top. At first glance it looks like a standard bouquet, but a closer inspection reveals its sweet surprise! [how to make a Peeps Easter bouquet]

Project estimate:

• Peeps bunny candy, $1
• Silk tulips, $1
• Scrapbook paper, on hand
• Clear cellophane, on hand or $1
• Toothpicks, on hand
• Tape, on hand

Total: $2 and up

The post Make a Peeps Easter Bouquet appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

1. PEEPS on a Stick by Your Homebased Mom
   A simple yet cute way to create a centerpiece out of PEEPs on sticks.
   
   
2. PEEPs Pops by Love From The Oven
   If PEEPs weren’t sweet enough for you, try them covered in chocolate and sprinkles!
3. Hippity Hoppity Cupcakes by Yesterday on Tuesday
   PEEPs make adorable cupcake toppers when put on a stick.
4. PEEPs on a Stick by Parenting.com
   Not only are these PEEPs covered in chocolate and put on a stick, they also have fun toppings like nuts and coconut!
5. Easter flowers and pink Peeps by Flower Duet
   This flower arranging company sure knows how to make a bouquet look tasty!

Do you have any PEEP on a stick ideas? Please share them below! As always, check out my PEEPs Pinterest board for these and other fun PEEPs ideas!

The post 5 Ways to Put PEEPS on a Stick! appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Crafts, decorating ideas, recipes and printables can help you stashbust those PEEPs!

 

Crafts and Decor

PEEP Show by Sweetology [Pictured]

Marshmallow Peeps Craft: Easter Centerpiece by Mommy Savers

Peep-Wreath Centerpiece by Martha Stewart

A Quick PEEP at Spring Specimen Art by Choose to Thrive Blog

Little Grow “Peep” Topiary Tutorial by How Does She?

Peeps Easter Arrangement by The Autocrat

Peeps Bunting by V and Co

Recipes and Food

a bunch of marshmallow peep pops and bonus “peep” troopers…! by Sugar Swings! [Pictured]

How to Make S’meeps: S’mores Plus Peeps by Serious Eats (Although it’s more fun to put them over an open flame or fire – you get to watch their eyes or beaks melt off!)

Hangin’ With My PEEPS ~ Muffin Tin Meal by Cookie Cutter Lunch

Peeps Week by Serious Eats

Crispy Bunny Treats by Babble

Easter Chick Cupcakes {Gluten Free, Dairy Free} by The Mixing Bowl Diary

Make Peep S’Mores by Dollar Store Mom

Bird Nest Snacks by Sun Scholars

Vanilla Bean, Creme Brulee Peep Cupcakes by Melinda at Dollar Store Crafts

PEEPs Recipes by PEEPs (the official website)

Printables

“Stay Calm and PEEP On” Posters (PDF) by Hileman Design and Dollar Store Crafts [Pictured]

Peeps Topper by eighteen25

Get Your Peeps On . . . Spring Printables by Flamingo Toes (An edgier version)

Easter “My Peeps” Printable by Me Sew Crazy

“My Peeps” Shirt with Free Printables by Craft Buds

“Stay Calm and PEEP On” Cupcake Toppers (PDF) by Hileman Design and Dollar Store Crafts

PEEPS Diorama (and dog!) Contests

The Washington Post Peeps Show [Pictured]

National Geographic’s Peeps in Places (not sure if this is still going)

Chicago Tribune’s Peeps on Parade

Fido Blog’s Peeps Fido Contest

Twin Cities Pioneer Peep Diorama Contest

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Annual Peeps Diorama Contest

Seattle Times Peeps Contest

Denver Post Peeps Contest

Iowa’s Peeps Show Contest

Other Roundups

Everything “Peeps” by Love From the Oven [Pictured]

Everything “Peeps” by Simply Designing

Peep Ideas from Other Blogs by Love From the Oven

10 Things to do With Peeps by Serious Eats

Peeps: Crafts, Recipes, Info, More by CROQzine

Everything “Easter” by Simply Designing (includes Peeps!)

Previous Dollar Store Crafts Posts

Make Recycled Peeps Decorations

Make a Peeps-Inspired Frame

Easter Made Easy: 25+ Free Holiday Printables (includes multiple PEEPs printables)

While you’re at it, try to beat some Peep-related World Records!

