If you enjoyed my recent faux cake slices, you’ll also love these decorative cupcakes!  It’s easy to make these in batches, so they would make great place card holders or party favors.

Project estimate:

• 3″ Styrofoam balls, $1
• Paper baking cups, on hand or $1
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• White silicone caulk, about $2 and up
• Cake decorating kit, $1 and up
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: about $4 and up

If you look closely at the styrofoam ball, it will have a slight line around the middle. Use this line to establish where to frost your cupcake and where to cut the bottom so it will set evenly in the baking cup.

I recommend painting the cake part chocolate so that it isn’t so noticeable. The colour I used for the chocolate is Burnt Umber. You will need two coats.

After the paint is dry and the bottom is cut off, it is time to frost your cupcake. I won’t presume to tell you what technique to use, but I will give you some tips.

• I bought a dollar store cake decorating kit. I didn’t want to run the risk of damaging my good kit.
• To add sprinkles, coconut or whatever, apply a thick coat of white glue on the top with a paint brush. If you are adding larger item(s) use hot glue.
• If you buy foil lined baking cups you can paint them to keep from buying a bunch of different cups.
• The thicker your frosting the longer it will take to dry. Be patient, I waited two days on mine.
• Usually two coats of paint is enough but be sure to get down in the creases if you use a decorating tip.
• For the frosting I added white to the burnt umber for milk chocolate.

The post Tutorial: Faux Cupcakes appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Have you noticed the Barbie-like doll busts that Dollar Tree has been selling?  They are just a head and shoulders, lacking the rest of the body.  I’ve looked at them several times thinking that there had to be some sort of creative use for them.  And here it is!  Craftster user kcli gave a few of these bodiless beauties a bit of brain surgery, turning their empty noggins into whimsical pin cushions!  Are they cute or creepy, or maybe a little of both?  Either way, one things is for sure:  they’re definitely different!  [how to make a barbie head pin cushion]

Project estimate:

• Fashion doll bust, $1
• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Scrap yarn, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

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Holidays with candy-related traditions are some of my favorites. It’s no surprise, then, that some of my favorite crafts for those holidays also include candy! This candy topiary by Laura at About A Mom was kmade using sour cherry candies from the dollar store. Try using a variety of other red candies to get different looks as well! [how to make a Valentine’s Day candy topiary]

Project estimate:

• Sour cherry candies or other red candy, $1 and up
• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Foam block, on hand or $1
• Flower pot, $1 and up
• Wooden skewer, on hand or $1
• Ribbon, on hand
• Shredded paper, free or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: $3 and up

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There are lots of things you can do with picture frames besides photos, but here is one you probably haven’t thought about. When Andrea from The Simple Craft Diaries came across some beautiful little round frames in clearance at Michaels for a quarter each (SCORE!), she was inspired to turn them into fun, funky pin cushions! A little spray paint and a selection of different fabrics allowed her to create a variety of looks, showing just how versatile this project can be.  They are super easy to make, and they have a distinctive look that will make them the envy of all your sewing friends.  [how to make picture frame pin cushions]

Project estimate:

• Picture frame, $1 and up
• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Fabric, on hand
• Paint (optional), on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

The post Make Picture Frame Pin Cushions appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I love fresh cut flowers, but if I keep them in the house I have to eat a handful of Benadryl in order to cope.  But you know what I’m not allergic to?  Cupcakes!  Stephanie from 52 Kitchen Adventures arranged an assortment of them into this fun bouquet that would look phenomenal on any buffet table or dessert spread.  By using different colored flower pots, frosting, and even cupcake liners, you can customize this project to work for anything from a baby shower to the office Christmas party.  [how to make a cupcake bouquet]

Project estimate:

• Flower pot, on hand or$1
• Foam ball, $1 and up
• Toothpicks, on hand or $1
• Tissue paper, on hand or $1
• Tape, on hand
• Cupcakes, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make a Cupcake Bouquet appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I love bringing natural elements into projects.  They’re timelessly beautiful, they remind me of my favorite outdoor places, and my favorite part, craft supplies from nature are free!  Michelle from Sweet Something Designs is a master of the bringing-the-outdoors-in look, using things like pinecones and acorn caps to create her masterpieces.  If you have an oak tree nearby, it will provide you with the fodder you need for this project.  I love how a simple, ordinary object like an acorn cap takes on an entirely different and chic look when repeated!  [how to make an acorn cap Christmas ornament]

