Treat your skin with this DIY salt scrub recipe using African Black soap from the dollar store. Handmade bath and body scrubs are a great way to soothe your dry skin, and are quick and easy to make at home using items you have in your pantry. I took a quick trip to the dollar store to find ingredients for this Black Soap, Shea Butter and Coconut Sea Salt Scrub recipe, which is a great way to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize your skin all at once.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the links and make a purchase, I may receive a small percentage commission from the sale, at no additional cost to you. 

I got the Black Soap, Sea Salt, and the cute glass container for this project at the dollar store. You can find coconut oil at the grocery store.

What is Black Soap?

I found a bar of African Black Soap with Shea Butter at the dollar store, and according to the box, black soap is made from the nuts of the African Karite Tree. Traditionally, black soap has been used as an application for stretch marks, wrinkles, dry skin, and various other skin conditions, and shea butter has been used to penetrate, heal, and moisturize skin.

Why Exfoliate?

Exfoliation is the process of removing the dead outer skin cells from your body, which exposes the softer, healthier skin. A DIY salt scrub is an inexpensive way to give your body a spa treatment on a tiny budget. Sea Salt has beneficial minerals that are good for your skin.

DIY Salt Scrub Recipe (African Black Soap & Coconut):

• 2 cups sea salt, $1
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, approx $1.33 cost for recipe (Buy in bulk on Amazon: Organic Coconut Oil)
• 3+ tablespoons of grated Black Soap, $1 (or Buy on Amazon: African Black Soap)
• Bowl & Spoon, on hand
• Grater, on hand
• Container for storage, $1 or on hand

Total cost for recipe: $3.33 and up

Grate Soap:

Before we mix up this sea salt scrub, we need to prepare the black soap.

The hardest thing about this recipe is grating the soap, and that takes about 30 seconds!

Grate about 3 Tablespoons of Black Soap. 

Note: if you are making multiple batches of this recipe, you will be able to use a single bar of soap for about 4 recipes, which makes the total cost for soap in the recipe just $.25.

Mix it Up:

Next, we put all the ingredients into our mixing bowl.

Measure 2 cups of sea salt into a bowl, and add about 3 Tablespoons of grated black soap.

Add Oil:

Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil in the microwave using a microwave-safe glass measuring cup (such as a pyrex pouring measuring cup), then add it to the soap and salt mixture. Stir all ingredients until combined.

Store it:

Measure the DIY salt scrub mixture into your chosen storage container, such as a swing-top glass container, a small apothecary jar, or even a reusable plastic storage container or zip-top bag.

I used a glass storage jar with a metal lid that I found at the dollar store.

How do you use a salt scrub?

Use a handful of salt scrub while you are showering – rub it on your elbows, knees, feet, or on any place you have dry or flaky skin. The salt will slough off dead skin cells, and gradually dissolve in the water, becoming a body polish as it dissolves. The soap will help to cleanse your skin, while the coconut oil melts into your skin and provides moisturizing and softening properties.

Salt is fairly abrasive, so if you want a milder scrub, try using sugar or baking soda in place of the salt in this recipe.

Use the scrub about once a week.

More Body Scrub Recipes:

Spiced Apple Cider Sugar Scrub Recipe

Himalayan Sea Salt & Honey Scrub Recipe

5 Minute French Vanilla Cappuccino Sugar Scrub Recipe

5 Minute Coffee & Coconut Sea Salt Scrub Recipe

Coconut & Mint Foot Scrub Recipe

The post Sea Salt Scrub Recipe: Black Soap, Shea & Coconut Oil appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Welcome to day 4 of Homemade Costume week. This bumblebee Halloween costume looks great in person, and could not be simpler to make. A black shirt, yellow duct tape, some pipe cleaners, and a pair of dollar store wings. You can make this no-sew bee costume in about 15 minutes.

Project Estimate:

• Black hooded sweatshirt, on hand
• Yellow duct tape, $3
• 2 yellow chenille stems, on hand
• 2 yellow pom-poms, on hand
• 1/4″ elastic, $1
• Hot glue gun and hot glue stick
• Pair of bee wings from dollar store, $1

Total: $5

To make a no-sew bee costume:

I originally made this costume for Kaboose.com, a site that closed down several years ago, and unfortunately, there is no longer an internet archive of the instructions, and my version of the instructions are long-lost on my old defunct computer.

