Dollar General Archives » Dollar Store Crafts https://dollarstorecrafts.com/tag/dollar-general/ Cool Craft Ideas from Dollar Store Finds Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:02:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.4 Video: Valentine Haul from Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2015/01/video-valentine-haul-from-dollar-general/ Fri, 30 Jan 2015 18:00:14 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=34965 While my go-to dollar store is definitely Dollar Tree, I still like to stop by the other dollar stores in my area at least once per holiday/season and see what they have on the shelf. I recently stopped by Dollar General and while my haul there was modest, the things that I did find were […]

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While my go-to dollar store is definitely Dollar Tree, I still like to stop by the other dollar stores in my area at least once per holiday/season and see what they have on the shelf. I recently stopped by Dollar General and while my haul there was modest, the things that I did find were pretty awesome! Watch the video to see what I found and hear my ideas for some of the items, or keep scrolling to see my haul in photos.

raffia ribbon

Valentine Raffia Ribbon

valentine ring pops

Valentine Ring Pops

chalkboard stickers

Heart Chalkboard Stickers

valentine plates

Valentine’s Day Paper Plates

cute napkins

Cute Paper Napkins

mason jars with striped lids

Mason Jars with Striped Lids

What are the best things you have found at the dollar store lately?  Tell us in the comments!

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Make a Plastic Cup Rain Chain with Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/04/make-a-plastic-cup-rain-chain-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/04/make-a-plastic-cup-rain-chain-with-dollar-general/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2014 14:57:26 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=32016 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. I've been wanting to make a rain chain for a while now, ever since I learned what they were (a decorative alternative to a downspout). So when the folks at Dollar General put out their spring merchandise this year, I starting mulling […]

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Plastic Cup Rain Chain I've been wanting to make a rain chain for a while now, ever since I learned what they were (a decorative alternative to a downspout). So when the folks at Dollar General put out their spring merchandise this year, I starting mulling over what would be the best way to go about it. I'd seen some rain chains made using little metal buckets that I really liked, so I decided to use them as inspiration for my design. But instead of using metal buckets, I chose some brightly-colored plastic cups to give my rain chain lots of personality!

Project estimate:

  • Flower pot chains, $6 (4 @ $1.50 each)
  • Large plastic cups, $5
  • Locking pliers, on hand
  • Nail, on hand
  • Candle, on hand
  • Dremel tool or drill, on hand

Total: about $11

My design uses 5 "links" that are each about 18" long; the amount of materials you need may vary based on how long you need your rain chain to be.

garden section at Dollar General

I always love Dollar General's selection of garden stuff. Every year I find so may great treasures there!

flower pot chains at Dollar General

Shopping with a rain chain in mind, one item that caught my eye was a selection of flower pot chains. Each package contains three 18" lengths of chain and 4 S-hooks, which come in several different colors.

shopping at Dollar General

I also browsed the plastic cups. I love the color scheme they have going on with their plastic picnicware this year, and I ended up with 5 large cups that cost $1 each; three blue and two bright green.

Plastic Cup Rain Chain

To assemble the chain portion of each "link" you will need two lengths of chain. First, slip an S-hook into the end of one length of chain.

Plastic Cup Rain Chain

Next, find the center point of the second length of chain. Slip the S-hook through the center point of the chain to make two equal-length sections. (Note that you may have to put the S-hook through one link each from two adjoining bits of chain to get to the exact center.) Pinch the S-hook closed with pliers to secure the chain. We will call this Hook A. Also add an S-hook to the end of each of the shorter sections of chain and pinch closed. We will call these Hook B and Hook C. Repeat for as many "links" as you will have in your rain chain and set aside.

 

Plastic Cup Rain Chain

 

In order to connect the cups into a chain, you will need to make a few holes. First, use a Dremel tool or a drill to make a hole in the bottom of each cup. These holes should be large enough for the chain to slide through with a little bit of space to spare.

