No matter how small your budget, this is a diamond necklace you will be able to afford!  It was designed by Clemence of Oh the lovely things, who also made a printable template you can use to make your own diamond shape!  The shape is cut from scrap leather; if you you don't have any bits of leather laying around, look for cheap leather items (or fake leather items!) at thrift stores.  You could also make them in many other shapes, or make them out of any suitable materials you happen to have laying around.  [how to make a geometric diamond necklace]

Project estimate:

• Scrap leather, on hand
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Diamond printable, free
• Awl or nail, on hand
• Chain, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  Free and up

If the special someone in your life doesn't go for frivolous gifts, they will surely appreciate a functional Valentine's Day gift like this adorable "love" key holder.  Over at Mod Podge Rocks!, Man Podger Walter used an unfinished, heart-shaped frame from the $1 section at Michael's as the starting point for a useful key station that will also remind you of the one you love every time you come and go.  It's both practical and romantic, a difficult balance to find!  [how to make a Valentine's Day key holder]

Project estimate:

• Unfinished heart frame, $1 at Michael's
• Wooden heart shapes, $1
• Screw hooks, $1
• Scrapbook paper, on hand
• Paint, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Rubber stamps, on hand
• Ink pad, on hand
• Screws, on hand or $1
• Photo, on hand

Total:  $3 and up

I've been needing new light switch plates in my house for a long time, but since they have to meet two strict standards to be considered - they have to be pretty and very cheap - covering all of my switches has been a long, slow process.  It's pretty easy to find inexpensive plates for single switches, but when it came to the triple switch in my kitchen, I had a little more of a challenge.  Then one day I found a wooden triple switchplate at the Habitiat for Humanity ReStore for a quarter!  It had a beat-up, dark finish, but I liked the shape of it, and I really liked the price, so it came home with me.  Inspired by a vintage cast iron light switch plate, I gave it an embossed makeover.  Believe it or not, the dimensional designs on the surface were made using rubber stamps!  Head over to Decor Hacks to see how it was done.  [how to make a vintage-inspired light switch plate]

Project estimate:

• Light switch plate, on hand or $1
• Sandpaper, on hand or $1
• Spray primer, on hand or $1 and up
• Paint, on hand or $1
• Rubber stamps, on hand
• Pigment ink pad, on hand or about $3 and up
• Embossing powder, on hand or about $2 and up
• Heat gun or blow dryer, on hand

Total:  Free and up

Did you ever do string art as a child?  You know, the kind where you arrange nails or pins in a pattern and then wrap string around them.  The other day as I was hunting for Valentine- and heart-themed crafts, I came across a string art heart at Make Grow Gather made with straight pins stuck into a bulletin board.  My gears started turning and I had an "A-ha!" moment:  What if I made string art on a bulletin board, then spray painted over it, using the string like a stencil?  Would it look as cool as I saw it in my head?  There was only one way to find out, so I gathered up a few supplies and got to work.

Project estimate:

• Bulletin board, $1 and up
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Paper, on hand
• Push pins, on hand
• String or yarn, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

I used a 12 x 12 inch cork tile for my bulletin board, which I found at a local discount store in a four-pack for about $6, or about $1.50 per tile.  (Which is making me tempted to cork up a whole wall!)  Paint the tile in the color you want the shape to be.  I wanted red for my heart, so I picked a nice, bright shade of Martha Stewart multi-surface craft paint called habanero.  I could have just painted the area where I wanted the heart, but I was concerned about how the cork would soak up the paint, so to make sure I had an even finish I went ahead and painted the whole thing.  This will take more paint than you expect because the cork will suck it right in!  You may need to add a second or third coat to get even color.

Cut a heart out of paper to use as a template.  Decide where you want the heart to be positioned on the bulletin board and place the heart there.  Using push pins, outline the heart shape.  Place the pins so that they go around the edges of the paper, but don't put the pins through the paper.  Once all of the pins are in place, remove the paper template.

Tie one end of the string to a push pin and start wrapping.  There is no right or wrong way to do this!  When you're happy with the design, tie off the other end of the string.  Push string down on the push pins so that it is as close to the surface of the cork as possible.

Now it's time to spray paint!  Apply light, even coats of a contrasting color (I chose white) across the tile.  Don't be too heavy-handed with the paint or you will lose the string details!  Paint just enough to cover up the base color.

When the paint dries, pull out the push pins.  As you remove the pins and string, your design will be revealed!  If you want, you can add extra details or embellishments to the design.

