Fifteen minutes or less.  That’s seriously how long it will take you to make this pillow!  Angie from The Country Chic Cottage whipped it up as part of a 15-minute craft series that she hosted in conjunction with Moore Craft Time.  (Check out more 15 minute crafts!)  The project requires minimal sewing and uses paper doilies to create what looks like painstaking detail without needing any crazy artistic skills (or unending patience)!  [how to make a doily placemat pillow]

Project estimate:

• Placemat, $1
• Paper doilies, on hand or $1
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Polyfill, on hand or about $3 and up
• Needle and thread, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make a Doily Placemat Pillow appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Have you seen the rose-shaped soaps at Dollar Tree?  They look so pretty and smell so good that it’s easy to see why Desirée of The 36th Avenue was drawn to them.  In need of powder room accessories, she came up with a great crafty idea.  By taking the flowers apart and strategically pinning them to a foam ball (also found at Dollar Tree) she ended up with a pretty kissing ball or pomander type of decoration.  To display this piece, you could mount it on top of a glass candlestick, or if you prefer to hang it you can pin a length of ribbon into it.  (You may also wish to add a touch of glue to the ribbon, just in case!)  [how to make a soap flower ball]

Project estimate:

• Rose soap petals, $1
• Styrofoam ball, on hand or $1
• Pins, on hand or $1

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make a Soap Flower Ball appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I have to say it again — I adore all things tiny, and these itty-bitty photo frames are no exception!  Whether you’re a scrapbooker or a dollhouse/miniatures fanatic, these wee frames are just too much fun.  Add to that the fact that they are SUPER inexpensive and EASY to make, and it’s a win-win-win situation!!

Project Estimate:

• embossed foil stickers, 6/$1 (in the scrapbook section)
• tiny photos (I used Photoshop to shrink mine, and printed at home)
• double-stick tape, on hand
• scissors

I started with a sheet of six foil embossed stickers from the dollar store.  They come in a few different metallic tones — this photo shows two of the available tones.

I picked a sticker I thought would make a nice frame and simply cut around the edge I liked.

All the fancy scrollwork around the edges is fun and funky, but not the look I was looking for.  Back to the scissors!

I like the fancy corners!  But, if that isn’t your style either…

…keep cutting and make it even more simple.

I love them all — but the top two are my FAVORITES!

******

Caroline Sanchez (Care) has been sewing since her mom taught her the basics at around six years old.  She has always been driven to CREATE, even from a very young age.  She is mommy to two little boys and one little girl, and almost every spare moment she has is spent in her sewing room or working on her blog, Obsessively Stitching.

The post Miniature Photo Frames appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Melissa from Bursts of Creativity recently featured a week’s worth of dollar store crafts on her blog. It’s amazing what some scrapbook paper and Mod Podge can do to everyday items! This craft would be great for Mother’s Day, a bride-to-be or a frequent traveler.  It would also make a cute, customizable gift for anyone who is just learning to sew.  [How to make a gift box sewing kit]

Project estimate:

• Travel sewing kit, $1
• Small jewelry gift box, $1
• Scrapbook or wrapping paper, on hand
• Gel medium, Mod Podge or glue, on hand
• Rusty Hinge Distress (optional)
• Buttons and scrapbook embellishments, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

Also be sure to check out Melissa’s other Dollar Store tutorials: Mini Album, Matchbox Gift Box, Notebook and Farmer’s Market Binder.

The post Make a Gift Box Sewing Kit appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

One of the most popularly known May Day traditions is to hang a basket full of spring flowers and/or other small gifts on a neighbor’s doorknob. The trick is you don’t want the neighbor to see you! If you get caught, you are supposed to get a kiss.

