Since last summer, I have been fascinated with the concept of the solar cooker. A solar cooker is a device that uses reflectors to capture and magnify the rays of the sun into heat that cooks your food. This sounds like it would be so great during the hot days of summer when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen with the oven! Solar …

Take some dollar store speakers and embed them in a stuffed animal or two for some quirky-cute speakers for your favorite music listener. The dollar store electronics aisle is often neglected on this blog. It’s not because I don’t love that section (because I totally do!), but more because I’m more comfortable with a sewing machine or hot glue gun than I am with a …

With some clever cutting and folding, a clear plastic soda bottle headed for the recycling bin can be given new life as a pretty vase. Although this blog is dedicated to making stuff with supplies you can buy at the Dollar Store, my readers have shown that they also appreciate projects that use recycled materials in clever ways, too. Since other soda bottle recycling projects …

I love placemat crafts, and I love backpacks. Put the two together and what do you get? A backpack made out of a placemat! Christy from Craftygal posted a tutorial on making a backpack using four placemats (and two ties for the straps! Love that!).
Choose some sturdy placemats with interfacing in them from the dollar store, and get to work! You might also be able …

Apparently measuring tapes are inspiring me this week, since this is the third project I’ve brought you that uses measuring tapes. You have to see this thread at Craftster wherein user BigMouth posted about six different woven measuring tape projects! I love the yellow pouch with the ric rac accent- too cute! The red and black one with the big black button was made with …

Reader Judy Streger tipped me off about her amazing experimentation with plastic Easter grass to create a substance much like Angelina Fiber. She also had to tip me off about what exactly Angelina Fiber is, but once I found out (an iridescent fusible fiber used for fabric, paper, and other crafting), I was impressed with her findings! You can find Easter grass a-plenty at the …

The winning number for the Button It Up contest is 55! The 55th comment belongs to Kerri of Mrs Twigg, who had this memorable comment to share:

Congratulations, Kerri, and thanks to everyone who participated in this contest! It was so successful, I plan on having many more in the future!

Craftster user stargirl52 made a quick and cute belt out of a measuring tape and a vintage belt buckle. Cloth tape measures can readily be found at your dollar store, or in the sewing department of any craft or department store. They come in many different colors and widths, and are inexpensive. [click here for project]
You can reinforce the tape with clear packing tape or …

Reader Leanne at SeetheWoodsandtheTrees made an adorable little dollhouse with her daughter using recycled catalogs and magazines. This is so cute! I love the little clothesline. This project is a great way to use up extra cardboard and other stuff you have lying around. Your child will love using his or her imagination in this innovative dollhouse!
Project Estimate:

Recycled cardboard, on hand
Glue stick or other glue, …

Sukigirl made a very cute covered tape measure using stuff she got at the dollar store. I love covered measuring tapes – such a great canvas for creative crafting. You can put just about any motif you can imagine on a cover for a measuring tape! This one uses a rustic heart and button. So cute! If you have felted sweater scraps on hand, you …