Take these elephant and dinosaur toys from the dollar store and use them to make some fun photo holders to display on your desk, shelf or playroom. Add a dash of whimsy to any room. You’ll be surprised at the way these clever photo holders are constructed, so check out how easy it is to make this dinosaur photo frame craft!

Hi there! Katie here today from Punk Projects! I love using inexpensive items in my crafting. If it involves upcycling, I’m all for it! I took a trip to the Dollar Tree to get some inspiration for today’s post and I found these awesome plastic toys.

Supplies Needed:

Project estimate:

• Toy animals, $1
• Flat magnets, on hand or $1
• Super glue, on hand or $1
• Craft knife or box cutter, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

1. Decide on your animals. I loved the brontosaurus, and the elephant is for a friend.

2. Use a craft knife to cut through the animal. Most plastic animals have a seam where they were put together, cut on that seam and it will be easier. Just don’t cut yourself.

3. Once you have your animal cut in half, trace around him onto a magnet.

4. Cut out 2 magnets for each animal.

5. Go around the cut edge of your animal with super glue and glue your magnet to it.

6. Let it dry completely.

Once your magnets have been glued on and dried, slide a photo in between the animal piece and stand him back up! I love these little dinosaur photo frames!

What do you think? Would you make a dinosaur photo frame craft for yourself, or for a friend?

Pin the Dinosaur Photo Frame Craft:

I’m Katie, a lover of anything artsy. I doodle on everything I can get my hands on, however my favorite projects are scrapbooking, restyled/upcycled crafts and sewing. I write my blog, Punk Projects, where I post tutorials, inspiration and other fun things as well as designing custom shoes in my etsy shop.

You can also find me here on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The post Tutorial: Toy Animal Photo Holders appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

In this age where everyone with a smartphone is essentially carrying around a digital camera in their pocket at all times, what do you do with those photos?  Do you just post them to Facebook or Instagram?  Or do you still enjoy printing your photos?  Over at MyPrintly, Heather shared how she turned some Instagram memories into an easy and adorable photo display.  It’s a great excuse to turn your favorite digital moments into something concrete!  [how to make an easy photo wall]

Project estimate:

• Printed Instagram photos, on hand or $1 and up
• Baker’s twine, on hand or $1 and up
• Wooden clothespins, on hand or $1
• Hammer and nails or thumbtacks, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  Free and up!

The post Make an Easy Photo Wall appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We just celebrated my son’s first birthday, and of course we took approximately 1000 photos over the birthday weekend. I had a few frames stashed away for new photos, but I’m going to save some extra special pictures to put into handmade or hand-decorated frames. These are some of the homemade picture frame ideas that I’m eying.

1. Scrap Wood Photo Blocks – Are you unable to part with small pieces of wood left over from other projects? Turn them into sweet picture frames!

2. Yarn-Wrapped Frames – Add a little bit of dimension to an old picture frame by raiding your yarn stash.

3. Thrifted Frame Photo Display – Head to the thrift store for an oversized picture frame, then use it as a display for lots of smaller photos strung up on twine.

4. Cardboard Picture Frames – What do you call those standy-uppy photo frames that hold two pictures? Make one of those! Out of cardboard!

5. Bottle Cap Picture Frame – Jazz up an old picture frame with painted bottle caps.

6. Stenciled Wood Frames – This is another take on the scrap wood picture frame. This uses stencils for a fresh, modern look.

7. Double Frame – This is perfect for filling a large space. The photo is the focal point, but you can incorporate colors or even patterns from your room’s decor into this frame design. So clever!

8. Stacked Frames – This has a similar look to the double frame, but the technique is a little bit different. You can choose the one that works best with the supplies you have handy and the space you’re looking to fill.

9. Moss Picture Frames – Bring a little green into your house with these earthy frames.

10. Recycled Magazine Frame – This tutorial calls for old magazines, but you could also use junk mail catalogues to make these cool picture frames!

The post 10 Cute Picture Frame Ideas appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I am a sucker for anything that combines my two passions: crafting and photography.  I came up with a great way to put my pictures on Dollar Tree coasters and make them into this super cute wall hanger.

Project estimate:

• Coasters, $1 and up
• Glue, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Ribbon, on hand or $1 and up
• Photos, on hand

Total: $1 and up

I choose these coasters instead of the usual tiles because they are much lighter and they have a wonderful cork backing on them which will keep the wall from getting scratched.