[Pictured: Matchbook Favor Boxes by Making Room for More, May Day Basket by Karen Foster, The Recycling Bin: May Day Baskets by Uncommon Goods and May Day Baskets {Printable Activities for Kids} by Tip Junkie]

When I was little (yep, that’s me to the right!), my mom and I made May baskets to put on the doors of a few neighbors that had kids my age. I had a lot of fun, and it was a nice way to brighten their day! Here are my mom’s instructions to make a May basket:

“To create a May basket from scratch, take a sheet of construction paper and create a cone; tape to secure it well.  Trim the top edge to make it even.  Cut a 12-inch strip of construction paper; staple and tape it to arc over the top. Tuck a little bunch of small flowers into the cone.  (If you can put the flowers into a water pick, that will help keep them fresh.)  Hang the May basket on the doorknob and leave without knocking on the door.  A little later call and ask if they discovered the May Day surprise on their doorknob. Wish them a happy spring!  Simple, kind and fun.”

More May Day Crafts and Activities

May Day Baskets by New Nostalgia [Pictured]

Celebrating May Day! by Mother Nature Network

Celebrating May Day With Crafts by About.com Family Crafts

May Day Crafts by TLC Family and How Stuff Works

Make a Paper Flower Bouquet by Canon Creative Park

23 May Day Crafts: Flowers, Baskets, and Cones by Tip Junkie [Pictured]

May Day Activities and Crafts by DLTK Kids

More May Day Activities to Enjoy by Great Group Activities

Flower Cards and Gifts by Canon Creative Park

May Baskets, A Neighborly Project for Kids by About.com

Martha Stewart’s Take on May Day

Maypole Cake [Pictured]

May Basket

May Day Celebration (Maypole Decorations and Dances)

May Day Baskets Using Household Items

Do you celebrate May Day? Share your crafts and activities below!

The post Celebrate May Day: 15+ Ideas to Brighten Someone’s Day appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Ice Cream Cupcakes (with free printable) at Living Locurto

These cuties look like ice cream, but they are actually (non-melting) cupcakes!

	You Are One Sharp Teacher by She Wears Flowers  “This is such a simple and fun project. The beautiful tacks and the sweet message telling the teacher you appreciate her or him will definitely be a hit.” Supplies include: craft foam, flat cork, covered button kits and thumb tacks
	Bliss Chocolate Gift Box by Crissy’s Craft  “Little gift box made of a toilet tissue paper roll! You can add candy or a small gift.” Supplies include: toilet paper tubes, Hershey’s Bliss Chocolates, scrapbook paper, free printable download
	Magic Clipboard by Carla Cavellucci Landi (instructions in English and Spanish)   “It’s a “magic” clipboard, the one you can write on it and erase.” [This can be easily customized to showcase a specific school subject] Supplies include: piece of chipboard or boardbook, scrapbook paper and embellishments, clear contact paper
	Beautiful Handmade Bookmarks by Little Birdie Secrets at Skip to My Lou  “At Little Birdie Secrets, we love making gifts that are from the heart, but don’t break the bank (or take too much time!). We hope this cute and quick gift idea will be just that for your child’s teacher!” Supplies include: fabric, fusible interfacing, buttons [See Skip to My Lou’s Teacher Appreciation Roundup]
	Apple {Teacher Appreciation Day} made out of soda bottles by Crissy’s Crafts  “You can download the “You can “bite” into this apple, it is full of kisses for you!” printable.” Supplies include: two soda bottles, red and green spray paint, buttons, candy
	A Week of Teacher Appreciation by …from glitter to gumdrops  Includes a list of “all the past projects in the collage with the how to’s, sources of inspiration…or frustrations, but always motivation.” Projects include: chalkboard globe, book pages wreath, pencil cup, personalized recycled notepad

Also, Volunteer Spot has a great eBook filled with Teacher Gift Ideas

“Be creative, and don’t let cost be an issue. At the very least, hand write a thank-you note (a lost art these days). Teachers often serve thanklessly, so let them know you appreciate and value them. Your simple words of thanks may encourage them far more than you know!” – Joan from Teachers’ Tips, Tools, & Topics

The post Teacher Appreciation Week: 7 Crafty Treat and Gift Ideas appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Crafts

A Fresh Idea for Easter by Recipe for Cute [Pictured]