Plastic Cup Rain Chain

You will also need to make two holes near the rim of each cup, directly across from each other. The tops of my cups were a little flimsy to drill, so I made them using a hot nail. (Do this in a well-ventilated area or outdoors to avoid breathing the plastic fumes!)

Hold a nail in a pair of locking pliers (locking pliers are important because you really don't want to drop that hot nail!) and hold the tip over a lit candle. When the nail is hot, carefully press it through the cup at the point where you want the hole to go. If you don't feel comfortable eyeballing the placement of the holes, you may want to mark the places where you want to make them with a marker first.

To assemble, slip Hook B and Hook C into the two holes near the rim of a cup and pinch the hooks shut. Feed the longer section of chain through the hole in the bottom of the cup. To attach the next link, connect Hook A from another link to the end of the chain sticking out of the bottom of the previous cup. Repeat until all of the links are connected! Plastic Cup Rain Chain If needed, you can also add an extra segment of chain to the very bottom of the rain chain to direct the water all the way to the ground. Hang the rain chain in place of a downspout. (I know, you're probably thinking, Rhonda, your house doesn't have gutters! Yeah, I know… A very rough winter led to them being ripped down by ice and we have yet to rehang them, so for now my rain chain is just for looks, but eventually it will actually be functional!)

What do you think? Does your house need a rain chain this year?

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Make a Mesh Flower Spring Wreath with Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/03/make-a-mesh-flower-spring-wreath-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/03/make-a-mesh-flower-spring-wreath-with-dollar-general/#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2014 18:39:06 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=31846 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. After what was the most brutal winter in memory, I am so totally ready for green grass and flowers! So when the folks at Dollar General started putting the spring-y merchandise on the shelf I swooped down on it, hunting for a […]

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burlap and mesh ribbon spring wreath tutorial

After what was the most brutal winter in memory, I am so totally ready for green grass and flowers! So when the folks at Dollar General started putting the spring-y merchandise on the shelf I swooped down on it, hunting for a good way to add a little bit of seasonal color to my decor. I found some mesh ribbon that reminded me of burlap, and one thing led to another… And I ended up making a fabulous wreath!

Project estimate:

  • Wreath form, on hand or $1 and up
  • Burlap, on hand or $1 and up
  • Mesh ribbon, $1.50/roll ($4.50 for 3 colors)
  • String, on hand
  • Felt bunny stake, $1
  • Hot glue, on hand

Total: $5.50 and up

spring and Easter merchandise at Dollar General

The selection at Dollar General for spring and Easter was full of so much adorable stuff that my cute meter was almost on overload. It was hard not to buy one of everything!

spring wreath supplies

What I did end up with was a selection of mesh ribbon and a felt bunny stake. The mesh ribbon reminded me a bit of burlap, which I already had a stash of at home, so by the time I'd reached the checkout line I'd decided that incorporating the burlap into my project was a must.

burlap spring wreath tutorial

Start by cutting the burlap into long strips about 3 inches wide and wrap them around a wreath form (I used a foam wreath form) and secure the ends of the strips with hot glue. I found that I needed two layers of burlap to cover the wreath form enough that the foam didn't show through. Don't worry too much about any stray, fringe-y bits that stick out – you can go back and trim them later, and the ones on the first layer won't be visible under the second layer anyway!

burlap spring wreath tutorial

I happened to have some green burlap on hand as well, so I used that for my second layer. Of course, you can also use plain burlap for both layers if you don't have any colored burlap on hand. Or if you're feeling extra crafty, you could use fabric dye to make the burlap any color you like! The green burlap that I used came with a finished edge so I din't need to trim any stray threads; if you have any ragged bits of burlap sticking out, give them a quick trim before moving on.

mesh ribbon flowers

I embellished the wreath with flowers made from the mesh ribbon. To make a flower, weave a piece of string along one edge of the mesh ribbon; pull the string tight to gather the ribbon. The amount of ribbon you need will vary depending on how full you want the finished flower to be; I used about 6 feet of ribbon to make each of mine.

mesh ribbon flowers

Once you have finished gathering one edge of the ribbon, make a spiral with the gathered edge, stitching it into place as you go to hold the spiral together. Tie off the string and trim away any excess. Repeat until you have the desired number of flowers.

burlap and mesh ribbon spring wreath

Hot glue your flowers to the wreath. Cut the wooden stake off of the felt bunny and glue it to the wreath as well. Then hang and enjoy your handiwork!