Basically, add yellow duct tape stripes to a hoodie, then hot glue pom-poms to a couple of chenille stems, then duct tape them to the inside of the hood. Curl the stems around a pencil.

Add a pair of yellow dollar store fairy wings to complete the look.

My Design Process:

I don’t know if you folks care about seeing my sketches or not, but it amuses me, so I’ll just keep posting them. My original sketch was slightly more complicated than the costume ended up — I originally envisioned a black hoodie with a yellow t-shirt over it, but when I started making the costume, I eliminated the yellow t-shirt and just went with yellow duct tape stripes. I also called for the costume to be stuffed with grocery bags (to make it more round) but I decided the stuffing was unnecessary when I put it on my model (my 4 year-old).

My craft planning process is this:

• sketch the project and label what each part is
• think through the actual process of making it and what supplies I will need
• write down the process as I imagine it (so I have “instructions” to follow)
• then take a step back and see if there is anything I can eliminate in terms of supplies or extra work
• collect my supplies (from my stash, or shop for them)
• do the project and change something (usually!)
• make sure to photograph most of the steps so I can remember how I made it

How do you plan for your craft projects? Do you have a sketchbook?

The post Make a No-Sew Bumblebee Costume appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Want to learn how to make your own sugar scrub, but you’re on a budget? Let me get you started with this super easy and cheap sugar scrub recipe! I found all the ingredients to make a cheap sugar scrub at the dollar store… of course! I used packets of spiced apple cider drink mix to make the ultimate yummy DIY sugar scrub inspired by my favorite season of the year.

But wait, how do YOU feel about FALL? What are your favorite fall traditions, and are they spiced cider flavored? Sure, everyone likes to drink warm, cozy drinks once the weather turns cool, but how many of us can say we SMELL like a yummy fall beverage? I’m raising my hand because I just made and tested out this delicious Spiced Apple Cider Sugar Scrub and I have to say, I smell DELICIOUS.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the links and make a purchase, I may receive a small percentage commission from the sale, at no additional cost to you. 

This sugar scrub smells like a sweet, spicy, and tart spiced apple cider, and my skin feels so smooth!

Instead of imagining the smell, why don’t you whip up a batch of homemade sugar scrub for yourself? It takes just about 10 minutes to put together, and I found almost all the ingredients for this recipe at the dollar store! Just head to the grocery store for coconut oil. Oh, and everything in this recipe is edible, so you can eat it if you want… just sayin’!

Dollar Store Cost Estimate:

• Cane sugar, $1 (Buy on Amazon: Organic Cane Sugar (3 lbs) by Anthony’s, Gluten-Free & Non-GMO)
• Spiced Apple Cider Mix, $1 (Buy on Amazon: Bulk: Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix )
• Cinnamon, on hand (Buy on Amazon: Saigon Cinnamon)
• Coconut Oil, on hand or $1.33 for this recipe (Most popular on Amazon: Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)
• Swing-top container, $1 (Buy on Amazon: 24-Count Swing Top Spice Jars Value Pack)

Total cost: $3 and up

Cheap sugar scrub recipe notes:

Oil: Depending on your source for coconut oil, this scrub recipe can cost a few bucks to make, including buying the packaging. If you buy a large jar of coconut oil (like this bulk coconut oil from Amazon), you will pay about $.33 an ounce, which means this cheap sugar scrub recipe uses $1.33 worth of coconut oil. If you want to save money and you don’t already have coconut oil in your kitchen, just substitute any oil you already have on hand — I recommend coconut oil because it is solid at room temperature but melts in your hand when you use it.

Packaging: Save money on packaging by skipping the glass jar and simply package it in a reusable container you already have (like a lidded plastic tub, for example). Either way, it’s a a frugal way to make a high-quality homemade bath scrub.

How to Make DIY Spiced Apple Cider Sugar Scrub:

Spiced Apple Cider Sugar Scrub Recipe:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 packets of powdered spiced apple cider mix
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• Bowl and spoon
• Microwavable pourable measuring cup (Buy on Amazon: Pyrex 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup)
• A jar to package the scrub in

Why Use a Sugar Scrub?

You mean, besides wanting to smell like a delicious fall drink? Well, the sugar gently scrubs and polishes away dead and dry skin and reveals the healthy skin underneath. The soap gently cleanses your skin, and the coconut oil moisturizes and protects your skin.

