Dollhouses are great fun, but a traditional dollhouse can be expensive and take up a lot of room.  Short of cash and storage space?  Make a collapsible dollhouse out of foam core board!  We’ve seen similar ideas before, but in this twist from Jessica at Mad In Crafts, you can write on the walls of this dollhouse with chalk!  That means you can redecorate as often as you like, and that you don’t need to amass a whole house full of tiny furniture in the process.  The project uses foam core board that comes with a chalkboard surface; if you can’t find the chalk foam board, you can also coat regular foam board with chalkboard paint.  [how to make a chalk foam board doll house]

Project estimate:

• Chalk foam board (or foam core board and chalkboard paint), on hand or $1 and up
• Chalk or chalk markers, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  Free and up!

The post Make Chalk Foam Board Dollhouse appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Need to make lots of cute Valentine treat bags? Then you are probably also looking for an idea that is quick and easy – and this project fits the bill! This basic idea is easy to adapt to use whatever stickers, embellishments, and treats you happen to have on hand. You can even use different size bags, so you can wrap up all kinds of fun gifts in this manner! This is especially quick and easy if you create them assembly-line-style.

Project estimate:

• Brown paper bags, on hand or $1
• Chalkboard stickers, $1
• Stencil and paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Raffia ribbon, $1
• Candy or other treats, $1 and up

Total:  $3 and up

Start by stenciling a Valentine’s Day related sentiment onto the chalkboard heart stickers.  I chose an “XO” stencil, but you can use anything that suits your fancy!  Use white chalky finish paint that dries ultra matte for a chalk-like effect.

When the paint is dry, apply the sticker to a paper bag.  Place the sticker low on the bag to allow plenty of space to fold over the top of the bag.

Fill the bag with treats.  I used lip-shaped chocolate candies to go with the “XO” theme.

Fold over the top of the bag to close, and punch two holes at the top, punching through both layers of the folded bag.

Cut a piece of raffia ribbon and thread it through the holes and tie with a square knot.  Trim the ends of the raffia if needed, then unfold the ends to give the raffia more volume.

The post Tutorial: Easy Faux Chalk Valentine Treat Bags appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

There are lots of great ways to keep your feet warm inside: Socks, warm puppies, blankets, snuggies. If you need something more portable than a warm puppy and socks just aren’t cutting it, take the lead from Kat of We Can Re-Do It. She turned an old sweater into a pair of snuggly warm slippers and took lots of pictures so that you can, too! [how to make upcycled sweater slippers]

Project estimate:

• Sweater, on hand
• File folder, on hand or $1 and up
• Pencil, on hand
• Chalk, on hand
• Scissors, on hand
• Double sided tape, on hand or $1 and up
• Needle & thread, on hand
• Sewing machine, on hand

Total: Free and up

The post Make Upcycled Sweater Slippers appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

My local dollar store sells SO many fun socks. Most of these socks, however, are designed for kids or pre-teens and not full grown feet. Luckily, Johnnie from Saved by Love Creations has a great tutorial for how to turn socks into adorable fingerless gloves. If  you use socks you have on hand (maybe the leftover socks whose partners were eaten by the dryer monster?) you can do this craft for free! [how to make fingerless gloves out of socks]

Project estimate:

• Socks, on hand or $1 and up
• Sewing machine, on hand
• Scissors, on hand
• Chalk, on hand or $1 and up

Total: Free and up!

The post Make Fingerless Gloves from Socks appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We always, no matter how crazy our day is, sit around the table for dinner.  This can be a bit difficult with young children.  Someone is always done before everyone else or dinner is taking a little longer than expected.  I came up with a way to make those wait times a little easier on my kiddos.  Using Dollar Store placemats I created chalk boards to keep my children occupied at the table.

Project estimate:

• Vinyl/plastic placemat, $1
• Chalk board paint, on hand or about $5 and up
• Foam paint brush, on hand
• Chalk, on hand

Total: $1.00 and up

This will be one of the easiest crafts you’ll ever make.  All you need to do is paint the placemat with chalk board paint.  It will take at least 2 coats.  For the best results, paint the first coat with brush strokes going on one direction (left-right or top-bottom), then apply the second coat with strokes in the opposite direction.  Let the paint dry fully.  After it is dry chalk over the entire area and wipe clean with dry cloth.  This will allow for the mat to be wiped off easily after you children draw on it.

I made a placemat above for the table.  It’s my sons birthday today and its a fun way to wish him a happy birthday.  May daughter thought it would be fun to make a sign for her horse Indie’s stall.  One of the ladies at our stables said it would make a wonderful mouse pad.  It’s very versatile and you can do many things with this fun, easy craft!

The post Tutorial: Chalkboard Placemat appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Have you seen the line of Betty Crocker kitchen tools that Dollar Tree carries?  Every time I walk past my local store’s end cap display, the red and white colors catch my eye and pull me in.  I’ve bought a few of the items to use in my kitchen at home, but I knew that there had to be alternative, craftier uses for some of the items.  Before I even knew what I was going to do with it, I grabbed a small cutting board to play with.  After some serious brainstorming and evaluation of my on-hand supplies, I was struck with a great idea.  Why not turn it into a message center for in the kitchen?