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Reorganize Problem Clutter Areas with Baskets at Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/02/reorganize-problem-clutter-areas-with-baskets-at-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/02/reorganize-problem-clutter-areas-with-baskets-at-dollar-general/#comments Mon, 17 Feb 2014 23:00:23 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=31381 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. If I had to pick the one thing about my house that is the most problematic, if would be the lack of storage space. There are a couple of oddly-sized closets around the house, but in some areas there just isn't a […]

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bathroom decluttering with baskets If I had to pick the one thing about my house that is the most problematic, if would be the lack of storage space. There are a couple of oddly-sized closets around the house, but in some areas there just isn't a good place to put all of the necessities. The place this is most evident is in the bathroom, a very small room with only a medicine cabinet for storage. To add a place for things like towels and extra bottles of shampoo, we found a tall, skinny set of shelves that fits perfectly behind the door. It's been a great solution, but it still has its problems. So when Dollar General asked me to come up with a spring cleaning project, I knew that it would be the perfect area to tackle.

Project estimate:

  • Baskets, $1 and up
  • Lace or other trim, on hand or $1 and up
  • Hot glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

bathroom shelves before

These shelves are an issue for a couple of reasons. First, no matter how well I attempt to organize them, they always look cluttered. I mean, even if you perfectly align a dozen bottles of shampoo, you're still looking at a cluttered shelf. And who wants to look at piles of toothbrushes and razors and deodorant? The other problem I have is that my three curious cats like to explore the shelves, and they are prone to knocking things down. Have you ever been woken up at 3 AM by the THUD of a value-size jug of hand soap hitting the floor from 5 feet up? Trust me, that's a mess you don't want to deal with at all, let alone that many hours before your first cup of coffee. My solution for both problems? Baskets!

I've been wanting baskets for these shelves for a long time now, carrying around a piece of paper with the shelf measurements in my wallet for several years in hopes that I would find the right baskets at the right price. If you've ever shopped for baskets, you know that those are some pretty high hopes. Over the years I have priced many, many baskets, and even found several that I absolutely loved, but the prices always made my jaw drop, especially for larger baskets. So when I walked into Dollar General recently and saw their selection of baskets, a little bell started going off in my head. Ding-ding-ding, jackpot!

baskets at Dollar General

They had baskets I liked in two different colors; a lighter shade and a darker shade of brown. I opted for the darker baskets because I wanted them to match my shelves as closely as possible. The prices ranged from $1 for the smallest baskets up to $8 for the largest; I walked away with a total of 9 baskets in various sizes for about $30. That's less that I could have spent on just one of those fancy, expensive baskets! This, my friends, is an excellent deal. By the time I carried the mountain of baskets through my front door I was already patting myself on the back.

Reorganizing all of the clutter into baskets made an immediate difference. Not only was it more visually pleasing, it also made it easier to see at a glance what was on the shelf (no more spending 5 minutes hunting down a bottle of lotion that is hiding amongst the body washes), and the baskets actually made it so that I could fit more items on the shelves. After putting the existing clutter into baskets, I was able to go around the house and gather up a few other random things that were laying around and find them a home. Plus, the baskets block the cats' access to the shelves, keeping them out of trouble. (Well, at least keeping them out of that particular trouble.)

baskets with lace

But… They still needed something. Unlike most of the fancy baskets I'd previously considered for the space, these were fairly plain. To give them a little bit of extra detail and a lot more character, I decided to glue lace trim around the top edge of each basket. I couldn't decide which lace I liked best on the baskets, so I ended up using four different kinds of lace; each shelf features a different pattern. Adding the trim is super simple – just snip the lace to the proper length and use a little bit of hot glue to attach it around the edge of each basket. Of course, you can use all the same lace if you prefer, or use a different lace for each basket, or leave it off altogether, or replace it with a different kind of trim – it just depends on your aesthetic.

bathroom shelves after

 

I'm so much happier with how my bathroom shelves look now, and ecstatic that I managed to tame the mess without having to earmark a huge budget. Who's got two thumbs and is totally winning at decluttering? This gal!