The post 30+ Ways to Make PEEPs Fun & Use Leftovers Creatively appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Here’s the cupcake breakdown: Vanilla bean cupcake, Creme brulee cream filling, Vanilla bean buttercream frosting and Roasted PEEPs marshmallow fondant. It seems like a lot of work, but you can just do the parts you want, and get store-bought for the rest!

Directions

The post Make PEEP Cupcakes appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

As back story, PEEPS® are an iconic Spring ‘treat’. They are Marshmallows, shaped like either yellow chicks or pink bunnies (Yellow and white PEEPS® chicks and bunnies came first, followed by pink, lavender, blue, green and orange). They are inexpensive, and bright, and artificial through and through. But there they are.

[Note from Melinda: They’re fun to make S’MEEPS with (s’mores with PEEPS). Although watching them puff up in the microwave is fun, roasting them over an open flame lets you watch their little eyes melt off!]

[See all the submissions from Iron Craft]

Our IC15 Submissions:

Rhonda Greene’s Submission: Chocolate Covered PEEPS

Rhonda’s mom LOVES Peeps, so she made these for her for her 60th birthday – chocolate covered Peeps! She used semi-sweet baking chocolate so that they wouldn’t be any more sugary than they are by nature. They turned out cute and sinfully yummy! Rhonda made the chocolate covered Peeps on bamboo skewers and stuck them in a styrofoam circle to dry.  (You could also make this a display by putting the styrofoam in a flower pot, or adding decorative ribbon around the edges). To wrap them, she used favor bags that she’d originally ordered to use for her wedding favors, but they were backordered and came in three days after the ceremony. Go figure! But they were the perfect size to put over the Peeps and tie off with some ribbon from her stash. Rhonda boxed up a dozen of the finished, individually wrapped Peeps for her mom. Happy birthday, Rhonda’s mom!

Melinda Hileman’s Submission: Keep Calm and PEEP On Cupcake Tower

Melinda went all out and made a PEEPs cupcake tower. The completely from scratch cupcakes consisted of a vanilla bean cupcake, vanilla bean creme brulee cream filling, vanilla bean buttercream and toasted PEEPs marshmallow fondant. Melinda isn’t a big fan of the taste of fondant, but this stuff was so good that she and her hubby enjoyed not only the fondant on the cupcakes, but some of the leftover fondant as well! The cupcakes are topped with either a real PEEP, a paper PEEP or a “Stay Calm and PEEP On” topper. [See more pictures] Want your own PEEPs toppers? Here’s your free printable download! Just want the signs in a bigger format to print? Here they are in blue, pink, purple and yellow!

Did you submit a craft for the 15th Iron Craft challenge? Share yours in the comments section!

The post Bunny or Chick? (Iron Craft Week 15) appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Morgan from Sandy Toes Bride was on a late-night crafting bender making the cute yarn baby carrots we posted about recently when she had a sudden stroke of genius.  She was using a yellow plastic shopping bag to hold her scraps from the project and realized that she could use it to make weather-resistant Peeps bunny decorations that would be appropriate for outdoor use.  She used them to dress up her front porch for Easter.  The results are adorable, and better yet, free to make!  [how to make recycled Peeps decorations]

Project estimate:

• Cereal box, on hand
• Plastic shopping bag, on hand
• Paint, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Sharpie, on hand
• Ribbon, on hand

Total:  Free

The post Make Recycled Peeps Decorations appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I’m a wreath lover, and this Yarn Egg Wreath by The Sweet Survival completely affirms that love!  I like the interesting texture created by wrapping the eggs in different ways.  Plus I just like yarn-related projects, since I have a serious fiber addiction that has led to a massive stash of the stuff.

If you have a mantel display or other vignette that needs a little something to make it pop, check out these great Polka Dot Easter Egg Finials at Stay At  Home Artist.  She used an assortment of wooden bits to create the bases for them, but you could also use glass candlesticks from the dollar store.

Satisfy your crafty urges and your sweet tooth simultaneously with a Jellybean Topiary like this one from My Garden of Eden.  Jellybeans come in so many fun colors that you can adapt the topiaries to perfectly match any room.  Or, if you’re like me and eat your favorite flavors first leaving the rest behind, you can use all of those icky leftover flavors to make them!

Some people love Peeps, while other folks would rather eat cardboard.  If you’re in the former category, you’ll enjoy creating and subsequently devouring these Bird Nest Snacks by Sun Scholars.  It’s a highly kid-friendly project and would make an adorable classroom treat.