Once you try it, you will be hooked!

1. Measure the Dry Ingredients:

To start out, measure 2 cups of sugar into your mixing bowl.

I used Pure Cane Sugar that I found at the dollar store, which is slightly coarser than regular white granulated sugar. You can use any sugar you want, including brown sugar, turbinado (raw) sugar, or extra fine granulated sugar. Each sugar has its own texture, but each will work well in this recipe.

Add 2 packets of spiced apple cider mix (or more, to your desired scent).

Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

Mix all dry ingredients together with a spoon until they are well-mixed.

2. Melt Oil & Mix:

Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil in the microwave (about 1 minute, depending on your machine), then add the melted oil to the dry mixture.

Note: You can substitute any oil in this recipe, but I prefer coconut oil because it is solid at room temperature. When you use it in the shower, it simply melts onto your skin.

Mix dry ingredients and oil until they are completely incorporated.

3. Package the Scrub

Once the sugar scrub is completely mixed up, package it in your choice of container.

I chose a swing-top glass jar that I found at the dollar store, but you can use any container that works for you, from a plastic resealable container to a fancy decorative jar.

You Will Also Enjoy These Recipes:

Creating cheap sugar scrub recipes is my new obsession. Every time I use up a jar of my homemade scrub, I get to make a new batch, so I have experimented with many different scents and styles of scrub. Check these out, and make some of your own:

Himalayan Sea Salt & Honey Body Scrub Recipe

Black Soap, Shea & Coconut Sea Salt Scrub Recipe

Coconut & Mint Foot Scrub Recipe

5 Minute French Vanilla Cappuccino Sugar Scrub Recipe

DIY Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub Recipe

The post Make Spiced Apple Cider Sugar Scrub appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Why spend a fortune on bath and body products when it’s so easy to make them at home using items you have in your pantry? I found this fancy pink Himalayan sea salt at my local discount home store for just a few bucks, so I created this fantastic Himalayan Salt Scrub Recipe. Because Himalayan sea salt has such a pretty pink color (not to mention all those sea salt minerals), it makes a great base for a bath and body scrub. This refreshing Himalayan sea salt & honey body scrub is a great way to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize your skin all at once. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the links and make a purchase, I may receive a small percentage commission from the sale, at no additional cost to you. 

Himalayan Sea Salt & Honey Body Scrub Supplies Needed:

• 2 cups of fine grind Himalayan sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• Bowl & spoon
• Microwavable glass measuring cup
• A container for the finished scrub

I got the cute glass container for this project at the dollar store. You can find coconut oil at the grocery store, and the Himalayan sea salt online. I love this Himalayan Salt Scrub recipe because it softens your skin, exfoliates dead skin, and the honey is a humectant, which draws moisture to your skin.

What is Himalayan Sea Salt?

Himalayan sea salt is a salt that is mined from a region in Pakistan, and is known for its pink color (which it gets from the presence of iron oxide where it is mined). Himalayan sea salt is not processed as much as table salt, and for this reason, is often available in coarse crystal form. It contains as many as 84 additional trace minerals and in body scrub form, it is helpful for exfoliation, increasing circulation, and soothing tired muscles.

Did you know?

Himalayan sea salt is also available in other interesting forms:

• Himalayan salt slabs: These are used for cooking food, chilling food, and for a pretty presentation of food.
• Himalayan sea salt lamps: A large chunk of pink Himalayan sea salt that is hollowed inside to allow a light bulb to shine through the salt. These are pretty home decor accents, and some people believe they can help purify the air.
• Himalayan salt chunks: A large chunk of salt, which can be grated onto food as needed, using a fine grater.

1. Measure Ingredients

First, measure 2 cups of fine Himalayan sea salt into your mixing bowl.

2. Melt Oil

Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil in the microwave, using a pourable glass measuring cup. (It takes one minute in my microwave).

Add 1 Tablespoon of honey to the oil, and mix it together as well as you can.

Pour the oil-honey mixture into the salt you measured into the bowl.

3. Mix Ingredients Together

Mix all three ingredients together thoroughly.

4. Package Prepared Salt Scrub

Now all you have left to do is package it up! Put the prepared Himalayan salt scrub into a pretty container, like this pint mason jar I got at the dollar store.