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Make a DIY Spice Rack with Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/01/make-a-diy-spice-rack-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/01/make-a-diy-spice-rack-with-dollar-general/#comments Thu, 23 Jan 2014 03:10:10 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=31002 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. I don’t know about you, but when cabin fever starts setting in, I start to really notice all of the disorganization around my house. It’s easy to ignore during warmer months when I am always out and about doing one thing or […]

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DIY spice rack from dollar store materials

I don’t know about you, but when cabin fever starts setting in, I start to really notice all of the disorganization around my house. It’s easy to ignore during warmer months when I am always out and about doing one thing or another, but when I find myself barely leaving the house and staring at the same piles day in and day out like I do this time of year, it starts to get to me. And this year one of the problem areas that keeps catching my attention is in the kitchen – specifically, my overflow of seasonings. So, with the help of Dollar General, I decided to put together a little DIY spice rack!

Project estimate:

  • Divided trays, $3 each (I used two)
  • Bamboo skewers, on hand or $1
  • Paint, on hand
  • Glue, on hand
  • Duct tape, on hand or $1 and up
  • Cardboard, on hand
  • Picture hangers (or soda can tabs), on hand

Total: about $6 and up

 

shopping at Dollar General

The folks at Dollar General must be thinking ahead to spring cleaning already, because my local store has recently received a whole bunch of really cute storage-y stuff in various sizes. Between their selection of gorgeous cardboard desk organizers and various sizes of chunky baskets, there is something here to hold just about any little tidbits and unsightly clutter you have around the house.

DIY spice rack

In particular, I was drawn to some cardboard organizers each consisting of three squares. They had several different patterns, and I thought the pretty black and white damask print would look nice in my kitchen.

herbs and spices at Dollar General

I was pleased to discover that the sections of the box were just the right size to hold the Clover Valley herbs and spices that Dollar General sells. The spaces weren’t quite big enough for the taller bottles of seasonings in my collection, but knowing that I had lots of the smaller size seasonings at home, I decided to go with it. For larger bottles, you can always keep an eye open for similar divided containers that have taller sections (nice silverware drawer organizers, for instance, might be another option).

DIY spice rack

I used two of the containers stacked together to make my spice rack. Of course, you can use any number you like, provided that you make it strong enough! But we’ll get to the reinforcing bit in a minute. First, we need to glue these babies together! I applied glue to the long side of one of my boxes, then press them together. I also clipped mine together with binder clips while I waited for the glue to dry, just to be certain I got a good, tight bond.

DIY spice rack

Now to start reinforcing the bond. First, cut a piece of cardboard (I used a cereal box) that is slightly smaller than the spice rack and glue it to the back side. I spread my glue all over the cardboard surface and pressed it into place, further joining the two boxes together. I weighted down the cardboard with a couple of heavy books while I waited for the glue to dry so that I wouldn’t get any wrinkles or places where the bond wasn’t firm and even. After that, I went around the edges of the cardboard with strips of duct tape. (When you’re talking about something that is going to hang on the wall above your stove, you just can’t be too careful!)