The first thing you need to do is cut the pictures to fit the coasters.  You can easily do this by placing the coaster over the picture and and tracing around it.  (Quick side note:  I simply printed my pictures on regular paper.  It was an inexpensive way to print pictures for this project and the weight of the pictures make them very easy to work with.  Note that if you print your photos on an inkjet printer, the ink may smudge when you apply the Mod Podge; avoid this by using a laser printer, by sealing the inkjet image with clear spray paint before applying Mod Podge, or by making a photocopy of the inkjet image.)

Next you will Mod Podge the pictures to the coasters.  After they are secured you can Mod Podge over the top of the picture to hold it in place and seal it in.  I placed the Mod Podge over the edges to insure the pictures wouldn’t lift off in case I decided to use the coasters as a coaster some day.

At this stage you can use them as coasters.  (To make sure the Mod Podge doesn’t get tacky if it gets damp, seal it in with a few coats of clear spray paint first!)  They would make a awesome grandparents gift.  My family received some for Christmas and they loved them.   I decided for me I wanted something to hang on the wall so I continued with making a wall hanging.

Flip all the coasters over and place a small dot of Amazing Goop glue on the top and bottom center.  Secure the ribbon to the glue.  Using a ruler place the coaster 1 inch from each other and continue to glue them together with one strip of ribbon.  Once you have glued them turn them over.  The weight of the coaster will help hold the ribbon in place until the glue drys.  Once the glue is dry tie a knot at the top of the ribbon to use as a hanger.  You can place a bow near the knot to give it a more finished look.

The post Tutorial: Coaster Hanging Photo Display appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

There are nearly endless creative possibilities for making wreaths and for displaying family photos.  But how about doing both at once?  KariAnne from Thistlewood Farm shared this project at Infarrantly Creative, and we love it!  Not only is it a clever idea, it is also very versatile in that simply changing the photos gives the wreath and entirely different look.  Fill it with old family photos for a “family tree” wreath, dig out old holiday pictures to turn it into a Christmas wreath, use photos of one person over the years to make a decoration for a birthday or graduation party…  There are so many things you can do with this wreath!  It takes a lot of little frames but sometimes if you get lucky you can even find two-packs of small frames at the dollar store, which makes this project all the more economical!  [how to make a picture frame memory wreath]

Project estimate:

• Wreath form, $1
• 24 small picture frames, $12 and up
• Wire, on hand or $1 and up
• Photos, on hand
• Ribbon or other embellishments, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $13 and up

The post Make a Picture Frame Memory Wreath appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Bringing natural elements into your home decor not only gives it distinctive charm, it’s also easy on the budget since you can gather the materials yourself at little or no cost.  You can give your walls a beachy feel on the cheap by using a few pieces of driftwood and some string to make a pretty photo display!  Erlend at Morning Creativity broke out the power drill and gave some wave-worn branches a purpose with this project that is as easy as it is frugal.   I would make a nice piece for a dorm room or a rental home, since it allows you to hang multiple photos without having to tack each one into the wall.  [how to make a driftwood photo display]

Project estimate:

• Driftwood, free
• Drill, on hand
• String, on hand or $1
• Clothespins, on hand or $1
• Photos, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Driftwood Photo Display appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Oh, Christmas cards.  How I love to receive you in the mail, and how I hate to throw you away when the new year rolls around!  It’s bad enough tossing out pretty cards with scenes of snowy trees or glittery angels or jolly snowmen, but then there are the photo cards.  I mean, how can I bring myself to throw out a picture of my cousin’s two little boys in their John Deere pajamas, or of dear friends I haven’t seen in years grinning together in goofy his-and-hers holiday hats?  On our Facebook wall, reader Julie S. wants to know what she can do with them.  She writes:

I got a lot of photo holiday cards this year. Mixed with last year’s, my refrigerator is packed! Any ideas, aside from just putting them in a photo book, for a craft that I can make out of them?

Do you save photo Christmas cards from year to year? Do you have any crafty ideas for them?

[photo by Flickr user blush printables, Creative Commons]

The post Question: Crafts Using Photo Christmas Cards? appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

My family knows how to celebrate the holidays in crafty style. The adults swap homemade gifts instead of store-bought, and in the past couple years, we have added a crafty activity to the day as well! My favorite holiday moment in the past few years was when we decided to have a self-portrait painting party.

Kodak is giving away $100 to one lucky reader – click here for details, or read on. Update: This sweepstakes is now over. The info is at the bottom of the page. Back to the self-portrait party details!

