party Archives » Dollar Store Crafts https://dollarstorecrafts.com/tag/party/ Cool Craft Ideas from Dollar Store Finds Mon, 09 Feb 2015 22:39:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.4 Tutorial: Woodland Themed Cupcake Stand https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2015/02/tutorial-woodland-themed-cupcake-stand/ Tue, 10 Feb 2015 16:00:59 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=35061 We celebrated my nephew’s first birthday recently, and my sister chose an adorable woodland gnome theme for the party. I offered to make a cupcake stand for the party and recruited my husband to help me with it (because I can’t be trusted with power tools!) I love the project that we made together! Keep […]

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Woodland Cupcake Stand

We celebrated my nephew’s first birthday recently, and my sister chose an adorable woodland gnome theme for the party. I offered to make a cupcake stand for the party and recruited my husband to help me with it (because I can’t be trusted with power tools!) I love the project that we made together! Keep reading to learn how you can make an adorable woodland themed cupcake stand. This is perfect for any party with an outdoor or fairy theme.

Make Woodland Cupcake Stand

Project Estimate:

  • Cut Wood – on hand
  • Dowel Rods – on hand
  • Wood stain – on hand
  • Screws – on hand
  • Embellishments – on hand

Total: Free

steps

Step one: Cut the wood into plate sized ovals or circles, and sand the edges. Arrange the pieces until you have a shape and size that you like and that is balanced. If you don’t have a piece for the base like I did, you can start with a large circular cut of wood for the base.

Step two: Use screws to attach the dowel rods and wood pieces together.

Step three: Stain the dowel rods so they match the cut wood pieces.

Step four: Embellish the cupcake stand with butterflies, flowers, etc.  I used hot glue to attach them.

Make a Cupcake Stand

If you don’t have cut trees on hand like we did, you can find similar pieces of wood at your local hobby store. Of course, using materials you have on hand means you can make this project with no expense! You could add flowers all around this for a shower, add glitter and wings for a fairy themed party, or lots of insects for a bug party. Have fun crafting and creating!

DIY Woodland Cupcake Stand

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Make a Placemat Dish Carrier https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/11/make-a-placemat-dish-carrier/ Tue, 18 Nov 2014 16:00:10 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=34116 With the holidays coming up, you probably have lots of events that you need to bring a dish to.  There are potlucks, cookie exchanges, office parties, etc.  Here’s a pretty project to make that you can use to carry your dish with you.  It would also be a fun way to “wrap” a hostess gift. […]

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Make a dish carrier -- from a place mat! Great for taking hot dishes to potlucks & parties!

With the holidays coming up, you probably have lots of events that you need to bring a dish to.  There are potlucks, cookie exchanges, office parties, etc.  Here’s a pretty project to make that you can use to carry your dish with you.  It would also be a fun way to “wrap” a hostess gift.title

I bought these placemats at Dollar Tree thinking that I would embroider them.  About 30 minutes into that project, I remembered that I don’t have the patience to embroider, so I quickly scrapped that project.  (Who knows, maybe I’ll submit it to CraftFail!)  Out of failure comes innovation, and I’m much happier with this colorful dish carrier!  The placemats I used make this carrier more suited for cold or room temperature dishes (I usually bring dessert), but you could use quilted placemats to make a carrier for hot dishes.

dish holder DIY

 

Project estimate:

  • Place Mats, $2
  • Paint, on hand
  • Stencil, on hand
  • Ribbon, on hand

Total :$2

part 1

Step one:  Stencil the background pattern on the place mat.  Place a small amount of paint on a roller or pouncer and dab it over the stencil.

Step two:  Stencil the monogram over the background in a darker color paint.

Step three:  Stitch three of the sides closed.