Project estimate:

• Acorn caps, free
• Paint, on hand
• Styrofoam ball, on hand or $1
• Twine, on hand or $1
• Wire, on hand
• Ribbon, on hand
• Glitter, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make an Acorn Cap Christmas Ornament appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

It’s starburst-meets-snowflake with this clever ornament design by Britt from Interestosity!  A little glue and epsom salt give it a sparkly,  crystal-ish look at the tips of the cotton swabs.  You could even add glitter for extra snow-like sparkle!  They were inspired by some very expensive ornaments from a high-end home decor store.  Up close you can tell what they are, but at a distance they look totally chic.  The project is easy enough for kids to handle as well!  [how to make cotton swab ornaments]

Project estimate:

• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Cotton swabs, on hand or $1
• Epsom salt, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make Cotton Swab Ornaments appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Ah, candy corn.  Some people love it, others loathe it.  Whether or not you enjoy eating the candy, there is one thing I think we can all agree on: it looks pretty darn cool!  If you want to work a little bit of candy corn into your holiday decor, Instructables user logannebell came up with the idea of making starburst-like decorative balls featuring the waxy, sugary treats.  Put a few of them in a large glass vessel for a playful take on the sophisticated decor ball look, or add string or ribbon to turn them into ornaments.  [how to make a decorative candy corn ball]

Project estimate:

• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Candy corn, on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Decorative Candy Corn Ball appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Here’s a project that just screams “budget wedding!”  Would you believe that this lotus-like pomander ball was made using plain ol’ wax paper?  Carolyn from Carolyn’s Homework created the feathery, translucent decoration using materials that, in summation, are far more than just the humble parts!  I bet it looks incredible with sunlight shining though it.  If you make more than one of these, try using different size foam balls and varied petal sizes for different effects.  [how to make a wax paper pomander ball]

Project estimate:

• Styrofoam ball, $1
• Wax paper, on hand or $1
• String, on hand
• Glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

We had a request for a printable leaf template so here you go:

Printable Leaf Template

The post Make a Wax Paper Pomander Ball appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I took a close look at it and thought, “hey, I could make one of these!”  (This is especially true in light of my massive yarn stash that never seems to shrink no matter how many hats I crochet.)  I came up with this version:

Project estimate:

• Yarn, on hand or $1 and up
• Buttons, on hand
• Small foam balls, $1
• Glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

Glue the end of  the yarn to a small foam ball.  (Mine came in a variety pack of sizes that I found at Dollar Tree.)

Wrap yarn around the ball until it is completely covered.  Use a dab of glue to secure the end.

Figure out the length you want your arms/torso/legs pieces to be.   Loop a piece of yarn to that length several times.    (Mine are about 5 inches long.)

Starting at one end, wrap the yarn around the looped lengths tightly until  you reach the other end.   Glue the end of the yarn to secure.  Repeat to make a second piece the same length.

Cut several lengths of yarn and tie them securely around the yarn-wrapped ball.

Lay out the pieces as shown, with the long pieces bent to create the arms and legs and the ends of the yarn wrapped around the head going through what wikll become the torso.

Tie around the armpit area tightly with a long piece of yarn.  Create the torso by wrapping down  toward the feet, then wrap back up to where you started to make a double layer of wrapping.

Make the  last couple of wraps in an “X” shape, passing the yarn between the arm and head.  Glue the end of the yarn in place on the back of the doll  to secure.

To make eyes, find a pair of smal buttons that each have 4 holes.  Use black thread or embroidery floss to make an X on each button.  Glue the buttons to the doll’s head.

Voodoo dolls make great gifts for:

• a friend with a particularly cruel boss at work.
• anyone going through a nasty divorce.
• people who have a morbidly offbeat sense of humor.

You can give  the voodoo doll by itself, or you can:

• place it in a box with a package of straight pins and a lighter to make a complete kit.
• glue a pin to the back side of its torso to make a wacky brooch.
• attach a string to the top of its head to turn it into an ornament.

What else could you do with a voodoo doll?

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