Frequently Asked Questions

Questions and Answers:

Question: You have a lot of great ideas! Where do you get them all?

Answer: I get inspiration from other blogs, other art and design projects I see around, and of course, the dollar store itself! Also, many of the ideas featured on this blog are from other blogs! Check for links at the end of the first paragraph to visit them. [the links look like this]

Question: Can you give me more instruction on how <insert project here> was done? I don’t quite get it!

Answer: If a tutorial is located at someone else’s page (as approximately 90% of the projects featured on Dollar Store Crafts are), I make a point of not including ALL the info (the complete tutorial instructions) for the project in my blog entry, because I want to encourage people to visit the original project to see how to do it.  I don’t like it when people copy my tutorials in entirety and post them on their own blogs, so I don’t do that to others. For more info, check the link at the end of the first paragraph in the blog post you are interested in. It’s enclosed in brackets and [it looks like this.]

Question: Can I submit my ideas?

Answer: YES! If you have already made your own dollar store craft, please send me a link to your blog or website (where you originally posted it), OR send me details and a photo, or post on the Facebook page. While I can’t promise all ideas submitted will be featured on the site, I try hard to showcase as many reader submissions as I can! My email address is heather <at> dollarstorecrafts *dot* com. Note about photos: Please don’t send ginormous photos! And, the clearer and prettier the photo is, the more likely I am to use your idea as a feature. Note about response time: I get a ton of submissions and email in general, and so you might not hear back from me, or it might take awhile for me to write you back. Don’t worry, I still like you! Email me anytime.

Question: Hey! That craft looks an awful lot like something I already posted on my own blog! Did you steal it?

Answer: Nope! I (and my contributors) make efforts to credit all the people involved in blog posts. Sometimes DSC will feature a project that strongly resembles others available on the web; chances are, we weren’t aware of yours when we wrote our post. The web is wide, my friends, and lots of ideas have been done before. Sometimes I come up with something all on my own that someone else (usually Martha Stewart!!) has already done. This is part of the mystery of the collective unconscious. But for real, I said I don’t like it when people steal my tutorials, so I don’t do that to others. If something I write strongly resembles yours, let’s just chalk it up to being kindred spirits/of the same mind, okay? ‘Cause I promise I’m not the plagiarizin’ kind. But feel free to write me a friendly comment or email and point out your own awesome tutorial. If you’re nice, I’ll probably link to it. If you’re mean, I probably won’t. I believe the web is at its best when we are kind and friendly and generous. If you’ve posted a tute for free on your blog, then let the tute be free. I’ll set the example and provide all the tutorials I write for Dollar Store Crafts to you for free!

Question: Can you make it possible to enlarge the print on your site so those of us who need it larger can read it easier?

You can do this on any webpage through your browser. For example, if you use Firefox to browse the internet, you can adjust the print by holding down the CTRL key and using your scroll wheel to scroll forward (or the + and – keys). Then you can adjust the print to a comfortable size. Here’s a page with instructions for other types of web browsers (if you use Internet Explorer or another browser, it will be covered here): Adjusting Text Size in Your Browser.

Question: Why do you have advertising and affiliate marketing links on your site?

Answer: This site is a for-profit site. That doesn’t mean we have sold out or will allow our editorial content to be compromised. We think writing for Dollar Store Crafts is the best job ever, and this site is one of the best on the web. Our first priority is to keep Dollar Store Crafts awesome!

We love making dollar store crafts, and writing this blog, and we want to keep improving this site and the original content we bring you. We can keep bringing you awesome content for free by selling advertising (through an advertising network, Google ads, or directly to advertisers), by sharing sponsored posts or giveaways (with our honest opinions, always) or by sharing deals we find on sites like Amazon.com, DollarTree.com or Oriental Trading Company. We are dedicated to bringing you good ideas and helping you SAVE money.

We don’t want you to buy anything you wouldn’t otherwise be buying, but if you ARE buying, then you might as well help support your favorite blog, right? Every time you click on an ad or affiliate link, we am able to bring you better content. Heather says: “My promise to you is that I LOVE THIS SITE and I LOVE DOLLAR STORE CRAFTING and all I want to do is craft and share my projects for free!”

Did you know, that because of the income we receive from the ads and other promotions on Dollar Store Crafts, I have been able to hire our awesome editor Rhonda, as well as commission custom tutorials from our other contributors?

9 Comments
  • Larry Danler

    Hi, I am referring to a tutitorial by Ann On May 9,2010 on how to “Crackle Paint with Elmer’s Glue”. I need help badly. Can anyone tell me how to OR what to use to crackle a clear top coat? I am trying to crackle my paintings, but if I use a colored top coat to crackle the glue, the paint covers up the painting, therefore I need some type of amber (old, old, look) tinted CLEAR coat that will Crackle. Thank you very much, Larry

  • rhonda

    We’ve asked our readers for ideas; see what they have to say here. Hope that helps! :)

  • J Madden

    Why can’t I go to previous pages?

  • heather

    @J Madden, can you describe what you are trying to do specifically? What are you clicking on? And from where?

    Thanks!

  • Willa Burney

    I signed up for emails AND liked them on Facebook. PS I just found your site yesterday, and I can’t stay off of it! LOVE!!!

  • Stephanie Evans

    Any ideas what I can create with used plastic Medicine Containers. I have all shapes and sizes, and the labels peel off easily. I just hate to waste them. Any ideas?

  • Hilda

    In response to what to do with medicine bottles,,,,,,, I am a painter. I paint outside and hate carrying any extra stuff, so I put my painting medium in an old fairly small prescription or medicine bottle and clip it to my palette with a spring clip,take the top off and I am set to go. If the top works well sometimes I just stick in my pocket til I get
    to the painting spot. Works great! Hilda

  • Pat Morrison

    While looking at the river stone placemat the last item said:
    e6000 what is that. I thought it might be a glue of some sort.
    Thanks Pat

  • Michelle

    In response to Pat Mortison, you are right e6000 is a glue. I use it for mosaic glass work. I purchase on amazon, michaels, Joanne’s, or any craft store. Hope that helps.