Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Dollar Store Craft Link Party

Do you love to shop for items you can use for crafts at the dollar store? Then this Dollar Store Link Party is for you! Along with a group of bloggers, we're hosting a party for your dollar store craft creations. It's open for two weeks and we can't wait to see your creativity!


Meet the co-hosts of our Dollar Store Craft Link Party!

Hi, it's Gail from Purple Hues and Me and one of the co-hosts for this fun link party!  I love MacKenzie-Childs decor! Most are done in what's called Courtly Check (black and white) and now, there's a new Royal Check (blue and white)! Both fabulous, but how about a purple and white check? I know, right! So, I'm making my own MC knock-off called Purple Hues and Me Luxe Check!  Created using a dollar store vase and some dollar store paints - a perfect project for our Dollar Store Crafts Link Party! Click here for my full tutorial on


Click below for more great dollar store craft ideas from your party co-hosts.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

LINK UP YOUR DOLLAR STORE CRAFTS BELOW: Now, it's your turn. We can't wait to see your dollar store craft creations!
Share old or new posts, but please only share posts that are primarily made using items purchased at a dollar store. Other links will be deleted without notice.  You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Monday, May 27, 2019

MacKenzie Childs Inspired Dollar Store Vase


 I love MacKenzie-Childs decor! Most are done in what's called Courtly Check (black and white) and now, there's a new Royal Check (blue and white)! Both fabulous, but how about a purple and white check? I'd love to see that done!  After all, the color purple is associated with royalty and symbolizes nobility, luxury, power and ambition!  So, I'm venturing into making my own MC knock-off in my favorite color - I know, let's call it Luxe Check in purple and white! 

Here we go, Purple Hues and Me, Luxe Check: 

We have to keep it cheap, though, I mean, inexpensive! MC can be quite expensive, you know! But knockoffs, not so much! So, let's start with a dollar store vase and some dollar store paints - a perfect project for our Dollar Store Crafts Link Party! 

In addition, we'll need: 
  • sponge brush
  • flat edge small paint brush
  • painter's tape - 1"
  • pencil
  • decorative napkins
  • mod podge
  • Mr. Clean magic eraser sheet
  • marker
  • FolkArt gloss varnish

Begin by painting the vase white using a sponge brush. Apply a second coat and let dry.
*Since the purple/white checks are alternated, measure around the vase to see how many 1" squares are needed using painter's tape.  The tape wasn't exactly 1" wide, so I eyeballed my markings for the placement of squares on the vase, instead of trying to do the math! Lol!  

Just lay a strip of painter's tape along the center middle, vertically and tape down.  Draw lines along the edges of the tape. Remove the tape and place it next to the previous line. Continue moving the tape to draw on lines - moving it both vertical and 

 horizontal.
 Next, choose a starting square and begin painting them purple, alternating squares .  .  .
 until all the alternating squares are painted. Let dry. Apply a second coat since the dollar store paint doesn't have a good first coverage.
 For a decorative effect, cut out a flower pattern from napkins, separating the printed layer and
 mod podge the flowers onto the .  .  .
 bottom area of the vase .  .  .
 smoothing out the wrinkles with fingers dipped in mod podge.
 For the next step, you won't believe what I used to move some of the color from the purple squares across the white areas for that MC look and to help remove some of the uneven lines - a damp piece of Mr. Clean's magic eraser sheet. I love that stuff!
And finally, paint on varnish for a glossy finish.
It's truly amazing what you can make with dollar store items - this MacKenzie Childs inspired dollar store vase!
I'm loving this look!

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post also contains affiliate links.  I may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra.  The affiliate money I earn per month helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

Be sure to stop by our Dollar Store Crafts Link Party starting on Tuesday, May 28th to join in the fun!

Thanks for stopping by
and take a little time to enjoy,
Happy Crafting!

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Upcycle Vase with Clay Roses


It's that time again for The Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge on the fourth   Thursday of each month! Here, a group of creative bloggers come together to   share their lovely transformations of a thrift store item. Who doesn't love thrift   store upcycle projects - whether it's actually creating one or admiring how an   item from a thrift store was transformed!     

