Solar lights are a great way to add a touch of ambiance just about anywhere once the sun goes down.  They come with a little stake for putting them into the ground, but what about those places where a stake isn’t a good option, like on a porch?  Dawn at Creative Cain Cabin discovered that solar lights can be easily fit onto the tops of jars, creating a quick and easy solar lantern that will work just about anywhere!  She used mason jars, but with solar lights coming in so many different sizes and designs these days, you may be able to find jars in your recycling bin that fit well with whatever lights you happen to have available.  And when you’re done using them, they are easily disassembled, so you can reuse the jars and lights for future projects!  [how to make DIY solar jar lights]

Project estimate:

• Solar light, $1
• Jar, on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make DIY Solar Jar Lights appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Our friend Breanna, AKA Dollar Store Mom has been re-doing her outdoor living space. In true “mom on a budget” style, she’s been shopping her home to save as much money as possible. A clearance shower curtain she had on hand is her secret ingredient to making all-weather art fit to stand up to Pacific Northwest rain. [how to make all-weather outdoor wall art]

Project Estimate

• Shower curtain, on hand or $1 and up
• Staple gun and staples, on hand
• Wall hanging strips, on hand or $3 and up

Free and up!

The post Make Outdoor Wall Art from a Shower Curtain appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I love the look of mini lanterns and party lights to dress up your outdoor spaces (or indoor ones!) for the summer. If you’ve shopped mini lanterns lately, though, you’ve noticed they aren’t cheap. Taylor from Taylor Made used a little ingenuity and her fabric scrap stash to whip up her own – which I personally think are way cuter than anything I’ve seen in a store recently! [how to make mini hanging lanterns]

Project estimate:

• Christmas lights, on hand
• Mini cups, on hand or $1 and up
• Drill, on hand
• Fabric scraps, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Foam brush, on hand

Total: Free and up!

The post Make Mini Hanging Lanterns with Fabric Scraps appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Whether you want to mark a dark sidewalk for evening guests, add a little ambiance to a night on the patio, or just add some quick curb appeal, these cheap and easy lights might be just the right solution! Carolina from 30 Minute Crafts made them with mason jars and flameless tealight candles. Don’t have mason jars on hand? Dig into the recycling bin for glass jars! You could even get fancy and Mod Podge colors tissue paper to the jars to give them a little color, or at rhinestones for some sparkle, or paint patterns on them so that they cast cool shadows… So many possibilities! [how to make easy porch lights]

Project estimate:

• Glass jars, on hand
• LED tealight candles, $1

Total: $1

The post Make Easy Porch Lights appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We love our placemats around here.  There are dozens of different things you can use them for besides dressing up and protecting your table!  I’m working on a massive garden project this year, so I am especially keen on outdoor projects; these candle holders by Jean at Flower Hill Design are just the kind of project I’ve been collecting to try out this summer!  Not only do they look slick adorning your patio table during the day, they also look amazing lit up at night!  [how to make outdoor bamboo candles]

Project estimate:

• Glass jars, on hand
• Bamboo placemat, $1
• Hot glue, on hand
• Tealight candles, on hand or $1

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make Outdoor Bamboo Candles appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Are you planting a garden this year?  Whether you’re tilling up a big plot or just tending a few potted plants on the porch, there are tons of great DIY ideas out there that are perfect for gardens of all sizes.  Need some examples?  Here are some of our favorite garden-y projects, all using items that you can find at Dollar Tree.

[plastic serving bowls]

[plastic popcorn buckets]

[DIY Urn Planter]

Flower pots can be expensive, especially if you are looking for ones that are a little bit fancier.  The good news is, you can put plants in nearly any container!  To make this urn-style planter, grab a plastic serving bowl and a plastic popcorn bucket.  If you don’t care for the color of the parts, a little bit of spray paint will make it any shade you desire.