More Body Scrub Recipes:

Spiced Apple Cider Sugar Scrub Recipe

Black Soap, Shea & Coconut Sea Salt Scrub Recipe

5 Minute French Vanilla Cappuccino Sugar Scrub Recipe

5 Minute Coffee & Coconut Sea Salt Scrub Recipe

Coconut & Mint Foot Scrub Recipe

The post Himalayan Sea Salt & Honey Body Scrub Recipe appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Peeps are a traditional Easter candy in my family — we must have them every year, or it isn’t really Easter. I am always excited to see them at my local dollar store when I start shopping for Easter basket supplies and goodies. This year I picked up a few boxes of Peeps so we could get creative with them — I put the boxes on our table and we started brainstorming what fun things we could make with them! Our top project: a Peeps Terrarium Easter Dessert.

I have seen so many other Peeps crafts, like these Peep Brothers tell us:

I’m excited that they didn’t mention our project in their list — maybe we came up with a new way to use Peeps!

Peeps Terrarium Easter Dessert Recipe

Project Materials:

• Peeps Bunnies, $1
• Clear plastic tumblers, $1
• Pudding cups, $1
• Chocolate sandwich cookies, $1
• Flaked coconut, $1
• Green food coloring, on hand or $1
• Assorted Easter candies (eggs, carrot), $1 each

Total: $7 for 8 terrariums

Save money by using things you already have on hand, like pudding, coconut, food coloring. You can bring the cost down to about 50 cents per serving if you use what you already have on hand.

How to make Peeps Terrariums:

1. Spoon half of a pudding cup (or about 1/4 cup) of chocolate pudding into a clear plastic tumbler.

2. Crumble up chocolate sandwich cookies until they resemble dirt. Spoon on top of chocolate pudding to resemble dirt.

3. Tint flaked coconut with a few drops of green food coloring. Stir until all the coconut is colored. Spread on top of cookie crumb layer.

4. Insert a Peeps bunny, a carrot candy, and a few easter egg candies to embellish your terrarium.

Alternately, create your desserts inside mason jars:

We made mason jar Peeps terrariums too, and they were super cute. If you are transporting these desserts to a party, the jar is a great way to go because you can seal it up and keep it fresh and safe while you travel. Plus, you can reuse the jar after you’re done with dessert! This will add about $1 to each serving.

To find out more about your Peepsonality, visit Peeps online, or become a fan of Peeps on Facebook!

*This post was sponsored by Peeps, but project and opinions are my own!*

The post Tutorial: Peeps Terrarium Easter Dessert appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Do you want to impress someone with a wonderful handmade gift, but you’re on a budget? Here’s the perfect solution: make a candy bouquet! Use dollar store candy and supplies to make an inexpensive, yet very impressive bouquet, made up of your gift recipient’s favorite sweet treats. 

Anyone can make a candy bouquet! It is a simple and clever craft, and looks so impressive once it’s done.

Project estimate:

• Floral foam, $1
• Glass container, on hand or $1
• Assorted candy, $1.00 and up
• Bamboo skewers, on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand
• Basket filler, $1

Totals: $3 and up

How to Make a Candy Bouquet Video Tutorial:

Read on for written instructions for how to make a candy bouquet:

1. Cut the floral foam to fit the inside of the container.  Floral foam is very easy to cut. You can simply use a knife to slice to cut to the right size.

2. After the foam is on place put basket filler on top.  You may chose to glue it in place.

3. This is the fun part!  Using the glue gun place a small amount of glue on the candy and place the skewer flat on the glue.

Cut skewers with utility scissors to make them different lengths — this makes a more pleasing bouquet!

4. Once it has cooled, arrange the candy skewers in the container.  Continue placing the candy in the container until you have the desired look. Trim skewers if necessary to give the bouquet a range of “flower” heights!

The wonderful thing about candy bouquets is they can be given to anyone.  They can be a birthday present, boss gift, husband gift, graduation gift (slip some gift cards in  between the candy), Mother’s Day (place flowers randomly around the candy), a treat for someone in the hospital, etc.  You name it!  Another great gift for someone with a flower allergy!  Wedding center piece?? You decide!

What do you think? Could you make a candy bouquet? (We think so! They are so easy and fun!)

Did you enjoy this? Try to Make a Candy Wreath next!