Step four:  Stitch a length of ribbon on either side of the opening to use as a closure.

diy dishholder

This project is so quick and easy to do that you can make several in one setting.  They’d also be cute to use for packaging gifts for teachers and co-workers.  Simply slip a nice box of cookies or chocolate inside, tie the edge, and have a pretty gift carrier, too.  Have fun crafting and creating!

placemat dish holder

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Chalkboard Acorn Place Cards https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/11/chalkboard-acorn-place-cards/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/11/chalkboard-acorn-place-cards/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2014 16:00:29 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=34066 Now that fall is here, I’ve started making lots of acorn crafts.  For this idea, I needed something larger than the acorns I had collected.  I dug through my craft stash and found foam eggs I had purchased at Dollar Tree last Easter.  By combining the foam eggs with twine, also from Dollar Tree, I […]

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chalk place card
Now that fall is here, I’ve started making lots of acorn crafts.  For this idea, I needed something larger than the acorns I had collected.  I dug through my craft stash and found foam eggs I had purchased at Dollar Tree last Easter.  By combining the foam eggs with twine, also from Dollar Tree, I was able to make “acorns” that were just the right size for my project!  If you’re not a craft supply hoarder like me, you should be able to find oval foam and paper mache eggs at your local craft store.
 chalky acorns

Project estimate:

  • Foam eggs, $1
  • Twine, on hand or $1
  • Chalkboard paint, on hand or about $3 and up
  • Glue gun, on hand
Total:  $1 and up
supplies
Step one:  Paint the foam eggs with chalkboard paint.  I just needed two applications for full coverage.
step 1
Step two:  Glue twine to the larger end of the egg, and begin wrapping.  I like mine with a more haphazard, messy look, but you could make a neat coil if you prefer.
step 2
Step three:  Glue a small loop of twine to the end of the “acorn”.
acorn place card
Prepare the surface by gently rubbing a piece of chalk on it and wiping it off.  Now your “acorn” is ready to be embellished with a name, monogram, or anything else you feel like drawing!  I used some additional twine so I could attach the place card to a napkin.
chalk paint acorns
A fun twist for Thanksgiving could be to ask each person at the table to write one thing they are thankful for on the acorn, and place it in a bowl.  Then you’ll have a pretty, personalized centerpiece that will remind everyone of all the wonderful things you have in your life!

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Make a Paper Straw Bunting https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/09/make-a-paper-straw-bunting/ Wed, 24 Sep 2014 14:53:58 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=33544 Have you seen that Dollar Tree has paper straws for Halloween?  I got super excited when I saw them on the shelf and immediately threw a pile of them into my cart.  And now I need to figure out what I am going to do with all of them…  So maybe I will make one […]

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straw bunting

Have you seen that Dollar Tree has paper straws for Halloween?  I got super excited when I saw them on the shelf and immediately threw a pile of them into my cart.  And now I need to figure out what I am going to do with all of them…  So maybe I will make one of these adorable paper straw buntings from Jeran at Oleander and Palm!  She painted hers with gold spray paint to give it a metallic effect, but you could also leave the straws as-is, especially if they are in colors or patterns that match your decor or your party theme.  [how to make a paper straw bunting]

Project estimate:

  • Paper straws, $1 and up
  • String, on hand or $1
  • Spray paint (optional), on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $1 and up

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Tutorial: Sideshow Strong Man Costume https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/09/make-a-sideshow-strong-man-costume/ Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:00:52 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=33401 Halloween will be here before you know it, and if you’re planning to make costumes, you know that the time to get started is NOW!  This is the costume I made for my son last year:  a carnival sideshow strong man.  I lost track of how many compliments I received on this costume!  It was […]

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strong man costume DIY

Halloween will be here before you know it, and if you’re planning to make costumes, you know that the time to get started is NOW!  This is the costume I made for my son last year:  a carnival sideshow strong man.  I lost track of how many compliments I received on this costume!  It was incredibly easy to make, and by using items from the dollar store, like the t-shirt, I saved a bundle over a store bought costume.