Project estimate:

• Cutting board, $1
• Sandpaper, on hand or $1
• Magnetic paint (optional), about $15 and up
• Chalkboard paint, on hand or about $3 and up
• Sharpie, on hand or $1

Total:  $1 and up

Start with a plain cutting board.  There are quite a few things I like about the ones from Dollar Tree, including the bright color, the slight lip around the edge, and the hole in the handle that makes it easy to hang on the wall.  I worked on the back side of the cutting board so that the white logo on the board will face the wall.

Lightly sand the surface of the cutting board to make the paint stick better.  Be careful to only sand within the boundaries formed by the lip around the edge.

If you want your finished message board to also be magnetic, paint it with several layers of magnetic paint.  This was my first time using magnetic paint; it was a little bit thick and the finish came out slightly lumpy, but I have also seen magnetic paint in spray cans which would eliminate this problem.  Make sure you build up several coats of paint so that magnets will stick firmly to the surface.  If you are using brush-on paint, you can carefully follow the edges of the lip around the edge, eliminating the need for masking!

Paint over the area inside of the lip with a couple coats of chalkboard paint to give it a write-and-wipe surface.  When the paint is dry, be sure to rub it lightly with chalk and wipe off to condition the surface for writing.

To add some easy detail, use a Sharpie to add a dotted border all the way around the edges of the writing surface.

I decided to call my message board done at this point, but if you’re feeling too crafty to quit, there are a ton of things you could add to this project!  You could use bent forks to add a chalk holder at the bottom of the board, glue a strip of cork along an edge to add a bulletin board element, or keep decorating it with more embellishments.  Go ahead and make this project YOURS!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by DollarTree.com. All opinions are 100% my own.

The post Make a Cutting Board Message Board appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

In a moment of crafty curiosity, Amy from Mod Podge Rocks! wondered if you could paint a doily with chalkboard paint.  It turns out, you can!  Mounted in a picture frame, it makes an attractive and unique memo board.  Hang it wherever you might need a little reminder, or use it to insert a favorite sentiment or special message into your decor.  Since most picture frames come equipped with hardware for hanging on the wall as well as an easel for placing on a desk or other surface, you can display it just about anywhere!  [how to make a chalkboard doily message board]

Project estimate:

• Paper doily, on hand or $1
• Chalkboard paint, on hand or about $3 and up
• Fabric, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Picture frame, $1 and up

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make a Chalkboard Doily Message Board appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Okay, is this brilliant or what?  It’s a pendant necklace that features a tiny chalkboard!  Cat from brideblu used chalkboard spray paint to turn a blank, beveled pendant into a completely customizable piece.  The spray-on chalkboard paint is usually a little cheaper than the brush-on kind, and it dries quicker.  Alternatively, of you want to put a permanent message on your pendant, you could use flat black spray paint instead of  chalkboard paint, then use white acrylic paint to paint your design.  Wouldn’t it be a perfect back-to-school gift for your favorite teacher?  [how to make a chalkboard pendant necklace]

Project estimate:

• Pendant blank, on hand or $1 and up
• Chalkboard paint, about $4 and up
• Chain, on hand or $1 and up
• Ribbon, on hand or $1
• Masking tape, on hand
• Newspaper, on hand

Total:  about $4 and up

The post Make a Chalkboard Pendant Necklace appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Sidewalk chalk is one of those things I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow.  Back in April, secret stashbuster Cyn showed us how to make your own sidewalk chalk.  Now our cohort Beckie over at Infarrantly Creative has a different take on DIY chalk: liquid chalk in a spray bottle!  It’s super fun, with the added bonus of no messy hands to clean up afterward.   Mix up a batch of colors and go get all Jackson Pollock  on your sidewalks!  [how to make spray chalk]

Project estimate:

• Tempra paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Water, on hand
• Cornstarch, on hand
• Liquid dish soap, on hand
• Squirt bottle, $1

Total: $1 and up

The post Make Chalk Spray appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Chalkboard paint is incredible stuff with thousands of potential applications.  However, it doesn’t exactly fall into the category of “budget craft supplies”; an 8 ounce container can cost upwards of $10.  Additionally, chalkboard paint takes a long time to dry.  What can you do if you don’t have three days to wait before you can write on the surface?  Clara from Bloomzine came up with an ingenious solution.  She used textured paper in a frame to simulate the look of a chalkboard at a fraction of the cost and time!  [how to make a faux chalkboard]

Clara’s original paper chalkboard was used as a decoration at her brother’s wedding reception.  A “congratulations” faux chalkboard sign would also make a perfect addition to the buffet table at a graduation party.  Or use them to make personalized signs to hang on your childrens’ bedroom doors, in your entryway, or anywhere else you want to add a personal touch to your decor.

Project estimate:

• Black or dark green textured paper, on hand or about $0.20
• Chalk, on hand or $1
• Wooden picture frame, $1

Total: $1 and up

The post Make a Faux Chalkboard appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.