If you see Peeps and you think, “cute, but eeew,” use them in a purely decorative way with a Peeps Easter Arrangement as did Haley of The Autocrat.  Even if you do like eating them, you can always reach in and grab a couple from the back side of the arrangement.   Shhh, your secret is safe with us!

What could be cuter than these Microfiber Cleaning Cloth Carrots by Lipstick and Laundry?  They’re so  simple to make that even if  you feel your sewing  skills are sub-par you should still have no trouble with them, and you can whip  out four of them for just $2.

You know we’re nuts about the retro look of starburst mirrors, so of course we couldn’t resist showing you this Starburst Egg Mirror by JC’s Loft.  It’s got a great funky-meets-festive vibe to it, and it’s so easy that you’ll have it done and gracing your walls in no time.

If you’re hosting Easter dinner, consider making some Easter Placecards like these simple and springy ones by That’s My Letter.  And with Mother’s Day coming up soon as well, these would make great placecards or table decorations for a Mother’s Day brunch or luncheon.

The post 8 Easter Projects On the Cheap appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I like Peeps crafts even more than actually eating the marshmallowy treat! Over at Mommysavers, Kimberly created a tasteful and whimsical Peeps wreath. I think the combination of brown and yellow is really inspired! Today when I was at the library with my kiddos, I saw a library window sill decorated with rows of peeps on plastic grass, which was surprisingly cute. What other cute uses for Peeps have you seen lately? [how to make a Peeps wreath]

Project Estimate:

• 12? floral foam wreath, $1
• 5 yards satin ribbon, $1
• 20-22 Marshmallow Bunny Peeps, $2
• Glue Gun, on hand

Total: $4

The post Make a Peeps Easter Wreath appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

No, this blog is not turning into a contest–stashbusting blog, although I HAVE been talking about that a lot lately! I’ll be back later today with another dollar store craft, but I wanted to announce the winner of our quick contest. (And here’s a picture of another Peeps frame project I did).

Thanks to everyone who entered the Girl Group Confidential giveway. You had some great ideas for what you are doing to make from your stash, but one answer stuck out to me because it was so different than everyone else’s:

I’m going to finally glamourize my original xbox controller. And use my soldering iron to turn it into a usb controller.

So, congrats to Laura!

You all had a lot of good ideas for stashbusting. Here are a few:

Pattyannie: I am decoupaging those cute little birds. I have made one with flowers photos cut from a gardening magazine, a cardinal decoupaged in the map of St. Louis, and I made another one with sheet music. I am a teacher and I think that I might make these with the kids for Mother’s Day.

MamaTAVE: I am going to branch out from the usual soaker pants I make with wool sweaters I have thrifted. I have some ideas for trying to make coasters and beanies. I’m excited to bust into my yarn stash to embellish these items as well!

Brittany: I am going to make my new baby girl some cute headbands and hairbows for Easter out of some premade bows (going to dismantle them) and some flowers that I purchased!

Dawn: Touch & feel books for kiddos on my therapy caseload ( using foam sheets, pom pons, stretch animals, sand paper, felt, hot glue, glitter, pipe cleaners, etc)

Amy V: An apron as a part of a baking themed bridal shower gift I’m giving

Gail: A Construction Quilt for my 2 year old. He found some fabric in my stash and won’t leave it alone :) I plan on really giving my fabric stash a workout. I need to condense ALL of my crafty supplies. No new purchases. I have already been redecorating with what I have and it is going beautifully :)

Andi: I will be making long and lanky sock monsters from my stash of thigh high socks I got on clearance. :-)

Catherine S: April is my daughter’s birthday month, so from my stash I will be making her little pocket gifts (flip books, ornaments, scrapbooks, etc.) for all 30 days…a new surprise each day and what a great way to get through all my scraps and stash!

Anji: I’m going to make a rag quilt purse with *whatever* scraps of material I have!!

Jenny B: I’ll be making some fleece dinosaurs for my friend’s newly adopted son! Maybe I’ll finally get around to assembling that wedding scrapbook too with all those little pretty shiny things I’ve been stockpiling!

Thanks again to everyone who entered (and helped me test the contest software)! I wish I could have linked to your blogs along with your comments, but I didn’t have the links. Feel free to comment here with a link.

The post Winner & What You’re Stashbusting appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.