Craft Ideas Archives - Page 4 of 12 - Cha-Ching on a Shoestring™

The Dollar Store Diva: Back-to-School Countdown for $1

August 12th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Back to School Countdown

Back to School Countdown Chalkboards

I decided to run into the Dollar Tree the other day to do some window shopping.

Window shopping–yeah, right.

Back to School Countdown Chalkboards

There was no way I could pass up these beauties. In fact, I hurried back the next day to grab a few more because I was certain they would go fast.

Since my immediate family is overflowing with teachers and students, a back-to-school countdown is a legitimate project. And it couldn’t have been easier. Chalkboard, a piece of chalk, and a few school-ish items for a mantel display.

Back to School Countdown

So there you have it: a back-to-school countdown. And all for a dollar.

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Find more posts from the Dollar Store Diva here.

For those of you who haven’t met her, the Dollar Store Diva happens to be my Mom who has a special power. She can transform Dollar Store and other inexpensive finds into super fun gifts and crafts that would brighten anyone’s day!

The Dollar Store Diva: The Surprising Dollar Store Purchase that Sparked a College Send-Off Gift Idea

August 11th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

DSD Kendra PicM Collage

I was looking for a special college send-off gift for my granddaughter. Our family is spread across the United States, but we were spending a week together in Virginia so I wanted to seize that moment to help Kendra celebrate this off-to-college milestone in her life.

To get my creative juices flowing, I headed to a Dollar Deals Store. You’ll never guess what I found:

Wallpaper!

Wallpaper

Yup–wallpaper!

I couldn’t believe how perfect this paper was for Kendra’s off-to-college gift.

I was giddy with excitement.

I already had some 8×10″ canvas-covered mats I had found at Michael’s for 70% off. There were four scenes depicted on the wallpaper, so I cut each one into a rectangle and attached it to a mat with a fun assortment of washi tape.

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Our vacation cottage had the perfect shelves for the display.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA We all gathered around for the gift presentation and sipped Frozen Strawberry-Lemonade and Raspberry Slushies.

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The family had pitched together for gifts. A soon-to-be college student would certainly need a Starbucks gift card, so that was placed behind this picture.

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And most definitely there would be shopping for her dorm room, so a Target gift card was placed behind this picture.

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Finally, it would soon be time to pack the car and Off you go!, so we found a vintage suitcase at Goodwill and filled it with an assortment of towels and toiletries.

So there you have it–giggles and delight all around as Kendra’s family applauded her high school successes and wished her well on this next step in her young life.

NOTE: I am aware that this particular wallpaper may have been on a Dollar Store shelf only one time in the history of the world, but perhaps it will spark some ideas of your own. The internet is overflowing with free printables that can be used to create a story for any occasion.

Have fun and let me know in what direction your own creative juices flowed 🙂

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The Dollar Store Diva: Crafty Solution to Vacation Dilemma

July 25th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

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It’s an annual dilemma at family vacations: Where did I put my soda? or Is that your cup of coffee or mine?

With twenty of us gathered for a week in one cabin and lots of icy drinks and coffee cups standing around, it’s an extra challenge for us. But this year, when I found these small burlap squares [70% off at Michaels!!!], I knew I had found the solution.

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But wait! There’s more!

These handy-dandy burlap squares also became a first-day-at-the-cottage craft project. 🙂

P7050010 The first evening of our recent Hill family vacation, I made the grand announcement:

“Everyone gather around for a craft! Yes, men too.” (Since I’m the matriarch of the family, I have some clout.)

And what fun we had.

I put my supply of washi-type tapes in the center of the table and handed everyone a burlap-wrapped square. [Look at all those glasses and cans on the table looking for a home.]

Family members of all ages and sizes got their craft on–

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Men…

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women…

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and children.

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Cool, huh?

All twenty of us now knew that this was Brian’s Diet Pepsi.

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My son Ryan took a minimalist approach.

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Son-in-law Rich, on the other hand, chose quantity over quality.

[Chuckle]

DSD 4 Coasters Pic

Some of our washi-tape coasters.

