DIY Dollar Store Easter Decorations

Hey guys! It seems that we hopped into April pretty quickly, huh? I had an eggcelent idea to do a Easter tablescape, but I'm on a budget this year. Planning a wedding ain't cheep, ya know? So I decided to visit my local Dollar Tree and raid my cabinets to create an Easter affair to remember, without breaking the bank. In all, I spent only about $30 dollars to create this classy table setup. Many of the Easter decorations came from my collection and I DIY'd a few things, because what's an event without a few handmade details ;). 

*This post contains affiliate links.

DIY Painted Plant Pots

You will need:

Pots or Plants (From DollarTree or larger version here)
Acrylic Paint (here)
Painter's Tape (here)
Paint Brushes (similar here)

Steps:

1. Paint your pot the lighter of your 2 colors. Let dry fully.

2. Using your tape, create an interesting line or pattern. I decided to do a diagonal pattern, but you could do polka dots, triangles, half and half, etc.

3. Paint the desired area, then peel off your tape while it's still a little wet. Let dry!

For a full list of my favorite craft supplies, check out this blog post!

DIY Banner

You will need:

Paper Bunting (from DollarTree)
Ribbon (DT or similar here)
Glue Gun (similar here)
Spray Adhesive (here)

Steps:

1. Be sure to adequately cover your workspace. This stuff is deceptively sticky!

2. Place your top bunting face-down and spray with the adhesive.

3. Pick up carefully and place on top of the other bunting. Lay flat to dry.

4. Take a length of thin ribbon and glue your bunting onto it while keeping the flags an equal distance apart.

5. Hang up and enjoy.

Related: How to Rock your DIY Party Projects

DIY Bunny Ears Bouquet

You will need:

Thick Wire/Covered wire (From DollarTree or here)
Ribbon (DT or similar here)
Thin sparkly ribbon (DT or similar here)
Scissors (here)
Wire cutters (here)
Glue gun (similar here)

Steps

1. Take your wire and straighten it out the best you can.

2. Measure and cut. Mine was 20 inches.

3. Fold gently in the middle to create a bunny ear shape.

4. Using your hot glue gun, carefully wrap your wire with ribbon. I found that not overlapping the ribbon on top of itself worked best.

5. Keep going up your wire, wrapping and gluing every few rotations.

6. Once you've wrapped it in your thicker ribbon, go back around with your thinner ribbon to cover the seams and any bald spots.

7. Repeat for the other ear, then place in a bouquet of flowers and enjoy!

Setting your Table

Place Settings

I purchased inexpensive white plates and chargers for each setting, and topped them with blue appetizer plates from my cupboard. I added some drinking glasses I already had on hand, and placed a handmade drink stirrer inside. I finished it off with my super cute bird salt and pepper shakers that I purchased from Pier 1 Imports a few years ago.

Centerpieces

For the centerpieces, I used a sequin table runner and fake moss from my engagement party, and topped it with my painted flowerpots, bunny ears bouquet, and some mercury tealights.  I scattered some small golden eggs I picked up at the dollar store to add to that Easter feel.

Tips for Saving Money on your Easter Table

1. Create your own bouquets by purchasing flowers from the supermarket, or purchase inexpensive fake ones that you can reuse again and again.

2. If you purchase new servingware, go for white, which can be reused for many holidays. It'll get much more use than a baby pink tray with a bunny on it!

3. Collect items from around your house. Tealights, votives, pastel decor items, etc. This will add to the ambiance of the event without you necessarily having to purchase (and store!) Easter items.

4. Mix high-end items with dollar store items to save money while still keeping it classy. The inexpensive items will be camouflaged among the more expensive ones, as long as you don't purchase anything too cheap looking.

5. DIY where you can to create something one of a kind. Search Pinterest for ideas, and see how you can re-create more expensive items.

6. For an inexpensive tablecloth or runner, use a piece of fabric that has been folded and ironed. This will allow you to make it any size or shape you need!

