What You'll Need (the stuff I used most)
I spent way too much time at Dollar Tree and came home with a car full of stuff. Here's what actually worked.
- E6000 glue
- Hot glue gun
- Rust-Oleum spray paints (various colors)
- Quick Crete
- Painter's tape
- Foam brushes
- Sandpaper
- Wire cutters
The Projects That Actually Turned Out Good
Glass Candle Holder
I found this textured vase and a matching plate at Dollar Tree. Put E6000 along the top of the vase, set the plate on top, let it dry overnight. For that see-through black look, I used Rust-Oleum Lens Tint from the car section at Walmart. One light coat. Works perfect.
Square Candle
Clean out a Tropicana juice container. Cut off the top. Melt candle wax in an old pot (two bags of wax melts for this size), pour it in. Put the wick in the center, hold it in place with a craft stick and painter's tape. Let it dry overnight, peel off the paper. Looks like the $40 ones at the home stores.
Cement Mushroom Figurine
Found a mushroom figurine at Dollar Tree. Sprayed it with cement spray paint, two coats on each side. Matte gray finish. That's it.
Bamboo Ring Wall Art
Get the bamboo rings from Crafter's Square. Arrange them on the floor, take a picture to check the layout (this tip actually helps). Hot glue them together. Spray with two coats of black Rust-Oleum. Hang on a nail.
Concrete Succulent Planter
Three Dollar Tree boards. Cut one in half. Drill three holes in the top board. Glue the sides together with E6000, add tiny screws on the bottom. Use snow cone paper cups as molds (paper peels off easy). Fill with Quick Crete mixed to pudding consistency. Let dry overnight, peel the paper. Cut the stems off Dollar Tree succulents, glue them on the concrete with E6000 and hot glue. Add moss around the edges.
Stained Scallop Tray
Found this in the Dollar Tree Plus section for $5. Stain it with a medium color, wipe off excess, dry overnight. Tape off a rectangle on the base. Paint the scallop edge and the rectangle black with a foam brush. Pull the tape off immediately. Done.
Pottery Barn Bathroom Set
Get the soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, soap dish, and trash can. Tape off the lids. Spray with Sand Dollar color, two coats. The trash can might need three. Add texture spray in the same color. Seal with matte sealer. Rub 'n Buff the edges gold, then mute it with cream sample paint.
Bamboo Cutting Board Tray
Pull 11 beads off the medium-tone wreath. Hot glue them around the edge of the cutting board, alternating sides. Repeat on the other side with 11 more beads.
Strainer Paint Pour Canvas
Fill a glass with paint pour colors (add lots of white). Put a kitchen strainer on top, place your canvas on the strainer, flip it all over. Move the cup around, lift it up. Lift the strainer. Move the paint slowly to cover the edges without losing the texture.
Sponge Painted Eucalyptus Vase
Spray the slender vase with Sand Dollar, two coats. Cut a sponge into small pieces. Use brown, gold, and cream paints. Start with dark colors, finish with cream to blend it all.
Wood Bookends
Cut three pieces from four wood plaques: large, medium, small. Sand them. Stain the small one natural, medium one medium, large one dark. Let dry overnight. Glue them together with E6000, keeping the bottoms level.
Spackle Rainbow Tray
Spread spackling on a foam board with a putty knife. Use a trowel to create waves. Clean up the edges with the putty knife. Dry overnight. Cut the edges with a sharp X-Acto knife. Paint with Red End Point mixed with baking soda for texture.
Burlap Earring Display
Remove everything from a Dollar Tree frame. Pull out the backing pieces. Iron the burlap. Hot glue it on one edge, pull tight, glue the other side. Fold the sides in, glue. Put it on a DIY'd easel.
Fabric Circle Wall Art
Mod Podge the front of a circle canvas. Wrap a pillowcase halfway around, hot glue the back. Scrunch the fabric, hold with clothes pins. Cut off excess. Keep scrunching and gluing. Add more Mod Podge. Dry overnight. Spray paint cream, then ivory while wet, then stone spray paint on top.
Brown Marble Tray
Remove the hanger from a wood circle, fill the holes with wood filler. Spray white, two coats. Mix white pouring paint with pouring medium, cover the circle. Mix brown acrylics to get the right color. Add brown and black Dollar Tree pour paint on top. Draw veins with a bamboo skewer. Dry overnight. Wrap a thrift store vase with wood contact paper from Dollar Tree. Glue the marble piece on top.