I used a pencil eraser and glitter paint to add some sparkle to the heart's outline.  Did it turn out as cool as I saw it in my head?  Nope, it turned out even better!

Color blocking is all the rage these days, everywhere from interior design to fashion.  Even shoes!  You could shell out a bunch of money for designer color blocked shoes, like $215 at Saks Fifth Avenue for some Dolce Vita color blocked shoes, or you could take a cue from Elsie and Emma at A Beautiful Mess and makeover a pair of shoes you already have laying around!  They remind me of Oxfords (which I've always loved) and offer a great way to dress up a plain pair into something more fashion-forward without the hefty price tag.  [how to give shoes a color blocked makeover]

Project estimate:

• Shoes or boots, on hand or $1 and up
• Paint, on hand

Total:  Free and up

Maybe you have a family heirloom ring that you would like to display.  Maybe you want a pretty place to put your own ring when you are doing the dishes.  Whatever your reason for making them, these recycled egg carton ring holders by Kathy at Merriment Design are ingenious!  She cleverly manipulated the egg carton and transformed it so completely that no one will ever guess what you used to make it.  And they cost just about nothing to create!  [how to make recycled egg carton ring displays]

Project estimate:

• Egg carton, on hand
• Metal washer, on hand or about 5 cents
• Paint, on hand
• X-acto knife, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free or about 5 cents

Every time I wander through the craft store, I always ponder uses for all of the pre-cut wooden shapes.  Here's one that I never thought of:  Jamie from C.R.A.F.T. (Creating Really Awesome Free Things), inspired by her brother's love of Rubik's cubes, made him a wooden cube puzzle as a gift.  It's such a fun idea, and it's great for puzzle lovers of all ages!  Made by carefully arranging and gluing 27 little wooden cubes, it's a challenge that will really get your brain moving.  Jamie's wooden cubes came in packages of 72, so you can make a couple of puzzle cubes out of the supplies you'll need to gather up.  [how to make a wooden cube puzzle]

Project estimate:

• Wooden cubes, about $3
• Glue, on hand
• Cotton swabs, on hand
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  about $3 and up

File this one under "clever Christmas decor ideas."  Using two of DSC's favorite supplies, foam balls and mardi gras beads, Amanda from Crafts by Amanda made a festive and adorable garland of snowman heads!  The secret ingredient in this project is DecoArt's MagiKote, a product that gives styrofoam a sandable, paintable surface.  You can also adapt this idea for all kinds of other holidays and events: leprechauns for St. Patrick's Day, bunny heads for Easter, baby faces for a shower, beach balls for a pool party...  What other occasions can you think of that would work with this craft?  [how to make a snowman garland]

Project estimate:

• Foam balls, on hand or $1 and up
• MagiKote, about $5 and up
• Paint, on hand
• Sharpie, on hand
• Mardi gras beads, $1
• Toothpicks, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

I love bringing natural elements into projects.  They're timelessly beautiful, they remind me of my favorite outdoor places, and my favorite part, craft supplies from nature are free!  Michelle from Sweet Something Designs is a master of the bringing-the-outdoors-in look, using things like pinecones and acorn caps to create her masterpieces.  If you have an oak tree nearby, it will provide you with the fodder you need for this project.  I love how a simple, ordinary object like an acorn cap takes on an entirely different and chic look when repeated!  [how to make an acorn cap Christmas ornament]

Project estimate:

• Acorn caps, free
• Paint, on hand
• Styrofoam ball, on hand or $1
• Twine, on hand or $1
• Wire, on hand
• Ribbon, on hand
• Glitter, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

Malia from Yesterday on Tuesday gets huge bonus points for originality with this project; I've never seen anyone decorate a wreath with sugar cones before!  Taking a sweet new twist on the cone Christmas trees that are popular in both styrofoam and paper forms, she decked out some cones in an equally sweet color palette and attached them to a sparkly, tinsel-wrapped wreath.  If wreaths aren't your thing, the sugar cone trees could be worked into any number of other projects as well.  [how to make an ice cream cone wreath]

Project estimate:

• Wreath form, $1 and up
• Tinsel garland, $1 and up
• Sugar cones, $1 and up
• Paint, on hand
• Glitter, on hand
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Epsom salt, on hand
• Twine, on hand or $1
• Pearlized sprinkles (or small beads), on hand
• Pom poms, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $3 and up