Project estimate:

  • Black T-shirt, $1
  • Paint, on hand
  • Styrofoam balls (2), $3
  • Dowel rod, $1

Total:  $5

pattern
Step one:  Use a shirt that is large enough to go from the child’s shoulders to mid-thigh.  Turn the shirt inside out.  I used a one piece romper as a pattern, otherwise you can measure your child to determine where to cut.   Cut as pictured.

Step two:  Sew along the edges that you cut.  I sewed it while the shirt was still inside out, then flipped it right side out for the next step.

Step three:  Paint a buckle and belt onto the costume.  I use washi tape or painters tape to help make straight lines.  Let it dry.

dumb bells

Step four:  Now to make the weight for muscle man to carry!  First, carve out a small hole in each styrofoam ball, and push the dowel rod in.  You can use a small amount of hot glue (not too much or you’ll melt the styrofoam) to hold the rod in place.  Paint everything black.

DIY strong man costume

I had added a tattoo sleeve, found at Dollar Tree, to the costume, but he did not keep that on.  Draw on a loopy mustache, and your muscle man is ready for the carnival….I mean, Halloween!  I live in South Texas, where it’s still pretty hot at Halloween, so during the day he wore the costume as is, and at night I just had to put a shirt underneath to keep him warm.

side show costumes DIY

If you’re going as a group, you can add lots of side act characters to accompany your strong man.  I went as the bearded lady, and my husband was a sword thrower.  Who says Halloween is just for kids?

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Tutorial: Paint a Retro-Inspired Ice Cream Bowl https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/09/tutorial-paint-a-retro-inspired-ice-cream-bowl/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/09/tutorial-paint-a-retro-inspired-ice-cream-bowl/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2014 16:00:52 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=33351 I was tickled to find these adorable ice cream dishes at Dollar Tree. The shape reminded me of these cute bowls I had seen on Etsy.  Since the seller no longer offers them, I had been looking for a way to make my own.  I think I succeeded!  Here’s how you can paint your own retro […]

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Painted Ice Cream Bowl

I was tickled to find these adorable ice cream dishes at Dollar Tree. The shape reminded me of these cute bowls I had seen on Etsy.  Since the seller no longer offers them, I had been looking for a way to make my own.  I think I succeeded!  Here’s how you can paint your own retro inspired ice cream bowl.

Painted Bowl DIY
Project estimate:

  • Ice cream dish, $1
  • Chalky Finish Glass Paint in Everlasting, $1.77
  • Craft paint, on hand
  • Washi tape, on hand
  • White gloss glass paint (optional),  $1.77

Total:  $2.77 and up


supplies
Step one:  Paint the outside of the dish with the Chalky Finish Paint.  I did three light applications (letting each application dry before starting the next one) to achieve an even finish.  Use a wide, soft bristled brush for best results.

Step two:  Use a pencil to lightly draw squiggly lines for the edge.

Step three:  Mix a small amount of colored paint with some of the white Chalky Finish paint to create the other colors.  If you prefer, you can also purchase Chalky Finish paint in other colors.  I was trying to stretch my one bottle as far as possible!

Painting Stripes

Step four:  Use washi tape to make sections on the dish, as pictured.  Paint, then repeat.  The paint dries very quickly, so after you’ve finished one color, you can tape again and repeat with the second color.

optional step

Optional:  I wanted the lip to look like whipped cream, so I used a glossy glass paint to fill in the edge.  You can omit this step if you want to leave it a flat white.

Allow the paint to dry for 4 days, then you bake it according to the instructions on the bottle.  To be on the safe side, I hand wash my glass painted items and don’t put them in the dish washer.  They are usually fine, but sometimes over time, the heat from the drying cycle causes some of the finish to come off.

DIY Painted Dish

This would be a really fun activity for an ice cream social or ice cream themed birthday party.  Since the glass paint dries quickly, guests can paint their bowls, mingle while they allow the paint to dry, then fill them with yummy ice cream!  Have fun painting and creating!