Kids’ Handprint Lilies by Mommy Savers

Fabric Easter Eggs and Recycled Bird’s Nest by Mommy Savers

Eggscelent Dyed Eggs by Lolly Chops

Easy Easter Crafts by All You

Free Project Friday: Hoppy Weekend by Lark Crafts

Runaway Bunny Easter Picture from Living Crafts Magazine by All Things Mothering

Little Lamb Pillows by Molly’s Sketchbook

Herb Stenciled Easter Eggs by Adventures in Cooking
 
 

Food and Recipes

Easter Cookies by Sweetopia [Pictured]

Everything “Easter” by Love From the Oven

Anthropologie Inspired Easter Cookies by Sweet Sugarbelle

Bunny Ear Cupcake Toppers by Sweet Sugarbelle

Spring and Easter Tutorials by The Decorated Cookie

Easy Easter Cookies by Sweetopia

Spring Nest Recipe by Everyday is a Celebration

Easter Cupcakes Baked in Real Egg Shells by Cupcake Project [Pictures]

Affordable Easter Brunch Recipes by All You

Easter Recipes and Egg Decorating Ideas by Pillsbury

Easter Recipe Center by Kraft Foods

Chocolate Mousse Easter Egg by How Does She?

Easter Marshmallow Treats & Free Printable Cards by Living Locurto

A Bunny Breakfast by Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons (be sure to check out their other Easter/bunny ideas too!)

Rainbow Jell-o Easter Eggs by Choose To Thrive Blog
 
 

Printables

Easter Printables by Flutterbys and Frogs [Pictured]

Easter Cupcake Toppers by Love From the Oven

bunny tails + more i love us prints by eighteen25

Free Printable Easter Cupcake Toppers by Skip to My Lou

Easter Gift Tags Printables are Here! by Babelisme

Free Easter Printables by Catch My Party

Everything “Easter” by Canon Creative Park

Happy Easter Treats by We Love to Illustrate

Free Easter Printables by Nifty Thrifty Things

Free Easter Printables Roundup by Everyday is a Celebration
 
 

Décor

Doily Basket by Martha Stewart [Pictured]

Etceteras: twine and rag nests by Carolyn’s Homework

{DIY} Jellybean Bunting by Sew Homegrown

Ruffled Easter Egg Basket by Oopsey Daisy

Bunny Bunting by Clean and Scentsible

Bunny Hershey Kiss Board by Infarrantly Creative

Egg Ornaments by Martha Stewart
 
 

Gift Ideas

Make: Handprint Easter Lily Brooch by Wild Olive [Pictured]

Easter Gift Idea: Felt Peeps Bunnies by Mommy Savers

Rabbit Finger Puppet Card by Martha Stewart
 
 

Family Fun

Easter Crafts for Kids by Better Homes and Gardens [Pictured]

FREE Spring Crafts, Fun & Activities for Families eBook by Motherhood Your Way

Kids Easter Crafts by Martha Stewart

Easter Printables: Cards, Coloring Pages and Crafts by I Love Free Things

SIMPLE Easter Countdown by How Does She?

Vibrant Vegetable – Dyed Easter Eggs by Twig and Toadstool

Vegetable Dyed Easter Eggs by Tinker Lab

Glue Batik Easter Fabric by Come Together Kids

Easter Day Activities for Kids: Marshmallows, of Course by The Decorated Cookie

Easter Nest Craft by Views From My Window
 
 

Other Roundups

Everything “Easter” by Something Created Every Day [Pictured]

Everything “Easter” by Martha Stewart

Easter Crafting Roundup by Sweet Tidings

Everything “Easter” by Skip to My Lou

Everything “Easter” by Zakka Life

Easter Crafts by Better Homes and Gardens

Everything “Easter” by How About Orange

Fill the Basket! by Everyday Art

Everything “Easter” by Tatertots and Jello

Last-Minute Easter Ideas by Martha Stewart

Everything “Easter” by Thirty Handmade Days

62 Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs by Martha Stewart [Pictured]

Everything “Easter” by  Sweet Sugarbelle

5 Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs by Infarrantly Creative

Everything “Easter” by Bake at 350

We’re Hooking You Up! 40+ Free Easter Printables by How Does She?

