Make cute-yet-creepy Halloween terrariums using recycled jars and Halloween decorations from the dollar store. This would be cute for your Halloween decor, a Halloween party (you could surround the terrariums with appetizers instead of moss), or as a fun kid activity. Find instructions over at Today’s Creative Blog: [Mason Jar Spooky Terrariums]

Project Estimate:

• Recycled jars, on hand
• Halloween decorations, $1 each
• Spanish moss, $1

Total cost: $2 and up

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Has your Dollar Tree gotten faux succulents in stock yet?  We are super excited about them and love all of the ideas we’ve seen using them!  Over at Anything & Everything, Tara used a few dollar store picture frames to create a terrarium-style planter for her plastic succulents.  It looks totally high-end but you can make one for just a few bucks, and since the plants aren’t real, it’s perfect for all of the brown-thumbed folks like me out there!  [how to make a faux succulent planter with frames]

Project estimate:

• Picture frames (3), on hand or $3
• Moss, $1 and up
• Faux succulents, $1 and up
• Twigs, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Foam core board, on hand or $1
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total: $2 and up

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Here’s a great idea for those faux moss rocks they have in the floral section of the dollar store right now: make a terrarium. Ann from Make the Best of Things made this cute little display with stuff from the dollar store. Faux moss rocks mean you don’t have to have a green thumb, but you can still enjoy the spot of happiness a terrarium can bring. Have you noticed that the dollar store has sheets of moss and skinny one-inch-wide flat rolls of moss now? What can you think of to do with those? [click here for Ann’s post about making a terrarium]

Project Estimate:

• Faux moss rocks, $1 per package
• River rocks, $1 per package
• Glass container, on hand or $1
• (Optional) Potting soil, on hand or $3

Total: $2 and up

Ann also deconstructed some of the faux mossy rocks and created these moss decor balls. Find out how to make moss decor balls here.

The post Make a Moss Rock Terrarium & Moss Decor Balls appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

So I had this idea a few months ago to create a terrarium in a glass ornament bulb and give it for holiday gifts. Well, being an ideas person, I have ten-hundred ideas at any given time, and usually only half the supplies I need to make them happen, and one-third the time I need to get them done. As I was researching terrariums, I came across this excellent tutorial on About.com’s minatures page that told me exactly how to make terrariums in glass ornament bulbs. The tutorial was so excellent, that I thought I would just refer you to it instead of creating a sub-par tutorial myself. The tutorial and the photo are by Lesley Shepherd, the miniatures guide. [so go check out how to make a terrarium in a glass bulb]

Oh! And this could be a great project for those liquid marbles we’ve been talking about in another post.

Side project idea: How about making a faux terrarium in a bulb? You could use all kinds of different stuff you have on hand, and either get faux greenery to “plant” or what about making some wee little felt or wool felted plants to put in the bulb? If I were going to make one from my stash right now, I’d get some brown wool roving or brown scrap fabric, shredded, for the dirt part, and then I’d glue a teeny little fake plant in the middle of it all. Add a mushroom, maybe? Hmm, so many options. What would you do?

Project Estimate:

• Clear glass ornament bulb, $1
• Small plant, $1
• Potting soil, $1
• Activated charcoal, $1
• Various tools, on hand

Total: $4

It’s hard to estimate a cost on one of these babies. I know the glass ornaments are about $1 at craft stores (possibly less if you get a sale or have a coupon), but the rest of it will likely cost more than a dollar upon initial investment, but you will use much less of it than a dollar’s worth per bulb. So, I called it four bucks. Your experience may vary!

I think this is such a cool idea, so please link me/send a photo if you do it! I totally want to make this one, either the real version or the faux version!

The post Make a Terrarium Ornament appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Halloween Terrarium by Jennifer at Knitaway: $3

This is only one of a ton of projects Jennifer recently did on an all-crafting weekend with her daughters. Check out all the fun she had with googly eyes!

Fall Leaf Message Garland by Jamie at Pure Joy: $1

Jamie took some dollar store leaves, spelled out her message of choice with a letter on each leaf, and hung them with hemp twine. Love this idea, and it can be personalized any way you want!

Drippy Halloween Candles by A Little Tipsy: $2

Michelle at A Little Tipsy has a whole post full of good and inexpensive fall decoration ideas, but this is one that stuck out to me: drippy Halloween candles. These would also be super spooky with white candles and red (blood!) drips.

Oh, and guess what? Another reader submitted just such a candle!