When I spotted this cement vase for a bargain price of $1 at the Goodwill, I knew I wanted to dress it up with handmade clay flowers - they're super easy to make and no tools required!
I decided to keep the vase/planter - there's a hole in the bottom, as is!  Don't you just love this rustic, natural look! So the only other things you'll need:
  • Sculpey oven-bake clay
  • Knife
  • Baking pan
  • RapidFuse all purpose adhesive
Start with a small piece of clay and knead until soft - rolling it into a ball.
Next, flatten ball with fingers into a round oval shaped petal. Then make several more petals for a rose!
For the center of the flower, take one petal and begin rolling to curl the clay for a bud-like shape.
Then, take another petal and press it around the center bud petal,  
curving the edges slightly out.
Continue adding petals, staggering around the previous ones and flaring the edges out.
How pretty do these petals look together!
Squeeze the base of the petals to make sure all of them are secure together.
And then use a knife to cut off the excess clay .  .  .
to get a flat base for gluing.
Next, place flowers on a baking tray and bake in a 275 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, following package directions. Remove from oven and let cool. 
Glue cooled flowers onto vase using RapidFuse all purpose adhesive. Hold in place for 30-60 seconds or more until set. I love that the clay color blends in with the vase for a natural rustic look!
And finally, arrange roses on vase for a decorative look!
What an easy way to beautify and upcycle a plain thrift store item!
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post also contains affiliate links.  I may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra.  The affiliate money I earn per month helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!



And now for more thrifty goodness!








The Rules:


  • Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
  • There's no monthly theme.
  • There's no budget to stick to.

Meet the Hosts:

Make sure you follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!

Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Chunky Yarn Wall Hanging

Welcome to the May Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop hosted by Erlene @ My Pinterventures.  If you aren't familiar with the Pinterest Challenge, it's a monthly event that challenges us to not just be pin hoarders, but to make it happen!
Wall hangings are very popular in home decor these days - especially the handcrafted ones like macrame! And you can find lots of designs and patterns on Pinterest to choose from. Plus, wall hangings are an easy way to fill up that bare spot or empty wall space! But some of us are a bit intimidated by all those macrame knots! So here's a fun and incredibly simple way to achieve a fabulous, similiar look using chunky yarn and decorative trim of wrapped wire tubes. 

Materials needed:

Chunky yarn - 32 yard bundle
Tree stick
Jute twine
Scissors/wire cutters
Floral wire (5pkgs - Dollar Tree) 
Hairpin (make a narrow "u" shape out of floral wire)

I found a stick from our backyard tree trimming and tied jute twine on each end for hanging.
Next, measure the length desired - for me it was 30 inches and double that measurement to 60 inches.  Then cut the yarn into thirteen strips. Next, take each yarn piece and fold in half forming a loop on one end.

Make a lark's head knot (macrame) by placing the loop over the stick.
With the loop hanging down over the stick, pull the two yarn strands through the loop around the stick.
Pull and tighten the knot. 
Then tie 12 more lark's head knots with the yarn strips on the stick. This is the only macrame knot used in this wall hanging!


Next, for a decorative look, make wire tubes to add to the yarn strips!  And you won't believe how easy they are to make.  Just by wrapping floral wire around a small dowel rod .  .  .
to form a long spiral tube.
And then cutting off the tubes every tenth spiral using wire cutters.
The tubes are about 1 inches high and 5 packs from the Dollar Tree makes about 34 tubes.

Use a make-shift hairpin of floral wire to thread the yarn through the wire tubes, skipping the first yarn strip and connecting the next two, etc.

Push the wire tube up the yarn strip to just 4 inches below the stick.  Then I changed my design and decided to place the tubes in a chevron pattern .  .  .

adjusting the tubes slightly below each one and adding them to the single yarn strips, too.
Once that row was completed, the second row of tubes was placed about 7 inches below the first following the chevron design.


And finally, trimmed the yarn ends in a chevron pattern, too!

 I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post also contains affiliate links.  I may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra.  The affiliate money I earn per month helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

To join next month's #pinterestchallenge, click here to sign-up ⇒ June Pinterest Challenge

Let's meet this month's Pinterest Challenge hosts!

My Pinterventures •  Cookies Coffee and Crafts

Sew Crafty Crochet   Sum of their Stories  

  Eye Love Knots  •  This Autoimmune Life  

  Love My Little Cottage •  Across the Boulevard  

 Suzerspace  •  Simple Nature Decor    

Purple Hues and Me  • Decorate and More with Tip 

Mom Home Guide •  Our Unschooling Journey 

Intelligent Domestications •  Alayna's Creations 

Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen •  K's Olympic Nest 

Our Crafty Mom  •  Hello Central Avenue    

Making Manzanita 


Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop

Now, let's see what the other hosts have created ⇓⇓