Pin It: How to Make a Candy Bouquet

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The dollar store is one of my favorite places to pick up inexpensive seasonal crafting items.  A perennial favorite across all seasons is their glitter table scatter. Over on Creative Green Living, I show you how to take some wired burlap ribbon and combine it with Valentine table scatter to make a cute bunting perfect for a mantle, door, or mirror.  [how to make an easy burlap and glitter valentine heart banner]

Project estimate:

• burlap ribbon, $1
• Glitter heart table scatter, $1 and up
• Scissors, on hand
• Jute twine, on hand or $1 and up
• Hot glue gun & glue, on hand

Total: $3 and up

The post Make a Dollar Store Valentine Bunting appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I decided I wanted a Valentine’s Day wreath this year.  I’ve never been a big wreath person, but Pinterest can change a girl.  I wasn’t sure exactly how my wreath would look, I just knew I wanted it to be big, bold, and red.

I headed to Dollar Tree and just started picking up red Valentine items that “spoke” to me.  I liked the sparkly garland, and the heart picks were too cute to pass up.  I had a ton of red ribbon left over from Christmas, and some wood heart frames I had purchased at Michael’s.  I looked at my collection for several days, still not sure what to do with it.  So I just started playing with my supplies, and I wound up with a wreath that I absolutely LOVE.  Here’s how I ended up making it.

Project estimate:

• Wreath form, $1
• Wire edged ribbon, on hand or $1 and up
• Valentine garland, $1
• Heart Picks, $1
• Wood heart frame, $1
• Puffy hearts, $1 for 6
• Stickers, on hand

Total:  $5 and up

Step one:  Wrap the wreath form with ribbon (optional, but I can’t stand floral foam shedding!)  Paint the heart shaped frame.

Step two:  Cut the wire garland into 24 inch pieces.  Wrap one end of wire around the wreath form, and coil the rest into a loose spiral.  Repeat.

Step three:  Cut the wire edged ribbon into 32 inch strips.  Attach it to the wreath form by doubling the ribbon, and pulling the ribbon ends through the loop.  Repeat.

Step four:  Slide the ends of the heart picks into the base of the ribbon loops.

Step five:  Glue the wood heart to the front, and attach the puffy heart with a ribbon.  Add a cupid sticker (optional).

Step six:  Curl the ends of the wired ribbon in different directions.

Isn’t this a fun wreath?  If you don’t care for my red/gold combo, you could easily make it white/pink or any other colors that say “Valentine’s Day” to you.  Have fun crafting and creating!

The post Tutorial: Valentine’s Day Dollar Store Wreath appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Looking for a lovely last-minute gift to make, or a way to perk up your kitchen for the new year? This free printable folk-inspired 2018 tea towel calendar is the perfect project for you! You just need a few simple supplies to create a gorgeous Scandinavian folk art-inspired tea towel calendar, and you get to choose from THREE different colorways so you can get just the look you want for your kitchen. And don’t forget to download the coordinating printable card to give along with the calendar.

• This is a long post, so if desired, jump to the Calendar Download here.

Download the coordinating printable card!

About the Collaboration:

In 2010, I teamed up with talented designer Cathe Holden of Inspired Barn to create a printable tea towel calendar. She designed the printables, and I made the calendar and wrote the instructions, and then we provided the free printables to you! This year, we have a new design available — our all-new 2018 printable tea towel calendar, as well a sweet card, that you can download (click the image above), print, and make for a special handmade touch.

Now, on to the project!

Supplies for the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar:

This project is simple, but you definitely need a few supplies that will make it WAY easier. Don’t skimp on these supplies, as it will save you some headaches.

Supplies Needed:

• Free Printable: 2018 Tea Towel Calendar
• A flour sack towel
• 2 Iron-on transfer sheets (buy them in a pack)
• Freezer paper
• Parchment paper
• Inkjet printer
• Iron and Ironing board
• Large wooden cutting board
• Sewing machine & thread
• Scissors, pins

Notes about the Materials:

Dollar store materials: I got the flour sack towel and parchment paper at the dollar store. I have seen iron on transfers there before, but I have never used the ones they sell, and I don’t see them there consistently. If you are using the dark fabric iron-on transfers, DO NOT SKIP THE PARCHMENT PAPER!

Tea towels: I got flour sack towels from the dollar store, but I also wanted to try something less plain, so I picked up a pack of four colored and patterned flour sack towels from Target for about $5 total. (The grey polka-dot towel used in the photo above is from the pack from Target).