Drippy Blood Candles by Amber at The Brush Barn: $2 (or $3 with base)

Amber says: I bought a candle base at the thrift store for one dollar. I bought the big white candle and a solid red candle at the dollar store for a dollar each. I lit the red candle and held it over the white candle to let the red drip down the sides of the candle. It turned out really cool and creepy looking. (3 dollars total!) I also did tall skinny candles for my candelabra. So neat for Halloween.

Fabric Wreath by Bethany at The Paper Pony: $1 and up

Use leftover fabric cut into strips and a foam wreath form to make a festive wreath. You can use this idea for any holiday, or in any color scheme to match your decor.

Spooky Tray Wreath by Jeff Hull: $2

The post Reader Roundup: More H’ween and Fall Decor appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

By Guest Contributor Meredith Walker

Terrariums seem to be getting a lot of attention these days and for good reason. These cute little planters can be a cute or classy addition to your living room or a fun project to share with kids. You can get almost everything you need to make them for cheap or free (if you forage).

Project Estimate:

• Glass container, $1 or on hand
• Rocks, $1 or on hand
• Moss, scavenge outside or about $7 at the pet store (enough for a lot of terrariums)
• Assorted decorations, on hand or homemade

Total: FREE and up

To begin with, you’ll need a small glass container. You can choose one with a lid or one without, as your terrarium can work either way. Most dollar stores carry at least some kind of cheap vase or small kitchen container that would work well for this purpose. If all else fails, you can use plastic, but glass really works better for this and it’s possible you may already have an appropriate container at home.

Next up, you’ll need to find some small rocks or pebbles to place at the bottom. I found some aquarium rocks, but pretty much anything that will allow for drainage and looks halfway decent will work, even those decorative floral marbles.

For the green part of your terrarium, the most common choice is moss. This is one thing you more than likely won’t be able to find at the dollar store (unless you have a really eclectic dollar store). You can buy moss at almost any pet store (it’s about $7 for a big bag) but if you really want to go cheap, even in the urban environment moss is in abundance in shady places. I found some samples underneath a train overpass that worked great and cost me nothing. You’ll just need a small layer of potting soil (really moss doesn’t need much) or dirt from a well cultivated part of your yard. I added more here for aesthetic sake.

Making the terrarium couldn’t be simpler. Make sure to put plenty of rocks in the bottom of your container. These will provide drainage and keep water from over saturating your moss. Many terrarium guides suggest adding charcoal, but I’ve had several terrariums do just fine without it though they were a little stinkier at first. On top of the rocks, place the soil and then a layer of your moss. To make it landscape like, you may want to create little hills and valleys. Once you’ve got it in place, press it down to make sure it’s in there good. I usually give the whole thing a little bit of water at this point so it all sinks in.

Now comes the fun part: decorating your little landscape. You can use just about anything to jazz up a terrarium. For kids, often small plastic toys can be an easy solution. I often prefer to make my own little decorations, however. If you can find some cheap modeling clay or Play-Doh-like substance, you can model little mushrooms like these. I let them sit out to dry, then painted their stems and spots when they were finished. Be creative and you may just fall in love with your miniature landscape.

This post was contributed by Meredith Walker, who writes about the online associates. She welcomes your feedback at MeredithWalker1983 at gmail.com

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Terrariums are hot right now, have you noticed? It seems like all the cool crafters are making them. Check this great twist on a terrarium by crafty rock star Jennifer Perkins: the terrarium picture frame. I love the postcard background – wouldn’t this be a fun craft to do while you’re on vacation? You can use kitschy trinkets you find in your travels to make a one-of-a-kind souvenir. [click here for original project instructions]

You can find shadow-box frames at the dollar store, and a lot of the other little trinkets and ingredients for this fun craft. I love to do at least one fun craft when I’m on vacation, and this would be a fun one to do with the kids. Wouldn’t it be fun to do a “scavenger hunt” with your kids? You could give them a list and a budget (like $1-5) and let them pick out their own supplies at the local tourist-trap gift shop, or just give them a list of things to find outside for free. Give prizes for the most creative, least money spent, etc. List things like:

• a postcard of your favorite thing we’ve seen
• a small item that reminds you of our trip
• a pretty object from nature

You can collect some items as you go along, too, to round out the craft supplies. Twigs, rocks, shells from outside, or kitschy plastic toys (like the ones in Jennifer’s terrarium). Provide the glue, glitter, and shadowboxes, a couple of photos from your vacation if you can get some made. Put everything on a table and have fun!

Project Estimate:

• Shadowbox frame, $1
• Trinkets, on hand or $1
• Faux moss, $1
• Postcard, $.25
• Glitter, on hand or $1
• Glue, paint, etc.
• Family photo

Total: $2.25 and up

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