Everything “Easter” by Sew Homegrown

8 “Egg” Craft Ideas! Easter “Egg”stravaganza! by How Does She?

Everything “Easter” by Simply Designing

5 Ways to Decorate for Easter by Infarrantly Creative

Everything “Easter” by Oopsey Daisy
 
 

Previous Dollar Store Crafts Posts and Roundups

Dollar Barn Easter: Robin’s Egg Vase

8 Easter Projects on the Cheap

Make an Egg Pendant Lamp

Make Recycled Peeps Decorations

Easter Made Easy: 25+ Free Holiday Printables

Make a Peeps-Inspired Frame
 
 

Previous Dollar Store Mom Posts and Roundups

Make a Paint Chip Easter Egg Garland [Pictured]

Make a Milk Jug Easter Basket

Fun Easter Food Roundup

Make a Dollar Store Spring Wreath

Easter Crafts for Kids Roundup

Easter Ring Pop

Easter Basket Idea: Sand Bucket

The post Last-Minute 2011 Easter Ideas: 80+ Crafty Links appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Today I am sharing this very sweet little round gift box.  The box itself is recycled, and I used ALL materials I had on hand to pretty it up as a gift box.  Can you guess my box source?

Project Estimate:

• empty cheese box, on hand
• 1/2 sheet scrapbook paper, on hand
• organza ribbon or twine, on hand (originally from the dollar store!!)
• scrap of fleece, on hand
• glue stick

Total:  FREE and up!

The original box was a nice, white, lightweight cardboard, with sticker labels.  I love the shape and the way it fits together — and the size is so perfect for all kinds of little trinkets or gifts.

After a quick peel away of the labels on the top, bottom and sides (all stickers, so it was easy!) I simply traced the shapes I needed and used a glue stick to adhere them in place.

Here’s a more manly version, using map-themed scrapbook paper.  I admit, I like this one better than the pink one!

All that’s left is to add a circle of fleece or batting  inside for padding (if desired), add your little gift, and tie a bow!  Done!

*****

Caroline Sanchez (Care) has been sewing since her mom taught her the basics at around six years old.  She has always been driven to CREATE, even from a very young age.  She is mommy to two little boys and one little girl, and almost every spare moment she has is spent in her sewing room or working on her blog, Obsessively Stitching.

The post Unique Gift Box — Recycled! appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

One feature I love in home decor craft projects is flexibility – the ability to use an item for multiple purposes or occasions.  This is especially true with holiday decor, since spending a bunch of money on things that will only see daylight for a couple of weeks out of the year just seems silly to me.  Enter Paula of JC’s Loft with the brilliant and oh-so-simple idea to dress up plain vases with socks!  How awesome is that?  Novelty socks are inexpensive and available for every major holiday, or you could use socks you have on hand with holes in their toes or whose mates have mysteriously disappeared somewhere between leaving your feet and going back into your dresser drawer!  (She also shares some cute ideas for dressing these up further, so be sure to stop by and check it out!) [how to make a sock vase cozy]

Project estimate:

• Vase, on hand or $1
• Socks, on hand or $1
• Scissors, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Sock Vase Cozy appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Some things never go out of style.  One of the things I see pop up in fashion year after year is a theme of  geometric patterns, especially circles.  My jewelry collection can attest to this; a round pendant I was given as a gift in the late 1980s, a chain of nickel-sized circles that I wore through most of high school, and most recently a necklace featuring dozens of circular charms that I bought a couple of  years ago at a jewelry party.  However, I could easily have saved $40 on the last one if I’d have made my own!  Carol from The Answer is Chocolate used some basic jewelry making supplies that she had laying around in her stash along with a package of washers from Dollar Tree to make a charm bracelet that’s versatile and timeless.  (Be sure to take a look around while you’re there; she’s made some other really  cute washer jewelry as well!)  [how to make a washer charm bracelet]

Project estimate:

• Washers, $1
• Chain bracelet or chain and toggle clasp, on hand or $1 and up
• Jump rings, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make a Washer Charm Bracelet appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.