Okay, if we’re being honest dollar store crafts have never been my thing! However, with the current world pandemic, we’re all in the money-saving mode.
So, I figured why not jump on the dollar store bang wagon?
Besides, I don’t know about you, but the decorations in my home make it FEEL homey, and I’m not ready to deprive myself of home decor quite yet!
Plus, crafting is an excellent way to stay within budget and make perfect personalized additions, big and small, to every room of the house. “How can I find everything I need at the dollar store? Where do I even begin to look once I’m there?”
All good questions. Let’s start with two words: Crafter’s Square.
What?!
What Is Crafters Square At Dollar Tree?
What is this Crafter’s Square I speak of? Every DIYer’s happy place. Crafter’s Square is a new addition to (now all!) Dollar Tree stores that stock a multitude of craft supplies ranging from craft containers to blank slate wood products, yarn, paint supplies, ribbon, bare wreaths, and florals, etc.
It’s also stocked with other supplies you need for creating, like adhesives, glues, cutting tools, markers, and Craft Kits for those of us who can’t seem to think up that fresh idea we want.
Crafter’s Square carries supplies ranging from children’s crafts to adult arts. In other words, it’s a budget-friendly, one-stop craft shop. Yup, I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s every DIYer’s happy place!
Do It Yourself Projects For Home Decor?
Today, though, let’s find out how to make one insanely easy and adorable do-it-yourself project that can go anywhere in your home.
You know when you’re roaming around the malls or home decor stores, and they have those small wooden plaques with sassy sayings on them that you could place in just about every room of your house? I know you do.
I’m sure if you haven’t bought one already, you’ve definitely contemplated it. Well, today, that’s our project.
Quick Farmhouse Dollar Store Crafts
Supplies Needed:
Our basic supplies include some 5×5 wooden square plaques you can find in the Crafter’s Square at the Dollar Tree, acrylic colored paint(s), and paintbrush(es), and I will be using my Cricut Joy for the vinyl sayings to put on my plaques.
Don’t have a Cricut and still want to make these? No worries, I’ve got you covered. But, we’ll get to that in a few.
Paint your crafters block the color of your choice and create your custom stencils. For this tutorial, I created my stencils using my Cricut Joy and the designs were FREE in their design space app.
When stenciling your wording use an up and down motion to prevent the paint from leaking underneath the vinyl.
Once your wood is painted on both sides and thoroughly dry, let’s get wordy. Using the Cricut Joy, or any other Cricut machine, you have some options.
You can create a stencil to paint the words and designs out, or you can cut out the vinyl sayings and apply them onto the wood directly.
A nice option is applying two different sayings on the front and the back so you can alternate between them. I chose the sayings, “Living that home school life” and “I drink coffee for your protection” for both sides of my wooden plaque as a gift for my stay-at-home mama friend.
I used my Cricut to create a saying for one side with “Fresh Soap & Water Hand Towels Free” and the other side with “Wash DRY Fold” to give a hint to the laundry department!
Distress and Protect Your Wood Blocks
If you want to add some character to your painted piece, take some sandpaper and distress it a bit. This can create a nice farmhouse-style look. You could also grab a natural bath sponge at the Dollar Tree and sponge another color on top of your base for added texture and contrast. Get creative!
Remember, these are very easy to sand down and re-paint, so don’t feel stuck if you don’t like the color you chose or decide to change up the colors in the future.
To give your pieces that finished look add a thin layer of Mod Podge which will help protect it. If you haven’t worked with Mod Podge yet you can learn more about it HERE.
Additional Ways To Personalized Your Crafts
Since the light wood grain is already a neutral go-to, you could opt-out of painting them and use your Cricut machine to add numbers, letters, and even pictures to match the alphabet letters on opposite sides of the blocks. They would make admirable home decor for a nursery or party decorations for a baby shower.
If you don’t have the Cricut and still want to apply a personalized saying, you are not lost without options! The dollar store is full of stencils in the Crafter’s Square to mix and match and create your own designs and sayings using another colored acrylic paint to layer on top of your base.
An additional dollar store alternative to the cut vinyl from the Cricut Joy is a freezer or wax paper transfer. This is a very easy substitute.
Tape your freezer paper onto a regular piece of copy paper. Print your design directly onto your freezer paper (remember for words, you may need to print a mirrored version) and put ink side down onto your wooden block.
Be careful not to move your freezer paper around so it does not smudge.
Press down and scrape using a credit card, sturdy piece of cardboard, or anything of the like to transfer. Voilá!
I’ll be adding a post in the near future to show this technique so stay tuned!
You’re complete! You can create your own designs (for FREE!) on Monkeypixel.com and Canva.com.
Dollar Store Crafts Are Great For Parties and Gifting
First and foremost, why take the time to make these? Will they really make a difference in my decor? These personalized wooden pieces are excellent home decor elements to bring out YOUR personality in YOUR home.
Not only that, but they can also be really thoughtful home decor gifts for friends and family! The housewarming gift you’ve been wondering what to buy for weeks now is solved! Baby on the way?
Paint the wooden block the color of the nursery in the works, and add a sweet baby saying and their name on the other side.
Antsy for a COVID safe girls night? Make some goody bags with all the necessary supplies from Dollar Tree and drop them off at the ladies’ homes. It won’t cost you an arm and a leg to supply, and you can pre-make the Cricut vinyl designs and include them in the goody bags for them to apply on their own.
You’ll be the queen of the ‘Girl’s night in’ on Zoom after that! Bottom line- the versatility is limitless, and the tailor-made effort you put forth will touch the hearts and bring joy to all those you are giving a gift to.
Take Aways
There you have it! An easy dollar store crafts that don’t break the bank and are super cute! The best part about these custom wooden blocks is that they are so multipurpose. Create them as gifts for any occasion, and of course, use them for party decor! Need table numbers or centerpiece accents? Done!
Buying smaller wooden blocks and stands can make an economical and custom favor for your guests, too. Need to tie in your theme a little more on the dinner buffet or have a menu list? Buy a larger block of wood to display as a menu. I can’t forget to mention that you can also create a stockpile of colors and sayings for changing seasonal decor around your home and front porch.
If you ever get bored or want to re-use your supplies, you can always update the design with no additional spending or only for a few dollars. Make those phrases and mottos as sweet or as sassy as you’d like. What are you waiting for? Go grab your goodies from Crafter’s Square and give them a try!
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