Quick Crete Candles
Rinse juice containers, cut off the tops. Cut scrap wood pieces to different heights. Put them in the corners of the containers. Mix Quick Crete to pudding consistency, pour in, holding the wood pieces in place. Press a tea light into the top. Dry 5 hours or overnight. Peel off the paper. Scrape off excess Quick Crete from the wood. Let dry overnight again.
Cleaning Brush Vase
Tape off the bottom third of a large thrift store vase. Wrap craft paper around the top, tape it. Flip it over. Dip a cleaning brush into white paint pour paint, dab it on. Repeat with cream, then black. Let dry, remove tape and paper.
Black Spackle Canvas
Spread spackling on a black canvas. Press down with a paper towel for texture. Run a trowel across the bottom for a clean line. Dry overnight. Paint with black sample paint, two coats.
Wood Block Tray
Sand two wood blocks. Hot glue wood beads along the base of one. Glue the other on top. Add smaller beads as legs. Stain with golden oak, wipe off excess.
Spackle Flower Pot
Put spackling on the back of a trowel. Press it onto the planter, pulling down to create petals. Start at the top, go all the way around. Add a second layer between the petals. Work your way down. Dry overnight. Sand the edges lightly. Spray the outside with beige texture spray, the inside with light beige.
Moss Wall Art
Hot glue moss from Dollar Tree onto a canvas in a cascading pattern. Use Mod Podge and a foam brush to cover the rest. Add hot glue in spots if you're worried. Layer different colored mosses. Lean it against a wall to see where you missed. Fill in the gaps.
Ring Organizer
Pull out the drawer of a clear organizer. Mark where a foam curler fits snugly. Cut the foam with scissors. Cut the wire inside with wire cutters. Do this for all the curlers. Remove the white ends. Color the edges with a black Sharpie. Fold burlap twice, cut to size. Hot glue one curler, wrap the burlap, glue. Repeat. Put them in the drawer.
Craft Stick Tray
Hot glue wood sticks onto a large craft stick, staggering them. Continue to the end. Put black rocks in a clear container. Add a candle. Place on the tray.
DIY Sconce
Cut a straight edge on a placemat. Remove staples from a canvas to get a flat piece. Tape two napkin holders together with black electrical tape. Hot glue the placemat to one side, wrap it around, glue the other side. Cut off excess. Cut the black edge off the canvas. Hot glue it to the placemat. Cover the sides with black electrical tape. Hot glue a half craft stick to the back for hanging. Hot glue a puck light to the napkin holder. Hang with command strips.
Dome Candles
Hot glue candles to the center of the black base on three domes. Add moss around the edge. Cut bendable wood to wrap around as a handle. Hot glue it on. Add another piece around the bottom edge, and one halfway up.
Quick Crete Textured Planter
Mix Quick Crete with water until thin. Dip a paper towel in it. Dab it on a thrift store glass container in spots. Dry overnight. Paint with dark gray sample paint, two coats.
Quick Crete Hooks
Mix Quick Crete in three bowls. Keep one plain, add white paint to one, black to another. Pour into square silicone molds. Tap to level. Put hooks on top, cover with more Quick Crete. Hold them upright with paint cans or wood scraps. Add more water if it's too thick. Dry a few hours. Pop out of molds. Dry overnight. Hang with command strips.
Color Block Vases
Remove labels from vases and bowls. Figure out which go together. Pick three spray paint colors (copper, brown, tan). Spray one coat on the back, let dry, flip and spray the front. Two coats total. Glue them together with E6000.
Wood Sculptural Pieces
Remove the hanger from smaller wood pieces. Tape off the edges with frog tape. Fill a dish with cream sample paint. Sprinkle white and black pour paint on top. Swirl with a dowel. Dip the wood slice straight in, pull up. Repeat for a second dip with more white and black. Dry overnight. Stain wood blocks with golden oak. Spray rings matte black. Remove the tape, scrape off excess paint. Glue the wood slices into the rings with E6000. Hot glue a craft stick to the back of a wood block. Glue the ring to the craft stick so it leans.
