Over at Craft Jr., my friend Wendy is doing a series of 12 days of Gift Crafts Kids can Make, and the project for Day 6 is fantastic! She made a faux mercury glass cake stand using dollar store supplies and one secret ingredient from the craft store. I love the concept behind her series: crafts that are easy and fun enough for kids to make but are gifts that adults would actually want to receive. [how to make a gilded cake stand]

The price of this project varies depending on the metal leaf you buy, but a package of metal leaf should make several of these stands. I found Metal Leaf Flake online at Mister Art for $5.13: Mona Lisa Metal Flakes gold. Surprisingly, the gold leaf was cheaper than the copper by a few cents, and the silver leaf was a few dollars more. You’ll also need metal leaf adhesive to stick the metal leaf on. If you don’t have the budget for metal leaf, try some metallic spray paint instead.

Project Estimate:

• Plate, $1
• Candle stick, $1
• E-6000 glue, on hand
• Flake Metal Leaf, $5.13 and up
• Metal leaf adhesive, $2.39 (also at Mister Art: metal leaf adhesive)
• Outdoor Mod Podge, on hand

Total: Less than $10 for one, price goes down significantly per piece if you make more than one

Try this technique with some of our other projects, too, like the Apothecary Jar or use this technique to make pretty silvery votive holders.

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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

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This week, Rhonda joined the Dollar Store Crafts team, and she has been doing a fantastic job! She’s a lifelong resident of West Michigan.  She participated in her first craft show at the age of 10, selling jewelry made from found objects.  She lives with her soon-to-be-husband, Adam, and two cats, Merlin and Abracadabra. Top 3 supplies: Mod Podge, duct tape, and grommets. Read more from Rhonda.

She’ll be bringing you several articles a week, and even some videos. She has already posted her first video tutorial on the Dollar Store Crafts Youtube channel! In the video, she shows you how to make a pretty candle centerpiece, perfect for your wedding, party, or any other special occasion.

Project Estimate:

• Vase, $1
• River rocks or other filler, $1
• Candle, $1
• Pedestal, $1
• Ribbon, on hand or $1
• Square mirror tile, $1 (optional)

Total: $4 and up
To Make:

1. Remove labels from bottom of candle

2. Set candle inside vase.

3. Choose river rocks or glass pebbles that fit with your look. Place the pebbles gently around the candle.

4. Further embellish vase with a bow if desired.

5. Set vase on pedestal. For additional reflectivity, set entire vase on a mirror tile.

You can adapt this project to work with wine goblets, too. Check out Rhonda’s instructions for these: Wine Glass Candle Holder Centerpiece.

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