DIY spice rack

Next, cut bamboo skewers to the right length to make a rail across the front of each row of spices. My skewers were a little short to make it all the way across with one skewer, so for each row I cut down two skewers and pieced them together to make the rails. Paint the skewers in a color to coordinate with your spice rack if you so desire, then glue them into place across the bottom of each row.

hanging onthe wall using soda tabs

Now to add hanging hardware. If you have picture hangers or other hardware on hand that will work, you can of course use that. I wanted to use what I had on hand, and while my first instinct was to go buy a saw-tooth picture hanger, I decided to try the ol’ soda can tab trick instead. I glued two soda can tabs to the back of the rack near the top, then waited for the glue to dry. The tabs should be placed in such a way that the part touching the rack is the curved portion, so that when glued in place there is a slight gap between the loopy bit at the other end of the tab and the back of the rack.

The lady who taught me this trick years ago had been doing it since the 70s so I can’t take credit and I know it’s nothing new, but when I learned it, it blew my mind. Just nail (or in this case, glue) a soda can tab onto the back of anything and presto! It’s ready to hang! Whoever first thought of it was a genius and I wish I could thank them!

diy hanging hardware

But first… More reinforcement. More is definitely better in cases like this! So I duct taped the everlovin’ daylights out of my soda tabs. And when you think you’ve taped it enough, add a little more tape for good measure. You can’t be too careful with these things. Then, I tied a length of picture wire between the two tabs, leaving just a slight amount of slack. My knot-tying skills are not exactly Boy Scout level, and I don’t always trust my knots, so I added a drop of super glue to each knot. Reinforce, reinforce, reinforce!

DIY spice rack

To keep my spice rack stable, I hung it from two hooks hung side-by-side, several inches apart. Fill it with your favorite herbs and spices and enjoy your handiwork!

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Concession Stand Inspired Sack Lunch with Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/08/pack-a-concession-stand-inspired-lunch-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/08/pack-a-concession-stand-inspired-lunch-with-dollar-general/#comments Wed, 21 Aug 2013 16:55:59 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=28954 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. When you were a kid at school, did you ever pretend or imagine that you were somewhere else? Bring that same sense of imagination to your child's lunch period with a can session stand inspired lunch! I took a trip to Dollar […]

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Concession Stand Inspired Lunch When you were a kid at school, did you ever pretend or imagine that you were somewhere else? Bring that same sense of imagination to your child's lunch period with a can session stand inspired lunch! I took a trip to Dollar General and found all kinds of interesting tidbits and yummy treats that I incorporated into a fun meal. Send it off to school, or pack up a picnic lunch for the whole family!

Project estimate:

  • Plastic baskets, 4 for $1.50
  • Plastic hot dog holders, 4 for $1
  • Napkins, on hand or $1
  • Hot dogs, on hand or $1 and up
  • Hot dog buns, on hand or $1 and up
  • Goldfish crackers or other snack, on hand or $1
  • Cookies, on hand or 2 packages for $1
  • Condiments, on hand or $1 and up
  • Plastic zipper bags, on hand or $1 and up

Total: $$2.50 and up

plastic baskets and hot dog holders

While I was wandering around Dollar General I noticed that they had some really fun food serving items. I picked up a set of red plastic baskets and some plastic hot dog holders because they reminded me of eating at places like a baseball stadium or an amusement park. And they were cheap. And it turns out that they just fit inside of my insulated lunch bag, leaving the perfect amount of room to pack a meal!

Concession Stand Inspired Lunch

If you have leftover hot dogs, you're ready to go – otherwise, you'll want to cook up the hot dogs in advance. Put one in a plastic zipper bag (the snack size bags are perfect for this!) and don't forget to put an ice pack in the lunchbox to keep it chilled until lunch. (Don't have room for an ice pack? Freeze a bottle of water and pack it along with the lunch and it will serve as both a chilling device and a beverage!) You should also place a hot dog bun in a bag or some plastic wrap. Make sure you throw in a couple of napkins as well, which can play double duty as both basket liners and finger wipers.