7. Go for a mix of larger items and smaller items to create a visually interesting mix for your table. Too many small items will look cluttered, and too many large ones will seem unbalanced.

The best part about this table setup is that you can take away the bunny ears and little eggs, and use it for the remainder of the spring! This helps it to do double duty, saving you money. Do you have any dollar store crafts as part of your Easter decor? Do you decorate for Easter, or are you more of a "save it for Christmas" type of gal? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Zebra Party Tray

Did you know that in high school, there was a period of time that I wanted to be an interior decorator? I imagined myself creating gorgeous, perfectly curated homes filled with amazing goodies. I was eventually talked out of it, but I still have a desire to create a unique and beautiful home for my fiancé and myself. Although it's been a learning curve, I'm starting to figure out my style and realizing what works and what doesn't. I love to fill my home with one-of-a-kind, whimsical purchases. The kind of stuff that makes people want to look around and wonder where the heck I found this amazing item. But, my absolute, very FAVORITE thing to put inside my home is anything I made myself. I love telling people I made things. There's no better feeling in the world.

The reason I love this zebra tray is because there really isn't anything else like it out there! I think it adds such a fun feel to any room. You can use it on your desk to hold your paperwork, on your coffee table to hold magazines, or in your kitchen to hold flowers and a notepad. It's also a great party tray for holding cocktails! The best part of all is that it's super easy (and cheap!) to make.

*This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

Aluminum baking tray (mine was from the dollar store, similar here)
Spraypaint (similar here)
Primer & gloss top coat (similar here and here)
Zebra figurines (here) 
E6000 glue (here)

How To:

1. Purchase a tray. You'll want to look for something with a wide handle on either side, so that you can adhere your plastic animal. Also, be sure to avoid any trays with holes for hanging or too much branding. If you want to save a step, purchase a tray that you don't need to spray paint. For me, purchasing a baking tray ended up being the cheapest route.

2. Spraypaint your tray using the color of your choice. I chose a glossy medium pink, but I think this tray would look AH-MAZING in yellow. I just didn't have any yellow spray paint on hand, and it was one of those rare 60 degree days in February, so I had to work with what I had. Be sure to prime it first and use a topcoat. If not, it'll be easy to scratch, and the paint won't adhere as well. Trust me... I speak from experience!

3. Using E6000 glue, put a drop of glue on each hoof/foot, and wait for it to cure for 2 mins. Then place it down on the widest part of your handle. Let dry 24-48 hours before handling.

This tray is the perfect size for holding paperwork on your desk! I have a love/hate relationship with paper, so I love that this cute tray keeps everything organized while making me smile.

Psst- Interested in the printable above? Just fill out this form to get our FREE Anatomy of a Pinterest Party guide!

And, when it's time to party, you can kick those papers out and grab your drinking glasses! Let's take a moment to say RIP to the adorable pink ombre cup. My fiancé's brother accidentally broke one yesterday :(

The teal glasses are from Pioneer Woman and are awesome! The cotton candy garland, party hats, and animal drink stirrers are all projects from the blog.

So what do you think of this zebra tray? You can create it with any animal. I also bought some schnauzers, and can't waittt to make another tray with them! Do you have any DIY projects in your home decor? Let me know about them in the comments below!

Last Minute Dollar Store New Year's Eve Party

New Year's Eve is just 2 days away. There's barely enough time to shop Amazon Prime, so you've got to do something different. How about checking out your local dollar store? They've got everything you need to throw a really cool party on a budget. Don't believe me? Check out the loot I got from my local dollar store!

Note: not everything in this post cost me $1, but they were all under $3 at the local dollar store. I've also linked some items on Amazon in case you can't find them at your dollar store. This post contains affiliate links.

Light up the New Year

Sometimes when you're browsing the dollar store, you'll find some cool items that can be repurposed. 