Green Sea Glass Candle Holders
Spray three-tiered candle holders and tea lights with green sea glass spray paint. Dry. Glue tea lights on top with E6000. Dry overnight. Wrap caning around where the holders meet, hot glue.
IKEA Placemat Wall Art
Wrap green macrame around a placemat seven or eight times. Hot glue on the back. Do another section. Wrap cream macrame over and under the green pieces. Repeat two more times. Hot glue the cream on the back. Do the same on the second piece, moving the green down slightly.
Wallpaper Vase
Wrap Dollar Tree wallpaper around a clear vase. Cut off excess. Peel the backing. Smooth out air bubbles. Tuck the edges in.
Terracotta Succulent Bowl
Cut the lip off a plastic planter base. Spray both pieces with terracotta paint, two coats. Mix black paint with baking soda. Paint the inside of the bowl. Dry. Glue the bowl to the base with E6000. Add succulents.
Wood Shelf with Eucalyptus
Stain two wood shelves with golden oak. Apply eucalyptus stickers from Dollar Tree. Cut off excess. Poke the holes back through with a Cricut tool. Push green macrame cord through the holes. Tie knots on the bottom, cut to about an inch. Set the shelf on a flat surface. Pull all four strings up, tie them. Hang.
Thrift Store Box Makeover
Remove the front piece and hinges from a thrift store box. Wrap with wood contact paper, cut 2 inches taller than the box. Smooth it around. Fold the excess inside. Remove staples from a Dollar Tree canvas. Wrap it around the box top, hot glue the long sides. Tuck and glue the short sides. Poke holes for the handle and hinges. Reattach.
Hello Sign Sculpture
Bend the wires on a hello sign straight. Bend them into a horseshoe shape. Cut the tops even. Cut beads off a wreath. Slide them onto the wire. Hot glue the last bead on each side.
Acrylic Organizer Paint
Tape off the middle of acrylic organizers. Mix black paint with baking soda. Paint the bottom. Two coats. Remove the tape.
Washi Tape Mirrors
Disassemble three circle mirrors. Add washi tape in geometric patterns. Spray with frosted spray paint, one coat. Spray the frames blue, two coats. Remove the tape. Hot glue the mirror to the backing. Put in the frame. Hot glue the back to secure it.
Belt Handle Frames
Stain the darker wood frame with medium stain. Cut a thrift store belt in half lengthwise. Shape the top into a handle. Hot glue to the back. Print 5x7 photos in black and white. Glue to the frames with E6000.
Air Dry Clay Tray
Roll out air dry clay. Press Dollar Tree florals into it. Roll the edges for an organic look. If it cracks, patch with more clay on the back. Use gold Rub 'n Buff to bring out the texture.
Feathered Paint Vase
Spray a clear vase with nutmeg. Cut notches into a flat paint brush with scissors. Dip in cream paint, wipe most off. Paint diagonal strokes. Add horizontal lines.
Cement Candle Holders
Mix Quick Crete to pudding consistency. Fill silicone muffin tins 3/4 full. Press tea lights into some. Fill smaller tins the same way. Dry 3 hours. Pop out. Dry overnight. Glue tea light pieces onto plain pieces with E6000. Support while drying.
Acrylic Drawer Organizer
Remove tags from six clear acrylic drawers. Line them up. Glue the sides together with E6000. Dry overnight.
Tile Tray
Stain a $5 Dollar Tree Plus wood tray with a deep color. Use cream craft paper to make a template inside. Cut two peel and stick tiles to fit. Hot glue them in.
Balloon Art Canvas
Fill balloons with Dollar Tree pour paint using a funnel. Tie them. Pin them to black poster board with push pins. Take it outside. Pop the balloons with darts. Remove the excess balloons. Let dry.
Swoop Paint Containers
Use white, gray, and black sample paints. Start with white, two coats. Add gray. Add black. Swirl the colors on the lids.
Cork Ball
Find a foam ball with corks hot glued on at the thrift store. Hot glue any loose ones. Spray with matte black, two coats.
Marble Doorstop
Tape off the rope on a nautical bell. Mix Quick Crete, put it inside the bell. Dry overnight. Spray white, two coats. Spray sea glass spray paint on top of water. Dip the bell in. Turn and dip again. Add more paint if needed. Dry. Remove the tape.