Tip: Do you keep extra packets of condiments from fast food drive thru visits? This is a perfect time to use them up! If you don't have any packets on hand but want to get some, look for restaurant supply stores in your area. You might have to buy in bulk quantity, but if you are packing them in school lunches throughout the year it may be worth purchasing a case of them.

snack foods at Dollar General

You'll also need some other tasty things to go with the hot dog. I surfed around Dollar General's snack foods and found some Goldfish crackers and a package of cookies, but they had many other great options as well, including things like dried fruit that are healthier. I was surprised at what a great selection of small snacks they had to offer, making it a good place to go if you're packing lunches on a budget! Have you ever packed themed lunches for your kids? We would love to hear more fun food ideas as well!

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Spray Paint a Customized Binder with Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/07/spray-paint-a-customized-binder-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/07/spray-paint-a-customized-binder-with-dollar-general/#comments Wed, 24 Jul 2013 23:36:34 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=28337 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. When I was a kid, I was constantly hunting for personalized items like school supplies, but with a not-so-common name like Rhonda it was rare that I ever found pencils or note pads or key chains bearing my moniker. It was always […]

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Make a Personalized Binder with Spray Paint When I was a kid, I was constantly hunting for personalized items like school supplies, but with a not-so-common name like Rhonda it was rare that I ever found pencils or note pads or key chains bearing my moniker. It was always such a thrill to find something that had my name on it – something that was just for me. I know a few kids these days who have even more obscure names, so I decided that I would make some of them a few personalized gifts, starting with my friend's daughter Elena.

school supplies at Dollar General

I wandered through the back-to-school section at Dollar General looking for anything that I could personalize for her. They had tons of great options – definitely a good place to check out when it comes time for back-to-school shopping! When I found a binder and some bulletin board letters, I had a great idea and ended up with a fun, one-of-a-kind gift for a one-of-a-kind kid.

Project estimate:

  • Binder, about $2.25 and up
  • Bulletin board letters, $1.65
  • Repositionable spray adhesive, on hand or about $3 and up
  • Masking tape, on hand or $1 and up
  • Spray paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total: about $3.90 and up

Binder and letters from Dollar General

I picked out a binder with a clear cover into which you can insert pieces of paper. I had the idea that I could use paper to mask off shapes and paint over them, creating "frames" on the cover! I used letter cutouts to make my shapes, but you could do this technique with any design you want!

Binder masked for painting

Use newspaper and tape to mask off the inside of the binder and protect it from any overspray.

Spray painting a binder from Dollar General

Place the letter on the cover. The letters I used had repositionable adhesive along the top edge, which I used to figure out the placement, then I used spray adhesive to hold them all the way down. (Tip: Make sure the spray adhesive dries completely before sticking the letters to the binder to avoid leaving a sticky residue.) Spray paint over the entire cover.

using tape to mask off stripes

You could stop at this point, but I wanted to add more details, so I used masking tape to make a plaid-ish design on the cover. After the paint was completely dry, I added a few stripes of tape in each direction across the cover, then added another coat of paint. After that paint dried, I added more tape and spray painted another color. I repeated this process until I had four colors on the cover: yellow, purple, lime green, and black.

 

spray painted binder with tape removed

After all of the paint has been applied, carefully peel away the tape to reveal the design.

binder with see-through lettering

I had a little seepage of paint around the letters because the ridiculous humidity was making the paper letters curl and the adhesive come loose; if you do this in dryer weather, this should not be an issue.

Personalized spray painted binder

Insert anything you like into the cover and it will show through the letters. You could use pretty papers, photos, doodles, or you can even change the paper whenever you want so that your binder always has a fresh, new look!

