I could not start writing this post fast enough when I saw this adorable DIY sewing-themed chess set from Stash Books. The chessboard is a small quilt, and all the pieces are made of various sewing-related items put together to represent various chess pieces. The pawns are bobbins on blocks, the knights are teeny scissors inside spools, and the King and Queen are spools + …

I love old rotary phones.  I love their squat, curvy look, the clickity-click sound they make when you spin the dial, and even the loud, fire-alarm-like ringer.  But I’m a cell-phone-only girl, so my lack of a land line means I have no use for one.  That is, unless I were to tear one apart and make this awesome rotary phone purse from Chica and …

There are a few bloggers out there that are crafting along with Project Runway All Stars, including Erika (and her furry buddy Sebastian) from Sew DoggyStyle.  They’re taking a four-legged twist on each challenge, starting with the first episode’s dollar store challenge.  She went to Dollar Tree on a $30 budget and bought all kinds of crazy stuff, then came home and formulated an outfit …

Last year, I got my first Mark Montano book, and I discovered that Mark and I are kindred cheap-craftin’ spirits. He recently sent me his most recent Big Ass book, The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 to review. Mark is the King of dollar store crafting — did you know he literally wrote the book on dollar store decor? it’s called Dollar Store Decor, …

Every year after the gifts have been ripped open and it’s time to clean up the aftermath, I feel terrible about throwing away all of the pretty ribbons and bows.  If you’re looking for a crafty excuse to squirrel some of those package embellishments away, you could use them to make a headband like this one by Lucinda from Sew Wrong.  You could also wrap …

If you’ve ever checked out the forks at the dollar store, you’ve probably noticed that they generally aren’t the sturdiest cutlery in the world.  But if you’re looking for a project that requires bending a fork, they are absolutely perfect!  Stacie from Stars for Streetlights made a great video tutorial showing how to coax and bend a utensil into a unique accessory.  They would be …

What do you do when you really want something you can’t find?  You fake it!  Rose from Projectville kept seeing photos of antlers being used to store jewelry, scarves, and hats, but she couldn’t find a set of real antlers anywhere.  By manipulating cardboard and wire into a base for papier mache, she whipped up fun faux set instead!  She gave hers a bright, wacky …

These candy jars please me on several levels. One, I love the technique Jess from Mad in Crafts used to transform dollar store jars into bright and colorful holiday candy jars. Two, the cheeky labels on the jars almost trick you into breaking your diet and eating a piece or three of your favorite holiday treat. Of course we all need a set of these …

In case you’ve lost count, Thanksgiving is now just three days away!  Have you hit panic mode yet?  If you’re hosting a family dinner or you are looking for a fun dish to pass as a guest, everyone will be delighted when they see these chocolate covered pilgrim hat treats.  Jamie from The Crafting Chicks made them last year with her kiddos, and it sounds …

This holiday season, don’t let your pet go without a little wardrobe. Make your favorite furbaby a jaunty holiday hat, perfect for caroling with the Dickensian singing group, a special holiday party, or for the big day itself. Our model Sebastian is raising the bar this Holiday with something other than the typical Santa Hat.