Super Fun Dollar Store Craft Ideas
Updated on August 29, 2019
Every once in a while, we find ourselves feeling inspired by random objects, in random places as we go about our day. There’s just some kind of magical feeling in crafting with things that are cheap and easy to come by, repurposing them into something else! We took a trip to the dollar store recently, for example, and we couldn’t help picturing all kinds of awesome projects that could easily be made from just about everything we saw there. Now we keep finding ourselves browsing the Internet for awesome new tutorials that will help us put all those neat, creatively useful things we saw in the store to good use!
Are you also feeling quite intrigued by the idea of making awesome new things from dollar store supplies? Take a look at this list of 15 cool ideas, designs, and tutorials that we’ve come across so far in our search for inspiration and guidance.
1. DIY thumb tack canvas art
If you ask us, one of the best things about DIY and crafting is the way you can so easily make something average and non-aesthetic into something lovely and artistic looking! We’re sure it’ll come as no surprise to you, then, that we simply adored the way Live Love DIY made this lovely ampersand canvas art simply by pushing golden thumb tacks through in the right shape!
2. Cute rustic polka dot mirror
Have you long been staring at a blank space on your wall thinking about how a mirror would look really nice there, but you simply haven’t found one in stores that quite suits the style you’re looking for? Then maybe you’d prefer to make one yourself! We love the way A Girl and A Glue Gun used a simple framed dollar store mirror as their base and built a painted wooden frame around it for a bit of polka dotted rustic chic.
3. Wall mounted mail sorting baskets
Are you the kind of person who adores making things for yourself even more than usual when they are something practical that you’ll actually use? Then we have a feeling you’ll get a real kick out of the way A House full of Sunshine used these simple dollar store wire baskets to make a mail sorting station! We actually did this project in real life and put them by our home office desk, right near the phone. Now we feel much more organized.
4. Anthropologie inspired plate art
Are you perhaps the kind of DIY enthusiast who adores being able to more affordably recreate designer decor pieces that you really like but don’t want to pay the brand name price on? Then we think you’ll really get a kick out of the way While They Snooze made their own homage to this stunning Anthropologie wall piece using dollar store plates and stencilling techniques!
5. Cake stand kitchen organizer
Are you actually quite new to the whole world of DIY and repurposing, so you’re looking for something that’s very simple indeed but will still let you make something useful? In that case, we think you might really appreciate the way Liz Marie turned a simple dollar store cake stand into a kitchen sink organizer thanks to a simple coat of paint.
6. Planter tea lights from drain nets
Are you actually an avid “junker” who adores turning visibly upcycled things into something else, impressing guests by making something decorative out of an everyday houseware? In that case, we have a feeling you’re going to get a real kick out of the way Mich L. in LA made some pretty planter tea lights for their plants out of sink drain nets!
7. Pebble door mat
Does your home already have quite a natural, relaxing feel to its decor scheme, almost like visitors are entering a calming spa area, and now you’re looking for affordable ways to translate that aesthetic into all the little details? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at the way Curbly made this lovely polished pebble door mat in surprisingly few simple steps.
8. Tissue paper and Mod Podge candle holders
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about lovely little candle holders made from dollar store pieces but you’re just not sure that the planter idea we showed you earlier is quite the look for you? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how My Girlish Whims made these wonderfully colourful candle holders from small glass vases and pieces of tissue paper, using simple decoupage techniques.
9. Painted rubber mat wall art
Are you actually still finding yourself feeling rather enamoured with the idea of turning some kind of regular, cheap houseware into wall art but you’re just not sure that the thumb tack idea we showed you earlier on our list is quite the design for you? In that case, we’d encourage you to consider this very cool and simple tutorial from Salvage Dior! Their tutorial outlines the process of make a lovely wall piece by painting a patterned rubber floor mat like the kind you’d put on your front step outside your door.
10. Mason jar solar lights
Like ours, has your local dollar store packed its shelves with hundreds of simple glass mason jars with the full knowledge that they’re currently trendy in all kinds of DIY and decor ways? In that case, we think you’ll have no trouble following something like this tutorial from DIY Projects that shows you how to make a stunning light piece! Take a better look at their steps to see how they made a rustic looking, solar powered pendant light using mason jars like shades.
11. Bead embellished sunglasses
If you’re going to put in the time and effort it takes to make some kind of DIY dollar store craft, would you rather make something fashion based so that you can actually wear and show off your handiwork for all to see? Well, if you’ve ever been the kind of person who likes a pair of statement shades then we think you’ll appreciate how Miss Kris Turner used tiny seed beads to transform the top of the frame on a pair of dollar store sun glasses!
12. Kids art apron
Are you actually the kind of DIY enthusiast who has always felt most confident in your sewing skills above all else, so you’ve been scrolling through our list wondering whether you might come across a sewing based project? Well, we’re pleased to report that your patience has finally paid off! Take a better look at the tutorial featured on Obsessively Stitching to learn how this simple kids’ art apron complete with its own crayon pockets can be made from simple dollar store napkins.
13. Pottery Barn inspired tiled mirror
Did we actually really catch your attention when we started talking about the idea of making a recreation piece that is modelled after a designer brand but you’re just not sure that the plate art design we showed you earlier will suit your space? Well, if the idea of making a mirror piece interests you, then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Dollar Store Crafts used simple dollar mirrors to make a tiled piece that looks just like one sold at Pottery Barn.
14. Dollar store embellished notebook
Maybe you’re more of a scrapbooker or schedule keeper than a sewing enthusiast or painter and you’ve been looking for some kind of project that will let you work with paper and make something you might actually use? Then we think you just might be the perfect person to try your hand at the way Bursts of Creativity made this lovely embellished notebook using a whole host of things purchased at their local dollar store!
15. Gold leaf vase
Maybe we’ve actually piqued your curiosity with the idea of making some kind of glass project like you saw with the tea light candle holders, but you’ve never been much of a candle person? Then we have a feeling you might get along better making some kind of vase like this one from The Creativity Exchange instead! They show you how they painted theirs in metallic gold paint, using tape to get clean lines and a striped pattern that looks like gold leafing.
Have you made other kinds of fantastic dollar store crafts before that you really enjoyed creating but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about what you made and how you did it or link us to photos of your finished work in the comments section!