Iron-On transfer sheets: I just bought a pack at my local craft store that had both transparent sheets and the type you use for dark fabric, because I wanted to experiment with both kinds. Honestly, I would not recommend the kind I used (you can see the brand in the photo), as I had many craftfails while making this project! If you are using a patterned tea towel, use the dark fabric type of iron-ons, but if you are using a white tea towel, use the transparent kind.

Freezer paper: This paper is waxed on one side, and paper on the other side, which means you can iron it onto your fabric and then easily remove it later. The freezer paper is a DO NOT SKIP supply because it stabilizes the flour sack towels while you apply the iron-ons, which is essential because of the loose weave of the towels. You can find freezer paper in the food wrap section of your local grocery store, or online (affiliate link to Amazon for your convenience): buy freezer paper.

Freezer paper is cheaper if you buy it in a store, but one roll will last you forever, and you can use it for many cool craft techniques like making iron-ons for perfect fabric stencils, or for paper piecing in quilting.

Download the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar:

Phew, that was long. Let’s dive into the project!

Step 1: Download the Calendar Top & Bottom

Choose your favorite color combination, and download the files you will need for your calendar. Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the printable tea towel calendar files you want.

Note: If you are using transparent (light fabric) iron-ons, you will need the REVERSED bottom calendar image. If you are using opaque (dark fabric) iron-ons, you will need the normal, readable one!

Red & Blue 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Red & Blue Calendar Top
• Download Red & Blue Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Red & Blue Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Blue 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Blue Calendar Top
• Download Blue Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Blue Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Green 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Green Calendar Top
• Download Green Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Green Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Step 2: Print the Calendar Printables on Iron-on Transfer Paper

I don’t have a recommendation for a specific variety of iron on paper at this time (because I didn’t like the type I used). Do be aware: if you are using a dark or patterned tea towel, you will need to use the dark fabric type of iron-ons.

If you are using the transparent kind of iron-ons, you will need the REVERSE image file for the calendar.

How to Make the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar

Step 3: Cut & Sew the Tea Towel

1. Iron your tea towel before you start.
2. Flour sack towels are usually large and square, so cut it in half.
3. Fold the cut end over and iron it flat. This is where you will hem it to make it match the other side! Pin the hem (don’t skip this step, because this floppy fabric is hard to sew if you don’t pin it).
   

Sew the side hem.

Step 4: Freezer Paper — The Secret Weapon

Iron a piece of of freezer paper to the back of the tea towel. Place the waxed side DOWN onto the fabric, and iron over the paper side. It will stick to the tea towel and stabilize it, making it WAY easier to successfully apply the iron on transfer to the other side. When you’re all done with the process, you can easily remove the freezer paper by peeling it away. (Do that at the end of the project!)

Step 5: On to the Calendar!

Your iron-on transfer paper will come with instructions for printing and application, so follow them. I will give some general guidelines for success here:

1. Use a hard, heat-proof surface to iron on, if you can. I pulled the built-in wooden cutting board from my kitchen counters.
2. If you are using opaque (dark fabric) iron-ons, use a piece of parchment paper to iron over the top of your iron-on. My iron-ons included a piece of parchment paper that was the same size as the iron-on sheet, and since it was impossible to keep the same-size parchment paper covering the transfer while I moved the iron, it ruined my transfer.
3. Iron the top and the bottom pieces very close together. Once you’ve ironed the first one, protect it with a piece of parchment paper while you iron the second one.

Remove the freezer paper from the back by simply peeling it off!

Pin this Project!

If you enjoyed this project, I would appreciate any shares you can spare! Thank you for reading, and please let me know if you have any feedback on this project, or tips you discovered while making it!

Don’t forget to download the matching free printable card!

The post Free Printable: 2018 Tea Towel Calendar appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Make cute-yet-creepy Halloween terrariums using recycled jars and Halloween decorations from the dollar store. This would be cute for your Halloween decor, a Halloween party (you could surround the terrariums with appetizers instead of moss), or as a fun kid activity. Find instructions over at Today’s Creative Blog: [Mason Jar Spooky Terrariums]

Project Estimate:

• Recycled jars, on hand
• Halloween decorations, $1 each
• Spanish moss, $1

Total cost: $2 and up

The post Make Halloween Terrarium Decor appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.