Host a Self-Portrait Party

Project Estimate:

• Wooden blocks or plain canvases, on hand or about $2 each
• Assorted acrylic craft paint, on hand or about $1 a bottle
• Paint brushes, on hand or $1 and up
• Pencils, on hand
• Mirrors, on hand
• Paper plates, on hand or $1
• Cups of water, on hand

Total: about $4 per person

Inspired by a post at Fresh Picked Whimsy, my sister and I organized a “secret” activity for the family on Christmas Eve. We prepared some hardwood blocks we already had on hand by painting each one a plain color with acrylic paint. We then gathered acrylic paints, paint brushes, paper plates (to use as individual palettes), and set up tables to give each person in the family a workspace. We also had a couple of big mirrors for people to use for reference.

We let people choose their blocks one by one, then everyone got down to work. Some people used the computer to take a picture of themselves to refer to. Everyone was pretty into it as soon as they found out what we were doing.

I love seeing how people interpret their own appearance – the features they choose to emphasize, the details they have to include to make an authentic portrait.

This Year’s Christmas Eve

Pink PJs - 1974 and now

This year, I really want to try to recreate some childhood photos of me and my brother and sister while we are all together, like the ones at Young Me/Now Me. I’m not as prepared as the ladies in this photo were – check out the detail on the pajamas! The haircuts are even perfect. I just love this idea!

Sharing Family Photos with Each Other

Well, I’m about to leave to go to Christmas Eve at my parents’ house. I’m bringing my camera (of course), and everyone else at the party will definitely take tons of photos as well… but it is still so hard for me to know that there will be some photos of the event (and my three little boys) that I will probably never see! We’ve all been there — wishing that we could get the photos that someone else had taken with their camera!

I just learned that KODAK Gallery has figured out how to fix this little problem with their new Group Albums. With Group Albums, multiple people can upload, share and comment on photos all in one place, for free. And not only that, you can download other people’s photos for free. And then you can order prints of your favorites.

So I just created a Group Album and invited my family members to join the album (easy – we can all log in with our Facebook accounts). Now I know I won’t miss any of their amazing shots of our family fun (including my boys), and I’ll be able to download high-res versions to keep forever.

I’m not gonna lie, I am a little bit excited about this Group Album! Every year when I sit down to make my photo album, I am always bummed because I just know there are some prize shots of my boys that I don’t have access to. The Group Album would mean that I could steal legally download all the awesome photos my professional photographer sister takes!

Want to get your own Group Album? You know you do! Just click on this link to sign up for your own Group Albums and don’t forget to invite your family to share!

Kodak Wants to Give One Lucky Reader $100

UPDATE: This sweepstakes is now over. Congrats to our winner:

How to enter:

1. Share a memorable holiday moment in the comments to enter.

Giveaway open to United States residents only, 18 and older. Ends on Thursday, December 29th, 2011 at 11:59 PM. Full rules here.

p.s. Kodak Gallery is also giving away a Hawaiian vacation package worth more than $2,500 on their Facebook page — go on over and get in on that sweet action! Sweepstakes runs until Jan 3.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kodak Gallery. All opinions are 100% mine.

The post Holiday Sharing: Self-Portrait Party, Recreate Old Photos + Win $100 appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Why relegate those old family photos to a shoebox in the back of the closet?  Put them on display with this creative idea from Jenn at Rook No. 17.  She made a set of free printables that you can use to recreate this wonderful family tree wreath!  Rather than using the original photos, she made copies of them instead, keeping the heirloom prints safe and intact for the enjoyment of future generations.  This would make an excellent gift for parents, grandparents, or family historians.  Or make one featuring both sides of a newly-joined family as a wedding gift!  [how to make a family tree wreath]

Project estimate:

• Canvas drop cloth, about $5 and up
• Wreath form, $1 and up
• Freezer paper, on hand or $1 and up
• Leaf template, free
• Wire, on hand or $1 and up
• Sewing notions, on hand
• Printable  photo frames, free
• Cardboard, on hand
• Scanned or photocopied family photos, on hand
• Distressing ink, on hand or about $2 ad up
• Glue, on hand

Total:  about $6 and up

The post Make a Family Tree Wreath appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Brag albums are one of the best gifts ever for a parent or grandparent.  This pocketwatch brag album by Destri at The Mother Huddle has got to be the coolest one I’ve ever seen!  It’s small enough to carry in even the tiniest handbag or in a pocket, and it’s also manly enough that dad or grandpa will have an appreciation for it.  Look for thrifted watches for this project, which don’t even have to be working.  As an added bonus, of you find a wind-up watch to tear apart, you’ll also end up with a small stash of supplies for making steampunk jewelry or other projects!  [how to make a pocketwatch photo album]

Project estimate:

• Pocketwatch case, about $5 and up
• Photos, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Fabric, on hand or $1 and up
• Scissors, on hand

Total:  about $5 and up

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