Thank you to all the readers who have made this such a fun year for hip crafts made from stuff you find at the dollar store. I’ve only been writing this blog for a few months, but here are my favorite Dollar Store Crafts projects from 2008:
How to Make Tattooed Soap
Fifty Cent Chipmunk from a glove
Make a Pocket Advent Calendar Using Gum
…

With a clever trick, a recycled CD case becomes a clever display for a desk calendar. Make your own calendar design, or download mine* (if you like pirates!). In Windows, Right click and Save Link As to save it.
Project Materials:

CD case
Paper
Computer printer or copy machine
Paper cutter (not required, but helpful!)

To make:
1. Make calendar pages. I made mine in Photoshop and InDesign, but you can use …

Use rubber stamps and a fabric-friendly stamp pad to make these adorable tea towels. Use the fabric paint stamp pad project to dispense your fabric paint. [Project: Design Sponge]
Project Estimate:

rubber stamps, $1 or on hand
dish towel, $1
fabric-friendly stamp pad

Total Cost: $2

Want to make a reusable grocery bag (handmade or embellished) and swap with someone else? Come join my swap on Swap-bot!

Location:
International

Last day to signup/drop:
January 7, 2009

Date items must be sent by:
January 31, 2009

Number of swap partners:
1

Description:

What We’re Swapping: ONE Reusable Shopping Bag/Tote, must be handmade or a readymade bag that is embellished. Please check your partner’s profile and try to create something with your …

You don’t have to blow a lot of cash to make jewelry! Next time you get the itch to go down the jewelry-making aisle at your local craft store (you guys know what I’m talking about!!), go down the sporting goods aisle at your local dollar store first.

Craftster member retro-redux scored these fishing accessories at the dollar store and transformed them into joining links for …

A 2-fer-1 placemat becomes the pillar shade of a cool decorative flower-themed lamp in this dollar store project. Add a fancy saucer and a nightlight, and you have one cool lamp. Also try it without the saucer, for the ultimate tightwad decorative light fixture. (project: fluffypants)
Project Estimate:

Placemat, 2 for $1
Saucer $1
Nightlight $1
Extension Cord $1
Stickers $1

Total cost: $4.50
The original project didn’t include the extension cord in …

I have always wanted to make my own cookie cutters but cutting up tin cans just seemed like more trouble than it’s worth, plus I can never find our tin snips. Enter Making Do With the Not So New, a great frugality blog with lots of creative ideas for using what you have. She came up with the brilliant idea of cutting up a soda …

Jezze recently shared how to make your own stamp pad using a recycled CD jewel case. This is so clever – I absolutely love it! She uses this for stamping on fabric. I love carving my own stamps and then using them on fabric! Now I can print with fabric-friendly ink or paint! [click here for COMPLETE instructions on Jezze's blog]
Project Estimate:

stamp, on hand
a flat …

Allie from No Time for Flash Cards posted this sweet wreath project that uses a dollar store garland to create a little wreath. She cleverly used a paper plate as a wreath form! I love the pom-pom decorations, too!
This would be a great project for kids, or a good office or cubicle decoration!
Project Estimate:

Paper plate, $1
Greenery garland, $1
Pom poms, $1
Ribbon, on hand
Hot glue gun, on …

Deep Inside Missy posted a photo of her crocheted candy garland mere hours after I posted the project! A testament to how easy that project is! Yay! She said:
It was stupid easy, and if you know how to chain stitch (which takes approx. 5 minutes or less to learn) 6ft takes 15 minutes. Now to figure out where I’m going to string up the half …