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Make a Paper Flower Pinata https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/08/make-a-paper-flower-pinata/ Fri, 15 Aug 2014 16:00:29 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=33202 We’ve loved Lia Griffith’s beautiful paper flowers – and with this phenomenal paper flower pinata, she’s taking it to a whole new level!  Would you believe that all of those gorgeous blossoms were made from a combination of crepe paper and tissue paper?  It makes a lovely contrast of textures!  This would be a beautiful […]

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Make a Paper Flower Pinata

We’ve loved Lia Griffith’s beautiful paper flowers – and with this phenomenal paper flower pinata, she’s taking it to a whole new level!  Would you believe that all of those gorgeous blossoms were made from a combination of crepe paper and tissue paper?  It makes a lovely contrast of textures!  This would be a beautiful and fun addition to a wedding reception or bridal shower – or any party, for that matter!  [how to make a paper flower pinata]

Project estimate:

  • Paper lantern, $1 and up
  • Cardboard, on hand
  • Crepe paper streamers, on hand or $1
  • Tissue paper, on hand or $1
  • Glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up!

 

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Make Fun Fruit Bouquets with Value Seekers Club (and a giveaway!) https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/08/make-fun-fruit-bouquets-with-value-seekers-club-and-a-giveaway/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/08/make-fun-fruit-bouquets-with-value-seekers-club-and-a-giveaway/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:00:11 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=32908 This post is sponsored by Dollar Tree. All opinions are my own. Have you ever been in this situation? You want to host a kid’s party.  But the parents aren’t crazy about serving loads of sugar in the form of cake, cookies and other typical party treats. No cake. No candy. No ice cream. No cookies. […]

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Make a Fruit Bouquet

This post is sponsored by Dollar Tree. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever been in this situation? You want to host a kid’s party.  But the parents aren’t crazy about serving loads of sugar in the form of cake, cookies and other typical party treats.

No cake. No candy. No ice cream. No cookies. No ICE CREAM. Uh, now what?

I got help with this exact dilemma with Dollar Tree’s Value Seekers Club. This club offers free recipes and project ideas incorporating products from your favorite place and mine – Dollar Tree. Membership is free and you get new ideas every month. The projects are printable, so you can take them to the store when you shop. And you can adapt the projects to serve your own purposes.

If you aren’t already convinced, Dollar Store Crafts is giving away a $50 Dollar Tree gift card to one of our readers. You can enter simply by signing up for the Value Seeker’s Club.

Through the Value Seekers Club, I came across a project idea for using toothpicks to make food more interesting to kids. The idea is to cut up sandwich items or other treats into little squares and make kabobs out of them. Simple yet brilliant.

So I started with this –  a luscious bowl of fruit that is lovely yet does not exactly scream “Fun!”

fruit 2

And a box of these – a zillion toothpicks for a dollar.

fruit 3

And elevated my fruit into party food.

fruit 4

I used a small vase I had on hand. If you don’t have one, Dollar Tree has summery plastic goblets and tumblers available now. Or you can always use a trusty glass goblet.

fruit 5jpg

You can use any fruit. But for a similar bouquet, you’ll need one strawberry,  several cherries and grapes (or similar small fruit) and one round fruit like an orange or apple cut into segments.

fruit 3.5

Use a big chunk of watermelon as your “floral foam.”  Push it down into the glass or vase. Then spear fruit onto the toothpicks. Arrange everything symmetrically.

fruit 6

And now you have a party. Just don’t mention it’s healthy and nobody will know.

