Do you love the succulent trend? Here are some really adorable ideas for decorating with succulents. You can use real succulents (they are easy to take care of!), or find faux succulents at the dollar store. My article is at eBay: [7 Cute Ideas for Decorating With Succulents]

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I love finding ways to make dollar items look like they’re something much more high end.  I find that a nice metallic paint is one way to up the “wow” factor of a simple item.  When I saw a pack of 10 seed pots for $1 in Target’s dollar spot, I grabbed them.  Not for gardening, but for crafting, of course!    With a little paint and some embellishments, these 10 cent pots are now pretty enough for table or home decor!

Project estimate:

• Pulp Seed Pots, 10 for $1
• Gold paint, on hand or $2 and up
• Rub on transfers, on hand or $1 and up
• Doilies, on hand
• Wire, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

Step one:  Paint the pots with the gold metallic paint.

Step two:  Gently rub the transfer onto the pot.

Step three:  Punch holes in either side of the pot to add a wire handle if desired.

Embellish the pots with doilies or paper strips.  To make the paper shred, I folded a page from a dictionary (used in this tutorial) and cut it into small strips.  I then coiled a piece of sisal wire to make a place card holder.

You can also fill the pots with flowers or battery operated tea lights.

I’m making a different set in red, white, and blue for the fourth of July.  This project is so quick and inexpensive that you could easily decorate for any theme!  They’d make great favors or gift containers, too.  I’m actually going to use these in my craft room.  They’ll make pretty storage containers for glitter tubes, embossing powders, etc.  There are lots of different ways to customize this project!

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Have we mentioned lately how much we love pretty flower pots?  They’re such a fun way to add personality to a space, both indoors and outdoors.  But the prettiest and fanciest of the flower pots always cost more.  Love the look but don’t have the spare cash to throw around on planters?  Grab some plain, inexpensive pots and give them a makeover instead!  (The bonus?  Not only will you save money, but you can guarantee that nobody else in the neighborhood will have the same ones lining their porch!)  Inspired by some pricey designer flower pots, our alternative costs a fraction of the price and packs just as much personality!

Project estimate:

• Flower pots, $1 and up
• Paper and/or cardboard, on hand
• Sharpie, on hand
• Contact paper, on hand or $1
• Painter’s tape, on hand or $1 and up
• Hole reinforcement stickers, on hand or $1
• Paint, on hand or $1

Total: $1 and up

It started when I came across a set of designer flower pots in a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Curious about them, I looked them up online, and discovered that the set of three retails for upwards of $100. Gulp! And then I remembered seeing some pots in similar shapes and colors at Dollar Tree. I made an immediate run to the store to grab a few of them so I could make my own set!

I like the general idea of the flower pots, but the design on them wasn’t quite “me” – so I changed it up. I decided I wanted a Moroccan-inspired shape, so I did a Google image search for “Moroccan pattern” and found one I liked, which I printed and cut out to make a template. To make the template hold up better through the entire project, I traced it onto a piece of cardboard out of the recycling bin and cut it out. Then I traced it onto the back side of a roll of contact paper over and over and over again.

I’ll warn you, this part of the process is tedious. In order to make it all the way around all three pots I had to trace and cut out 60 of those little buggers. That’s a lot of tracing and cutting. I’m not much for making things perfect and fussy, so I didn’t bother with absolute perfection on my cuts. I figured it would add some character to the finished pots… as well as save my sanity!

Once all of the contact paper shapes are cut out, apply them to the flower pot. To make my pattern, I first made a ring of the shapes around the rim of each pot, then cut the remaining shapes in half and used them to fill in the spaces between. Since I used clear contact paper it’s a little hard to make it out, but you can see how this creates a stencil of the pattern. I carefully taped off the top and bottom edges of the design to complete the stencil.

Treating it like any other stencil, apply two coats of paint. I used white Martha Stewart craft paint with a pearl finish so that the finished design would catch the light a little, making the design really stand out. (Martha’s paints are also good for this project because they are formulated for all kinds of surfaces including things like glass and glazed ceramics. Some paints may flake off, so make sure you use something that is designed to stay on the pot!) Immediately after applying the second coat, very carefully peel off the tape and contact paper. Take your time – the edges of the paint may want to come off with the stencil, and you don’t want that to happen!

I was very happy with the stenciled design but decided it was still missing a little something. So I placed a hole reinforcement sticker in the center of each shape and used them as tiny stencils to add dots to the design. Carefully paint inside each circle, then peel away to reveal perfect, evenly-sized dots all the way around. Let the paint dry completely and you’re done!

What will you plant in your spiffy new pots? Since these are orchid pots and lack drainage holes, I think that I will use mine to plant a few cacti – my hubby has been wanting to plant a small cactus garden so it’s the perfect idea. And Mother’s Day is coming soon – if your mum has a green thumb, she’ll love these!

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Are you planting a garden this year?  Whether you’re tilling up a big plot or just tending a few potted plants on the porch, there are tons of great DIY ideas out there that are perfect for gardens of all sizes.  Need some examples?  Here are some of our favorite garden-y projects, all using items that you can find at Dollar Tree.

[plastic serving bowls]

[plastic popcorn buckets]

[DIY Urn Planter]

Flower pots can be expensive, especially if you are looking for ones that are a little bit fancier.  The good news is, you can put plants in nearly any container!  To make this urn-style planter, grab a plastic serving bowl and a plastic popcorn bucket.  If you don’t care for the color of the parts, a little bit of spray paint will make it any shade you desire.

[pool noodles]

[Pool Noodle Garland by Dollar Store Mom]

Besides flowers and veggies, what else does a garden need?  Some decorations, of course!  Our cohort Breanna came up with the idea of using pool noodles to make a colorful outdoor garland, perfect for adding a dash of personality to your garden or patio.

[flip flops]

[coffee mugs]

[Flip Flop Plant Sconces by Jon S. @ Garden Share]

This is one of our favorite garden ideas we’ve seen this year – or ever!  The simple combination of flip flop sandals and coffee mugs become sconce-style planters, bringing a bit of green to a wall or fence.  They’re as practical as they are cute!

[crepe paper streamers]

[DIY Seed Tape by Mad in Crafts]

One of the most important things you can buy for your garden?  Seeds!  Make planting them foolproof (and kid-friendly) by making homemade seed tape using crepe paper streamers.  Seed tape also makes a great gift for a green-thumbed friend!

[plastic stemware]

[Mardi Gras beads]

[Plastic Stemware Outdoor Chandelier]

Looking to push your garden decorating over the top?  Snag some plastic stemware and Mardi Gras beads and whip up a snazzy outdoor chandy!  People might look at you like you’re crazy when you tell them what you’re up to, but when they see the finished product chances are they will want one too!

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