For instance, I found these really cool flashing number cake toppers, intended for kids' birthday parties, that would fit in perfectly with New Year's decor. They're meant to hold candles, but I think they look fine on their own. They'd probably look really cool with sparklers in them, but I never use sparklers (I'm scared of them!) so I'm not sure how that would work ;)

DIY Metallic Confetti Balloons

At the dollar store, I found these metallic shreds that go in gift baskets, but I thought of a much prettier use for them- confetti balloons!

You will need:
Clear Balloons
Metallic Shreds
Funnel or rolled up paper (here)
Scissors
Drink Stirrer or pen
Helium Tank or Balloon Pump

1. Take your clear balloons and give them a stretch, especially the neck.

2. Grab a few strands of the metallic shreds and roll them up. Squish them into the opening of the balloon, using the drink stirrer to carefully push them through the neck and into the balloon area. 

3. Repeat this a few times until you fill up the balloon. Remember that once it's blown up, the shreds will take up a lot less space.

4. Optional Confetti: Take a funnel or rolled up piece of paper and place it in the neck of the balloon. Cut up the shreds to create a confetti and use the drink stirrer to push them into the balloon. I used a paper funnel, so I pushed the confetti down, then used the neck of the balloon to pull the confetti into it. This was easier than trying to shove it all through the tiny hole.

5. Blow up your balloon using the helium or a balloon pump. Remember that air will escape, so it's best to blow these up on New Year's Eve, but you can pre-fill them so they're ready to go :) Then you can pop them at midnight for a fun confetti explosion!

DIY New Year's Eve Hair Accessory

This is probably THE EASIEST New Year's Eve hair accessory tutorial you'll find. All you'll need are some alligator clips and self-stick foam numbers!

To make these clips, peel the backing off the numbers and stick them onto the hair clip. Didn't I tell you it was easy?! If you want to jazz them up a little more, you can put a piece of ribbon on the alligator clip so it isn't silver, but I don't think it's necessary and I like the extra shine of the metallic silver.

New Year's Eve Accessories

We are going to step away from the DIY projects to focus on the stuff that you can purchase from the dollar store. This stuff is MUCH cheaper than what you can find at Party City or similar stores. I think these hats were $1.29 but at Party City, similar ones were $3+. 

My local dollar store also had a lot of really cool 2017 glasses. I thought these two styles were the nicest and made it obvious that it was 2017 (not 2007) so I picked 'em. Also those rhinestone ones had the nicest pink color plus they're so Y2K that I couldn't resist. They also kinda remind me of the Times Square ball drop.

I got 2 different types of noisemakers. These small streamer ones in pink and blue (above) and the traditional cone shaped ones (below). The cone ones were cheaper and came with twice as many for just a little more than the small ones. Plus they're appropriately themed! 

I also got some nice trays, cups, plates, etc. for the table, plus all the silver and multi-colored disco balls. They're cheaper than the ones on Amazon and a decent size, so that was a win! I've been wanting to do a fun color scheme for New Year's Eve for a few years now, so I'm really excited that I get to try it this year.

Have you tried any fresh color schemes for NYE? What color palette do you usually use? Let me know in the comments! And don't forget to follow my NYE board on Pinterest :)

How to Organize on a Dime

Let's be honest- organizing can be expensive! All those pretty organizers can add up, especially when you've got a lot of ground to cover. Fortunately, there are a lot of affordable solutions to help get your home organized without having to dip into your kids' tuition money. Best of all- it's simple!

*Contains affiliate links

1. Check out the thrift store. I've stumbled across some awesome storage solutions at the thrift store. I bought this drawer organizer from the Thrift store for just a few dollars. Keep an open mind, and try to think of alternative uses for items.

2. Go dumpster diving. Sometimes I go to throw something away, but I almost feel guilty to do so. I have a clear zippered pouch from a sheet set I use for holding fabric that I rescued from the landfills.  I also collect small boxes from shipments that I use to organize my drawers, as well as shoe boxes.  You can turn a pasta jar into crafts storage and a cereal box into a magazine holder. The possibilities are endless!

