It’s getting down to the end of summer – but it’s still not too late for some back yard summer fun!  And what’s more fun than a classic game, like Yahtzee?  Emily at Nap Time Creations made a super-sized version of the game out of a 4×4 post cut into squares.  (This would be a great use for post scraps left over after building a deck!)  And of course, you could also use these super-sized game pieces to play any of your other favorite dice games as well.  [how to make a yard Yahtzee game]

Project estimate:

• 4×4 post, on hand or about $7 and up
• Black Sharpie, on hand
• Dry erase board or chalkboard, on hand or $1 and up
• Bucket, on hand or $1

Total:  Free and up!

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it brings together my entire (and very large) family for some quality time.  And while the traditional Thanksgiving dinner scene shows a family all sitting around one table, our family is so large that not only do we not all fit at one table, we also don’t fit in one room!  For this reason our holiday meals are served buffet-style.  This also means that we don’t have fancy place settings – but that doesn’t mean we can’t still make everything pretty!  Over at Mom Endeavors I shared my contribution to this year’s festivities, a cute little bucket to hold all of the rolled silverware.  It’ll look so festive sitting next to the plates at the beginning of the spread!  [how to make a decoupaged Thanksgiving silverware holder]

Project estimate:

• Metal bucket, $1
• Silk leaves, $1
• Letter stickers, on hand or $1 and up
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Silverware, on hand or $1
• Napkins, on hand or $1
• Curling ribbon, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

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By now you’ve probably seen the marbled fingernail polish look.  But did you know that you can use the same technique to add a marbleized look to other things too?  Aunt Peaches decided to try it out on a pumpkin and the results are truly stunning!  And while it looks like this pumpkin took painstaking hours to paint, you can actually achieve this effect in just a few minutes, no artistic ability required.  Plus it’s a great way to use up some of those colors you never use or ones that are older and starting to get a little gummy.  [how to make marbleized pumpkins]

Project estimate:

• Nail polish, on hand or $1 and up
• Pumpkin, $1
• Water, on hand
• Bucket, on hand
• Bamboo skewer, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

Looking for more pumpkin crafts?

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The first time I heard the term “rain chain,” I had no idea what it meant but it sounded so cool that I instantly wanted one.  Then I actually saw what a rain chain is – an alternative to the traditional rain gutter downspout – and I realized that I didn’t just want one, I needed one.  Now, you could spend close to $100 to purchase a rain chain, but we’re willing to bet that most of our readers are too frugal for that kind of expenditure.  Especially when you can make your own for just a fraction of the price!  We found a DIY version at Curbly that DIY Maven assembled using small metal buckets.  Form meets function meets frugality…  We love it!  [how to make a rain chain]

Project estimate:

• Small metal buckets, about $10 and up
• Chain, about $3 and up
• S-hooks, $1 and up
• Eye bolt,  $1
• Downspout outlet, about $2 and up

Total:  about $17

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While  you’re busy preparing costumes for your little ghosts and goblins, don’t forget to also make them something for collecting goodies!  Brittany from Brittany’s Best used  some white fabric to dress up a plain ol’ bucket as a mummy.   You can use old cloth diapers, an old white sheet, or any other white fabric you have laying around.  You could even bleach some fabric scraps!  [how to make a mummy trick-or-treat bucket]

Project estimate:

• Bucket, on hand or $1
• White fabric, on hand or $1 and up
• Googly eyes,  on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Mummy Trick-or-Treat Bucket appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Now that the holidays are over, are you ready to tame your clutter? Valerie at The Crafter’s File Box made a designer-inspired lazy susan craft supply organizer for a fraction of the retail price. She was inspired by a similar item at Pottery Barn Kids, and made her own version with stuff from IKEA and Target’s dollar spot. Such a cute idea for keeping craft supplies in one neat and organized place (I think my sons would probably use it as a projectile launcher, but that’s another story). [how to make a lazy susan supply organizer]

Project Estimate:

• Lazy susan, $1 and up
• Metal pails, $4 and up
• Spray paint, optional, on hand or $3
• E-6000, on hand

Total: $5 and up

A note about supplies: Valerie got her Lazy Susan at IKEA for $7.99, but you can also check around for lazy susans at thrift stores, or maybe you have one on hand already. She got her pails at Target’s dollar spot for 50% off. You can sometimes find similar pails at Dollar Tree, or small ones in the wedding section 3 for $1 (although they might be a bit small for this project).