[pool noodles]

[Pool Noodle Garland by Dollar Store Mom]

Besides flowers and veggies, what else does a garden need?  Some decorations, of course!  Our cohort Breanna came up with the idea of using pool noodles to make a colorful outdoor garland, perfect for adding a dash of personality to your garden or patio.

[flip flops]

[coffee mugs]

[Flip Flop Plant Sconces by Jon S. @ Garden Share]

This is one of our favorite garden ideas we’ve seen this year – or ever!  The simple combination of flip flop sandals and coffee mugs become sconce-style planters, bringing a bit of green to a wall or fence.  They’re as practical as they are cute!

[crepe paper streamers]

[DIY Seed Tape by Mad in Crafts]

One of the most important things you can buy for your garden?  Seeds!  Make planting them foolproof (and kid-friendly) by making homemade seed tape using crepe paper streamers.  Seed tape also makes a great gift for a green-thumbed friend!

[plastic stemware]

[Mardi Gras beads]

[Plastic Stemware Outdoor Chandelier]

Looking to push your garden decorating over the top?  Snag some plastic stemware and Mardi Gras beads and whip up a snazzy outdoor chandy!  People might look at you like you’re crazy when you tell them what you’re up to, but when they see the finished product chances are they will want one too!

The post Shopping at DollarTree.com: Garden Edition appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I’ve loved decorative patio lights ever since I was a kid.  I remember going to visit my grandparents in Florida and seeing strings of bright plastic flamingos and tiki heads and flowers decorating the awnings of all the campers in the RV park.  While I still love fun lights, my tastes have refined a bit over the years.  (Okay, so I secretly still like the cheesy plastic ones too.)  Melody at Crafty Butt found a classy set of patio lights she liked on Amazon selling for $28 and was reminded of some rattan balls from the dollar store.  She used the balls to make her own set of lights, getting the same look at a fraction of the price.  And when you’re done, they are easy to disassemble so you can use the lights and rattan balls for different crafts.  [how to make rattan ball patio lights]

Project estimate:

• Rattan balls, $1 and up
• Christmas lights, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make Rattan Ball Patio Lights appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Fall is coming!  I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and mulled cider.  Over at A Girl and a Glue Gun, crafty gal Kimbo gave her porch a makeover including a fun, funky garland that’s perfect for autumn decor.  She used a little spray paint and some twine to transform a pile of pine cones into a decorative piece that works both indoors and out.  In a few months, you can also make one to wrap around your Christmas tree!  [how to make a pine cone garland]

Project estimate:

• Pine cones, on hand
• Spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Twine, on hand or $1

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Pine Cone Garland appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

If you could use some solar path lights but you’re looking for something with more personality than your standard stake lights, here’s an idea from Amanda at Hand Me Down House.  She gave mason jars a colorful finish using dyed Mod Podge and inserted solar lights into the top to make these playful, cheery path lights.  You could also use empty jars from your recycling bin, which will probably have a smaller mouth and work well with the slim path lights from Dollar Tree!  [how to make mason jar solar path lights]

Project estimate:

• Glass jars, on hand
• Outdoor Mod Podge, on hand or about $6
• Food coloring, on hand
• Wire, on hand
• Plant hooks, about $1 each
• Solar path lights, $1 and up

Total:  $2 and up

The post Make Mason Jar Solar Path Lights appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

There were so many great projects in the CSI Project dollar store challenge. Here’s one of the projects I chose as a top 10 winner: a tiled mirror made by Kelsey at Tattered and Inked. She used printed tiles from the dollar store and framed them around a mirror. I love this project because she took small dollar store components and combined them to make a piece with big impact. I love it when people have a vision and are able to carry it out. [how to make a dollar store tiled mirror]

Kelsey’s photos show the mirror outside, and I think this would be an outstanding patio mirror, but it would also look great inside, too. I just love this concept!

Project Estimate:

• 12 patterned tiles, $12
• Square mirror tile, $1
• Foam core or scrap plywood or MDF, $1 and up
• Fabric, on hand
• e6000 glue, on hand

Total: $14 and up

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