DSD Coasters Pic Collage

Teenage granddaughters, Kendra and Natalie, were a bit competitive in their efforts a create a too, too cute coaster.

P7060005 And there you have it. A solution to the “Is this my drink?” dilemma and take-home memorabilia of our amazing 2014 Hill Family Vacation.

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The Dollar Store Diva: Five Craft Supplies I Shop For At the Dollar Store

May 13th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Best Craft Supplies to Buy at the Dollar Store

Since I am called the Dollar Store Diva, one might deduce that I really, really like shopping at one.

And that deduction would be exactly right.

I don’t like to spend money–not even a dollar–on junk. I don’t like kitsch. And the last thing I need on my shelves is more “stuff.”

But I love to craft and when I pull open the door to a Dollar Store, I have the sense of being on a crafting treasure hunt.

Sometimes I leave empty handed; other times I do a happy dance all the way to the car.

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So, are you curious to know what craft items I search for?

Well, here goes:

#1. Wrapping paper and cello wrap.

I almost never go into a dollar store without sifting through their rolls of paper. Sometimes I find high quality paper that goes for four times as much in another store.

I always buy Kraft paper to keep on hand–the opportunities are endless.

DSD 3 Wrapping Papers

Check out this post to see what I did with these treasures.

Hostess Gift Cello

Doesn’t wrapping a simple gift in cello wrap add such a happy flair?

#2. Random items that can be decorated or repurposed for gifts.

DSD Have a Ball

Oh, what a fun gift this plain ol’ plastic canister turned out to be for my grandsons.

#3. Notebooks

I always look for notebooks, usually for ones that can be decorated for gifts.

This time I struck it rich:

Pic Black Notebook

I transformed this high quality notebook into a lovely gift for a friend.

Pic Washi Notebook

I also created one as a time management tool for my adult ADD.

#4. Stationery

Occasionally I will find paper products I like so much I’d like to fill my cart with them. I have to exercise self-control.

I have sent out so many letters using this neon paper and envelopes as happy stationery.

Thanks Colored Paper8

Here is some So Many Thanks stationery I also created with it.

#5. Frames

Oh, the uses for frames are simply endless. Below are two ways I used Dollar Store frames for Thanksgiving decorations.

Give-Thanks-Frame-

This is one of my all-time favorite craft projects: Give Thanks

Pic Countdown to Thanksgiving

In our house we don’t just have a framed countdown for Christmas; we have one for Thanksgiving too.

So there you have it–five craft supplies I shop for at the Dollar Store. Stay tuned for five more Dollar Store craft supplies.

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For those of you who haven’t met her, the Dollar Store Diva happens to be my Mom who has a special power. She can transform Dollar Store and other inexpensive finds into super fun gifts and crafts that would brighten anyone’s day!

The Dollar Store Diva: How a Dollar Store Purchase Saved My Sanity

April 4th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Recently I had the privilege of babysitting three of my out-of-town grandsons.

After we had happily eaten breakfast together, I turned my back ever so briefly, and–much to my surprise, those three adorable boys started flying through our little house. I am talking F-L-Y-I-N-G. And I’m talking H-Y-P-E-R.

And we had just had such a lovely breakfast: Boston Cream donuts and hot chocolate.

Quickly I cleared the table, grabbed the painter’s tape I had bought at a Dollar Store, and gathered a couple of Hess trucks that my husband traditionally buys at Christmas.

After a few simple instructions from Grandma, Griffin went to work.

He and Lincoln built a parking lot for the trucks, roadways, and even wrote HESS in big letters with the tape.

And look at Cade. Isn’t this little boy, whirring his truck along the painter’s tape highway, just too-too cute?

I told the boys that the tape only cost a dollar so they could use as much as they wanted. And what fun they had–for a long time.

And there you have it, three happy, creative boys, one adoring grandma, and the story of the day a dollar store purchase saved my sanity.

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For those of you who haven’t met her, the Dollar Store Diva happens to be my Mom who has a special power. She can transform Dollar Store and other inexpensive finds into super fun gifts that would brighten anyone’s day! And yep – those h-y-p-e-r boys are mine!