To enter the $50 gift card giveaway, please join the Value Seeker’s Club and then enter using Rafflecopter below. Then leave a comment saying which project from the club you want to try first.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tutorial: Make Your Own Party Canopy https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/08/make-your-own-party-canopy/ Tue, 12 Aug 2014 16:00:19 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=33156 As summer starts to wind down, we’re heading to the time of year when it’s comfortable to have outdoor parties again.  I love being able to entertain outdoors!  For my daughter’s recent birthday party, I wanted to set up a fun little table outside for guests.  Our yard has a lot of wonderful trees, and […]

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party canopy DIY

As summer starts to wind down, we’re heading to the time of year when it’s comfortable to have outdoor parties again.  I love being able to entertain outdoors!  For my daughter’s recent birthday party, I wanted to set up a fun little table outside for guests.  Our yard has a lot of wonderful trees, and I wanted to keep leaves and other things off the table, as well as provide a festive ambience to the setting.  I came up with an inexpensive canopy cover that’s fun, inexpensive, and easy to assemble!

supplies

Project estimate:

  • Pool noodles (I used 6), $1 each
  • Clothesline twine,  $1
  • Plastic tableclothes (I used 2), $1 each
  • (Optional) paper lanterns, $1 each

Total:  $9 and up

Step one:  Cut the pool noodles in half.

Step two:  Arrange the pool noodles, three pieces to a side, to form a square.  Tie an additional piece of twine outside two opposite rows.

make frame

Step three:  Thread the twine through three noodles at a time.  Knot the corners to maintain the square shape.

Step four:  Tie twine across the square to make a grid.

Step five:  Hang the canopy “frame” up by tying the four corners to trees or to posts.

add plasticstaple

Step six:  Drape two tablecloths over the “frame”, slip them over the pool noodle and through the extra piece of twine you tied on in step two.  Fold the excess plastic over, staple it together, and trim to fit.  Repeat on the other side.

hang lanterns

Now you can hang paper lanterns, streamers, lights, etc. for the center grid of the canopy.  I like colorful paper lanterns, and the fun colors match the colors on my table.  You could hang balloons, streamers, string lights, or just leave the canopy as is.  I went with bright colors for a kids party, but you could do something similar in black and white or all one color.  We’re still enjoying our outdoor canopy, and I plan to leave it up as long as it lasts!

diy dollar canopy

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Make A Tea Cup Candle https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/07/make-a-tea-cup-candle/ https://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/07/make-a-tea-cup-candle/#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2014 16:00:15 +0000 http://dollarstorecrafts.com/?p=32882 I’ve mentioned in a few other posts that I’ve been creating a Mad Hatter inspired area in my yard.  Tea pots and cups are items easily found at thrift stores, and they play a big role in my decorating scheme.  I’ve shared my tea pot stand and my tea cup bird feeder with you.  Now […]

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Cup Candle DIY

I’ve mentioned in a few other posts that I’ve been creating a Mad Hatter inspired area in my yard.  Tea pots and cups are items easily found at thrift stores, and they play a big role in my decorating scheme.  I’ve shared my tea pot stand and my tea cup bird feeder with you.  Now I’m showing you my newest addition:  a tea cup candle!

DIY TEa Cup Candle

Project estimate:

  • Tea cup and saucer, on hand
  • Used candles, on hand
  • Candle warmer or pot, on hand

Total:  Free

supplies

Step one:  I reused old candles to make my “new” candle.  First, I broke the candle into pieces and removed the wick.  Save the wick for later!

step 1

Step two:  I placed my broken candle pieces in the tea cup, and placed the tea cup on a candle warmer to melt the wax.  If you don’t have a candle warmer, use a double boiler or an old pot to melt the wax.

step 2

Step three:  Once the wax has melted, you can add color and fragrance if you have those on hand.  I added some red candle wax dye to mine.  Cut the old wick so it fits in the tea cup, and place the wick into the liquid wax.  Allow it to cool, then scrape off the excess wax if you’re as messy as I am.

step 3

I love my charming little candle!  It looks really cute in my garden.  If I find citronella oil, I’d like to add that to the wax next time to help keep mosquitos away while I relax outdoors.  I might even paint the tea cup in fun colors next time, just to add to the whimsy of it all!

Make Candle in a Cup

This charming little candle would be great indoors or outdoors.  It’s completely unexpected and easy to customize, so you could have a candle in any color or scent you like.  Have fun crafting and creating!

tea cup candle

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