Using What You Have: Instead of buying buckets, you could reuse cans, Crystal Light containers, or other containers you already have on hand.

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Looking for an inexpensive way to decorate for the holidays, Angie at Have Family, Will PCS made these adorable Christmas frame topiaries using holiday buckets and cute frames. She got her supplies in the dollar bins at Target and Michael’s, but they also have similar supplies at Dollar Tree. Any of these places are great sources for supplies. This cheap and easy craft would be a good one to use for a teacher gift (if you have a photo of your child and the teacher, all the better), or just for a cute way to display Christmas photos. [how to make christmas frame topiaries]

Project Estimate:

• Floral foam, $1
• Mini frames, $1
• Holiday buckets, $1
• Wood picks with floral wire, on hand or $1
• Floral greenery, $1
• All-purpose glue, on hand

Total: about $2.25-ish each

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Do you have one of those plastic, pumpkin-shaped candy buckets?  (I think just about everyone does!)  Now that Halloween has come and gone, what are you going to do with it?  Peaches from Aunt Peaches turned hers into a fancy pedestal bowl!  It’s even made with recycled materials, using an empty plastic tub for a base (think sour cream or margarine) and decoupaging the exterior with paper scraps left over from other projects.  The result is quirky, stylish, uber-cheap, and definitely not Halloween-y!  [how to recycle a pumpkin bucket into a pedestal bowl]

Project estimate:

• Plastic pumpkin bucket, on hand or $1
• Empty plastic container, on hand
• Duct tape, on hand or $1
• Paper scraps, on hand
• Mod podge, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Recycle a Pumpkin Bucket into a Pedestal Bowl appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

So does anyone else out there do seasonal craft projects and then practically forget to post about them until it’s too late? No? Guess I’m the only one. Here’s a quick and simple favor for St. Patrick’s Day, using stuff from the dollar store. You can make one of these for less than fifty cents. I made this with the little metal buckets from the wedding aisle at Dollar Tree, and I imagine this being a fun addition to your kids’ lunch or maybe a fun surprise for when they wake up on St. Patrick’s Day.  It’d also be a fun scout or classroom craft (maybe you can substitute the candy out for something else – pretend coins for learning to add and subtract with money?) I also added a printable rainbow (8 rainbows to a sheet) to make it even easier for you to craft with your kids.

You probably don’t need much in the way of instructions, but here’s the cost estimate:

Project Materials:

• Wedding favor buckets, 3 for $1
• Craft felt and/or craft foam, on hand or $1
• Bamboo skewer, on hand or $1
• “Gold” candy, $1
• Craft glue (I used Aleene’s Quick Dry or hot glue will work), on hand
• Markers, on hand
• Scissors

Total: $2 and up for 3

To make:

Cut out a band of green felt or foam (or use ribbon) that will go all the way around the top of the bucket.

Cut out a square of yellow felt or foam. Fold in half, and cut two slits (not all the way to the edge of the square). Thread band through the square “buckle.”

Glue band and buckle to top of bucket.

To make rainbow, draw a rainbow or download my printable. Color, cut out and glue to a craft foam backing.

Tape rainbow to a shortened bamboo skewer, and stick into bucket.

Fill bucket with candy (or other filling – popcorn, play money, buttons) and add a gift tag if desired (or write name on rainbow).

A few other fun St. Patrick’s Day crafts for kids:

• Rainbow Cupcakes by Kami at Make & Takes
• Another Pot o’ Gold craft with a super-adorable pipecleaner rainbow by Marie at Make & Takes
• Easy Shamrock Garland at Craft Jr.
• Unique Shamrock Hanging at Scene of the Grime

p.s. Have you heard of My Parent Rewards? I just learned about it… it’s kind of like those big local coupon books you can buy, but it’s all online. It’s a program that offers coupons, discounts, 2-for-1 deals for restaurants and more. A membership is only $20 and right now you can try it out for free for 30 days. www.MyParentRewards.com/freetrial

In my area, I found discounts like

• Get a free session of bowling with one paid session
• Free minibon with purchase of a Cinnabon
• 25% off total bill at a local sandwich place
• Free ticket to a Portland Winterhawks game with one paid admission
• Free month of martial arts lessons with first paid month
• 25% off tax prep
• Up to 50% off hotel bookings
• Printable grocery coupons

Anyway, if you want to try it out (and help support Dollar Store Crafts): www.MyParentRewards.com/freetrial

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