I was tickled to find these adorable ice cream dishes at Dollar Tree. The shape reminded me of these cute bowls I had seen on Etsy.  Since the seller no longer offers them, I had been looking for a way to make my own.  I think I succeeded!  Here’s how you can paint your own retro inspired ice cream bowl.

Project estimate:

• Ice cream dish, $1
• Chalky Finish Glass Paint in Everlasting, $1.77
• Craft paint, on hand
• Washi tape, on hand
• White gloss glass paint (optional),  $1.77

Total:  $2.77 and up

Step one:  Paint the outside of the dish with the Chalky Finish Paint.  I did three light applications (letting each application dry before starting the next one) to achieve an even finish.  Use a wide, soft bristled brush for best results.

Step two:  Use a pencil to lightly draw squiggly lines for the edge.

Step three:  Mix a small amount of colored paint with some of the white Chalky Finish paint to create the other colors.  If you prefer, you can also purchase Chalky Finish paint in other colors.  I was trying to stretch my one bottle as far as possible!

Step four:  Use washi tape to make sections on the dish, as pictured.  Paint, then repeat.  The paint dries very quickly, so after you’ve finished one color, you can tape again and repeat with the second color.

Optional:  I wanted the lip to look like whipped cream, so I used a glossy glass paint to fill in the edge.  You can omit this step if you want to leave it a flat white.

Allow the paint to dry for 4 days, then you bake it according to the instructions on the bottle.  To be on the safe side, I hand wash my glass painted items and don’t put them in the dish washer.  They are usually fine, but sometimes over time, the heat from the drying cycle causes some of the finish to come off.

This would be a really fun activity for an ice cream social or ice cream themed birthday party.  Since the glass paint dries quickly, guests can paint their bowls, mingle while they allow the paint to dry, then fill them with yummy ice cream!  Have fun painting and creating!

The post Tutorial: Paint a Retro-Inspired Ice Cream Bowl appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Create simple, designer-looking custom plates with dollar store supplies and some goodies by Martha Stewart. I’ve been experimenting with glass painting on dollar store glassware, and I love how these doily plates turned out! These look like designer dishes — your family and friends will not believe you made them yourself.

Dollar stores (especially Dollar Tree) have a great selection of glassware. I used these basic clear glass dinner plates and silk screened a doily image on each one, using Martha Stewart glass paint and silk screens.

A note about the supplies: Up front, let me say that the Martha Stewart glass paints and silk screens are premium supplies, NOT dollar store supplies, but you should note that  these high quality supplies make humble dollar store goodies look very high end. By making a set of these designer dishes, you will save a lot of money (instead of buying a comparable product at a store like Anthropologie). To me, this is the essence of dollar store crafting — making something amazing out of dollar store stuff.

And don’t forget, the silkscreens and paints will allow you to make hundreds of glasses or other projects, so the investment will pay off as you make more projects. These doily dishes are perfect for handmade gifts or for dressing up your own table! You can make a set for nearly everyone on your gift list. If doilies aren’t your style, there are many other silk screen styles to choose from.

Remember, you can use the doily stencils on any glass surface! Make stenciled tumblers, vases, candle holders, and more.

Project Materials:

• 4 dishes, $1 each
• Martha Stewart Glass Silk Screens, Doily Lace, retail price $12.99
• Martha Stewart Glass Paint in Wedding Cake, $3.49 retail
• Martha Stewart Squeegie Set, $12.99 retail

Total cost: $33.47 to get started

You need about $30 in Martha Stewart glass supplies to get started, but you will be able to make tons of projects using these. If you want to make a gift (set of 4 dishes) for five friends, the cost per dish will be less than $2.50 a plate.

Save Money On This Project: Use your 40% off coupon at your local craft store when buying the stencils or tools, and look for sales. This will reduce the supply cost dramatically. You can also skip the squeegies, although they make it really easy to do this project, and I don’t know how frustrating it might be to use the wrong tool for this job.

Okay, enough about the facts – let’s see how to make them!

How to Make Silk Screened Doily Dishes:

1. Clean your glass surface with soap and water. Thoroughly dry, and then wipe down with rubbing alcohol.

2. Apply silk screen. It is designed to cling to the glass, which helps keep it in place as you apply paint.

3. Apply a small line of paint across one side of the silkscreen.

4. Pull the squeegie slowly and firmly across the silk screen in one smooth motion.

5. If any area of the silk screen is not covered with paint, pull paint gently over that area.

6. Immediately pull the silk screen up from the plate, starting at one corner and pulling up and away from the glass.

7. Rinse the silk screen out immediately, and dry by blotting with an absorbent towel.

8. Repeat for other glasses.

9. Allow paint to dry for a couple hours, then follow instructions on paint bottle for curing.

Thanks to Paint Me Plaid for these glass silkscreening images!

These doily dishes would also make great wedding favors, or would look great as place settings at a wedding.!

Disclosure: I received the Martha Stewart Glass Paints from Martha Stewart in conjunction with 12 Months of Martha. No payment was received.

The post Tutorial: Stencil a Glass Plate appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Have you ever lost a pin, and then later found it…  with your foot?  I had that happen once, and I am pretty sure everyone in the neighborhood heard my scream of agony.  Avoid that terrible situation with this clever idea from Maggie at Smashed Peas and Carrots!  She found some adorable little owl dishes that she turned into magnetic pin holders.  Aren’t they just too sweet?  You can do this project with just about any pretty little dish you happen to come across.  (It’s a great reason to buy some of those cute odds and ends on the housewares rack at the thrift shop!)  [how to make a magnetic pin dish]

Project estimate:

• Small dish, on hand or $1 and up
• Magnets, $1 and up
• Glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

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I realize that many of you are snowed in right now, but I’m ready for spring!  Flowers, birds, and butterflies in pastel colors are hitting the shelves.  This is when Dollar Tree seems to get a lot of adorable bird figurines in stock, and I like to buy a LOT of them to craft with.  For today’s project, I’m using a Dollar Tree bird and platter to make a jewelry dish that looks like it cost more than $2 to make!

Project estimate:

• Bird figurine, $1
• Platter, $1
• Glue, on hand
• Paint, on hand
• Glaze, on hand or $2

Total:  $2 and up

To make your own jewelry dish:

Step one:  Glue the bird onto the platter.  (I purchased both items at Dollar Tree).

Step two:  Prime and paint the platter.  I used Krylon’s Ivory spray paint.

Step three:  Brush the glaze onto the bird, then wipe off the excess with a towel.  Repeat until the entire project is covered.  If you make a mistake, wet a clean brush and wipe off the excess glaze.  (I used DecoArt’s Renaissance Brown Metallic Glaze.)

If this dish is going to get heavy use, you may want to seal it with a finishing spray.  I think it would make a cute bird feeder, too, if you added a pedestal.  You could even make your jewelry dish in other colors to match your decor.  There are so many possibilities with this project!  What will your jewelry dish look like?

The post Tutorial: Bird Jewelry Dish appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

How cute are these dainty stands, made to hold just one cupcake each? I love this idea, by reader Jackie at Made by the Mama Monster! Wouldn’t it be fun for a tea party or baby shower? Of course, the concept of gluing one glass thing to another is very versatile, and can be used for many different applications. The dollar store actually has a decent selection of dishes, glasses, and other things that are perfect for this kind of project. If you’re not into displaying individual cupcakes, try this idea to add height to your holiday table, or for a side table of goodies. [link to project instructions]

Project Estimate:

• Glass candle dish, $1
• Glass candle stick, $1
• Glue (E6000 or Gorilla Glue), on hand (you can also use hot glue for a non-permanent display)

Total: $2

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