3. Check out the sales. When you're at a store and see a great sale, this is the perfect time to grab a few containers for a rainy day. This can save you money, but it can also give you a head start when you randomly decide to start organizing one day and need a place to put things.

4. Visit the dollar store. The dollar store has lots of great stuff you can use for organizing. Very often, they'll have similar items to what you can find at another store but at a cheaper price. Don't worry if things are in a kooky color- you can spray paint anything these days!  Check out this tutorial for some advice.  And, check out this post for 100 dollar store organization finds!

5. Check Pinterest- but be specific.  A simple search can have all the answers you need, if you know what to look for.  Be specific- "how to organize fabric" will lead you to exactly what you need, whereas "Craft Storage" may lead to falling down the rabbit hole and spending the next 3 hours on Pinterest.  Whether it be a DIY project or a link to an affordable product on Amazon, Pinterest almost always has the answer.

6. Use what you have. The easiest way to save money is to not spend any at all.  Take a look around the house.  There's a good chance you're using two containers where you could be using one.  It's not organization if you're hoarding clutter, so always go through your things once a year to make sure you're not holding onto (and storing) junk.

Want more great tips? Be sure to follow my organization board on Pinterest!

What are your favorite ways to save money on organizing your home or office?

Easy DIY Dollar Store Candy Bar

Remember when you were a kid and you used to go in a candy store? The old-timey ones, with jars lined up along the walls of all different types of candies, sold by the pound. Your parents would hand you a bag and tell you "ok, get what you want. But not too much!" Or maybe your parents didn't trust you, so they'd ask you what you wanted and put tiny scoopfuls into the bag. Then for the next 10 hours, you were on a sugar high as you feasted on pretty much all the candy in one sitting. I loved this experience, so for my Sugar Sweet 27th birthday party, I had to have a candy bar! I wanted to do it on a budget so I could spend money elsewhere, especially since my party was all adults that don't have a big sweet tooth. I hit up my local dollar tree to find some supplies. P.S., there is some great glassware there for only a dollar!  Are you ready to make a candy bar for your next party?

*This post contains affiliate links.

You'll need:

Candy Jars with lids (similar)
Vases or Fishbowls (similar vase and fishbowl)
Candlesticks (similar)
E6000 Glue (here)
Timer/Clock
Candy (and lots of it!) (similar here and here)
*Note: I purchased all my glass items from the Dollar Tree for only $1, but the Amazon links are for similar items

How to:

1. First off, wash and thoroughly dry your supplies. I let mine dry overnight to be safe, but a good wipe and waiting a few minutes should work just as well.

2. Using the E6000 glue, rim the perimeter of the candlestick. E6000 tends to ooze (a lot) so stop squeezing near the end of your perimeter, and store it tip-up between uses.

3. Let the glue set for 2 minutes before attaching. This is so it gets tacky and sticks well.

4. Hover the candy bowl over the candlestick and try to find the center. Place the bowl down and hold it for a few seconds so it can adhere.

5. Wait 24-48 hours for the glue to fully cure. Then, pour in your candy and enjoy!

I found that the lids for the candy bowls fit well with the vase and fishbowls, even though they were not airtight. 

Candy Tips:

-If you can, use name brand candy or something you've tried before. You don't want to get bags and bags of something that ends up tasting terrible!

-Get a mix of smaller and larger candies to create a visually appealing display.

-Pick a color scheme and stick to it. If you want to get all types of candies, then "rainbow" can be your theme. Just try not to have one candy/color that sticks out like a sore thumb.

-You'll probably need a lot more candy than you think. For most of my candies I bought 3 bags/boxes and it only fully filled one container. This wasn't a big deal to me because I had adults and figured they wouldn't be eating much candy anyway.

-Dollar store bags may be smaller than the bags from other stores, so grab the circulars and see if the candy might be cheaper elsewhere. Sometimes holiday candies go on sale, which can be great for a holiday themed party!

Do you have any tips for a candy bar on a budget? What's your favorite type of candy to put in the jars? Which is the most bang for your buck? Let me know!