You may also like:

The Dollar Store Diva: This Valentine Is Sure To Be A Keeper (with Printable)

February 6th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

"I Wouldn't Change a Thing About You" Valentine Idea

Hey! How about a sugar-free love note for your Valentine?

Ellie Supplies

Supplies:

1) A small plastic container with lid– 2/$1–at Dollar Tree.

2) Valentine Jar Printable

3) A small dee-lightful picture of the recipient. Optional: rubber alphabet stamps to print the name

4) An assortment of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

5) Yarn to wrap around the lid of the jar

Grab some change–your own piggy bank might come in handy here–to put in the jar. You can decide if you want more pennies or more quarters in it. 🙂

Use 4×6″ paper to print out the Valentine Jar Printable. There are two printable options, one that says “I” and the other that says “We.”

Adhere the printed red label to the jar, add the sweet picture and stamped name, punch a hole in the corner of the “I wouldn’t change anything” tag and hang it from the jar with colorful yarn .

And there you have it.

A picture-perfect Valentine that is sure to be a keeper.

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The Dollar Store Diva: “A Treat a Day” Valentine with Printable

January 30th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Seven Days of Treats

Update: The calendar has been updated so you can use it every year!

Many months ago, when I received a free 7-day pill organizer from CVS, I came up with the idea of putting a treat a day in the cute little plastic cubicles. I could just picture my grandchildren lifting the lid to get their mini-love-gift from me.

But I was uncomfortable with the idea of teaching them that these pill containers contained candy.

Then, once again, the Dollar Store saved the day. Just last week I discovered on the Dollar Tree shelves an unconventional pill container that would be quite dandy for this Happy Valentines treat.

TaDah!

How fun is this?!

My original plan was to put Hershey Kisses in each compartment and say “A Kiss a Day”, but, to my disappointment, a candy Kiss doesn’t fit. So I put a section of the pill sorter in my purse and headed to Wegmans bulk-candy aisle. I could have bought one bag of Valentine candy and put in the same candy for each day of the week, but I wanted an element of surprise when they opened it.

The beauty of the bulk candy is that, instead of having to buy seven bags of candy, after checking to make sure the candy fit in the cubicle, I could just scoop the small amount I needed from the vast assortment available at Wegmans.

This is my happy selection:

I washed the compartments and thoroughly dried them, dropped the candy in, and used some alphabet stickers I had on hand for the Sunday-Saturday initials. (Writing the letters with a Sharpie also works.)

Wrapping was easy with red Dollar Tree cello wrap and festive pink yarn. To add the final touch, I included a Valentine message : “A treat a day sends XOs your way!”

Click here: Valentine Tag Printable

And there you have it.

A seven-day treat for the loved ones in your life.

Check out more from the Dollar Store Diva on Pinterest.

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The Dollar Store Diva: Yet Another Reason Why I Love the Dollar Store

January 4th, 2014 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

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Pic Mittens $1

Have I mentioned lately that I love the Dollar Store?

Since our family continues to grow (currently a total of 28 including children, spouses and grandchildren), my husband and I find it easier to give a cash gift for special occasions. Oh, but I do love to add on a little something for them to open.

That’s where the Dollar Store comes in.

Here’s my trick when I shop for add-on gifts: when I walk into the store, I just walk up and down the aisles, up and down the aisles. I resist the impulse to fill my cart with stuff; instead I wait for just the right thing to pop out. Usually it happens.

This past Christmas, my family from Texas made the 1700 mile trip from Austin to New York. We decided to have a belated celebration for my grandson’s 20th birthday. I needed a special gift indeed.

Alex brought his girlfriend with him; Bekah had not seen snow since she was seven years old, and New York’s exquisite gift to her was a winter wonderland.

And there on the shelf in the Dollar Store was the perfect gift for Alex:

Mittens Image

Oh, my goodness, the fun we had when Alex opened his gift! Everyone gathered around trying to figure out the What-in-the-world? gift. That’s when the laughter erupted.

Alex and Bekah were more than willing to try out the gift, and cameras flashed.

Mittens

And there you have it.

So much fun, so many memories made.

And all for a dollar.

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