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Free Printable Mason Jar Lid Labels for Herbs with Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/06/free-printable-mason-jar-lid-labels-for-herbs-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/06/free-printable-mason-jar-lid-labels-for-herbs-with-dollar-general/#comments Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:05:22 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=27909 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. I was super duper excited to see that Dollar General is carrying mason jars! I mean, who doesn't love mason jar crafts? I certainly find them hard to resist. I swear there are a hundred million gazillion things you can do with […]

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Free Printable Mason Jar Lid Herb Labels

I was super duper excited to see that Dollar General is carrying mason jars! I mean, who doesn't love mason jar crafts? I certainly find them hard to resist. I swear there are a hundred million gazillion things you can do with them. Still, one of my favorite ways to use them (and the way I use them most often) is in the kitchen. Since I have a large herb garden that I am constantly trimming, throughout the growing season I dry all of the excess that I don't use fresh and keep it in mason jars until I need it. To keep track of which jars contain what herbs, I used to label the lids with Sharpie, but then I came up with an even better idea. Why not make pretty labels for the lids instead? So I dug up some vintage botanical illustrations and made these printable mason jar lid labels!

Project estimate:

  • Mason jars, on hand or about $8/case
  • Printable labels, free
  • Mod Podge, on hand

Total: Free and up

ason jars at Dollar General

I was very happy with the pricing of Dollar General's mason jars! The ones at my local store worked out to about 73 cents each for quart jars and 66 cents each for pint jars. At prices like that, Dollar General has become my new go-to place for canning supplies – remember them next time you need jars!

Free Printable Mason Jar Lid Herb Labels The labels I designed to go on my lids are made for the small mouth jars. To assemble them you just print out the free printable (found below), cut them out, and use Mod Podge to attach them to the centers of the jar lids. Apply a moderate coat of Mod Podge to the lid, put the label in place and smooth out any air bubbles or wrinkles, then seal with another coat of Mod Podge. Not only are these labels great for your own organizational purposes, they also make your homegrown herbs suitable for gifting!

This set includes labels for basil, cilantro, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Enjoy, and happy gardening!

Herb Labels by Rhonda Greene

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Tutorial: Wind-Proof, Custom Size Tablecloth With Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/05/tutorial-wind-proof-custom-size-tablecloth-with-dollar-general/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/05/tutorial-wind-proof-custom-size-tablecloth-with-dollar-general/#comments Thu, 23 May 2013 15:45:03 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=27375 This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. With Memorial Day sneaking up on us, picnic season is officially here! Are you ready? I’ve been scrambling to make my back yard ready for another summer of entertaining. One of the things on my to-do list has been dressing up our […]

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This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine.

Windproofed Tablecloth With Memorial Day sneaking up on us, picnic season is officially here! Are you ready? I’ve been scrambling to make my back yard ready for another summer of entertaining. One of the things on my to-do list has been dressing up our patio table. It’s a plain, round metal table that I love, but whose top has seen better days; a few seasons of sun and rain have started to take their toll. I knew that the obvious solution was a tablecloth, but I was having a hard time finding one in the right size. And I want to leave the tablecloth on all summer, so I also had to find a way to make sure that it wasn’t going to blow away in the wind. I came up with an idea that would solve both problems, and off to Dollar General I went in search of supplies!

Project estimate:

  • Picnic table cloth, $4
  • Plastic clips (2 or more packages depending on size of table), $2 and up
  • Clothesline or rope, on hand or $3.50 (and you will have lots left over for future projects!)
  • Ruler or yard stick, on hand
  • Sharpie, on hand
  • Scissors, on hand

Total: about $6 and up

Dollar General Summer Section

I’ve been loving the bright, bold colors in the summer seasonal section at Dollar General this year – especially all of the turquoise and lime green stuff! I’ve been eying up a lot of goodies there. (See that package of plates and cups with a Moroccan pattern? They WILL be mine!)

tablecloth project supplies

They had a nice selection of vinyl tablecloths this year; after much debate, I went with a bright, stripey pattern. The tablecloth is made to fit a standard picnic table, and if you happen to have a table that it fits already you can skip the cutting and go right to the wind-proofing. However, since I couldn’t find a cheap tablecloth that would fit my little, round table, I had to trim it to fit. The other supplies that I bought at Dollar General, the clips and clothesline, both came out of the laundry section.

custom sized windproof tablecloth

Spread out the tablecloth with the printed side facing down. Place the table upside-down on top of it, centering it as best you can.

measuring the excess tablecloth

Measure how much excess you have around the edges. Measure from the edge of the table to one of the short sides of the tablecloth. I had about 10 inches to work with.

draw a circle around the tabletop

Using a Sharpie to mark the distance, measure out that distance every few inches around the top of the table. Then play connect-the-dots to draw a circle all the way around the perimeter of the table.

tablecloth cut to size

Now it’s time to cut. The material that the tablecloth is made from is not the easiest thing in the world to cut, so you’ll need a good, sharp pair of scissors and a little patience. Don’t worry if your edges aren’t exactly perfect, because they will be hidden at the end!

attach clips to tablecloth

Attach the clips around the outside edge of the tablecloth, spacing them as evenly as possible. It is important that you use clips like these ones that have loops on the ends so that you will have a place to thread your rope. For the best results, add enough clips so that there is 10 inches of space or less between each of them. In the end, I used three packages of clips (for a total of 12 clips) to make it all the way around with the proper spacing.

tablecloth on table

At this point, you’re ready to put the cloth on the table! Center it so that there is the same amount of overhang all the way around.

thread rope through clips

Cut a length of clothesline and thread it through the loops on each of the clips.

windproofed tablecloth

Pull the rope tight and tie it off with a sturdy knot. Trim off any excess clothesline and you’re done!

Don’t forget to visit Dollar General for all your Memorial Day supplies!

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Stuff a Stocking at Dollar General https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2011/12/stuff-a-stocking-at-dollar-general-win-25-gift-card/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2011/12/stuff-a-stocking-at-dollar-general-win-25-gift-card/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:00:35 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2011/12/stuff-a-stocking-at-dollar-general-win-25-gift-card/ This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine. If you frequent dollar stores (and we know you do), you know that they have deals on all kinds of different stuff.  I don’t know about you, but I am on a serious budget this year, which means I will be looking […]

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This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine.

dollar store stockings tuffers

If you frequent dollar stores (and we know you do), you know that they have deals on all kinds of different stuff.  I don’t know about you, but I am on a serious budget this year, which means I will be looking for those deals as I shop and craft my way through my Christmas gift list!

In addition to gifts destined for under the tree, there are the stockings to consider.  What is your top money-saving tip for filling stockings?  I like to stretch my stocking-stuffing dollar farther by giving useful things that I know the recipient will actually use.  Don’t get me wrong, I love just-for-fun gifts too, but I feel like my money is better spent on practical gifts than on random odds and ends that are destined to collect dust.

I had a chance to go shopping at Dollar General with a mission to stuff a few stockings on a $25 budget.  I managed to fill stockings for my whole household:  My husband, myself, and our two cats.  Check out the video to see my shopping in action, and to see how I made a couple of crafty alterations to some of my purchases!

I bought:

  • 3 stockings, $5.50
  • Word search book, $3.00
  • Amazing Goop glue, $2.85
  • Socks, $1.00
  • 2 plastic tumblers, $5.00
  • 2 packages chocolate truffles, $2.00
  • 2 packages catnip mice, $3.00
  • Laser pet toy, $3.00
  • Catnip, $1.95
  • 2 cans cat food, $1.20

Total:  $28.50

Okay, so I ended up going a teeny-tiny bit over-budget, but I found a lot of good stuff and didn’t want to put any of it back!  The stocking for my cats was somewhat of a splurge at $3.50, and putting it back would have put me right at $25 on the button.  But once I saw it…  I had to have it!  Plus, if you already have stockings on hand that you use every year, you can strike those off your shopping list in the first place.  So really, the contents of my stockings cost a mere $23!

Win a $25 Gift Card to Dollar General!

Do you want to fill a stocking too?  One lucky reader will win a $25 gift card to Dollar General for their own holiday shopping spree.  To enter, answer this question: What is your top money-saving tip for filling stockings?

Giveaway open to United States residents only, 18 and older. Ends on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 11:59 PM. Full rules here.

Congratulations to our winner:

dollar general winner

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