5 *NEW* St.Patrick’s Day DIYs ☘️ They are Easy and Inexpensive… but look HIGH END

Looking for a couple of easy and inexpensive St. Patrick's Day crafts to add to your home decor this year? Today, I'm sharing 5 NEW St.Patrick's Day DIYs that you are going to LOVE! They are simple to make, use cheap (mostly dollar store) supplies, and look fantastic. Check out the written instructions (and easy to follow video tutorials) below.

1) Fabric covered shamrock - I love this framed fabric shamrock. The mix of textures and colours really gives it a rich, high-end feel. To make it:

1. Paint the inside of a picture green.
2. Cut a shamrock from a cardboard box.
3. Put some mod podge on the front of the shamrock and lay it flat on a square of scrap fabric.
4. Use hot glue and scissors to wrap the fabric around the shamrock and secure it on the back. 
5. Use hot glue to attach the shamrock to the frame.

Isn't it super-cute? 

2) Dollar store cutting board update - I found this ugly cutting board at the dollar store, but I knew I could make it into something cute, so I threw it in my cart. 

Then:

1. I painted both sides of the cutting board green.
2. I used hot glue to attach a strip of checkered ribbon to the bottom.
3. I used hot glue to wrap twine around the top of the board (and cover up the hole in the cutting board.
4. I created a vinyl decal on my Cricut and attached it to the front of my board.

If you don't have a Cricut, you could paint something, use decals or add stickers. What do you think? Is it better than what I started with?

3) "Lucky" rolling pin - These little rolling pins are great for crafting. I found mine for $2.29 in the toy aisle in a local store, but you can sometimes find them at the dollar store. There are also many inexpensive options on Amazon.

Then:

1. Paint the handles to match your St.Patrick's Day decor.
2. Add the word "LUCKY" and a shamrock. I used a Cricut, but a Sharpie or stickers would work too.
3. Tie bits of scrap ribbon the handles. 

4) Yarn wrapped shamrock - This is a super-easy craft, and it's practically free.

1. Start by cutting a shamrock shape out of a cardboard box. I used an old Amazon box. You won't see the box, so any box will work.
2. Use hot glue to attach the end of a ball of yarn to the shamrock. 
3. Start wrapping the shamrock with yarn... periodically securing the yarn in place with hot glue.
4. Continuing wrapping and gluing until the entire shamrock is covered.

 

You can turn these shamrocks into ornaments by adding yarn hangers, or you can leave them as is. I have some hanging on a fake tree in my house, AND I have one on my tiered tray.

5) Leprechaun bait jar - Every holiday needs a treat, and leprechaun bait is perfect for St. Patrick's Day. To make this adorable goodie, you'll need a cheap candy jar from the dollar store. There are tons of options, but I like the shape of this one.

Then:

1. Use a Cricut, stickers, paint, or a glass marker to add the words "leprechaun bait" to the front of the jar. I also added a cute little Shamrock.
2. Fill the jar with "Lucky Charms" cereal.
3. Tie a bit of ribbon to the top of the jar.

That's it! You could add any treat you want to the jar, but I think the cereal looks really cute and festive.

And here's how great the 5 DIYs look when they are all together. I love the mix of colours and textures, don't you?

And here's how they look on my tiered tray. (And if you like the little St.Patrick's Day picture sitting beside my tiered tray, you can download it for free here.)

For a closer look at all of these projects, you can check out the YouTube video I made here:

I hope you like all these easy and inexpensive St. Patrick's Day DIYs. Do you have a favourite? I like the fabric shamrock, but I REALLY like how they all look together on my tiered tray.

Happy St.Patrick's Day!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find MORE St.Patrick's idea here.

DIY Easter Pillows… made from dollar store gift bags!!!

I love creating easy and fun pieces of holiday decor, and I'm getting lots of inspriation from my local dollar store this year. I've found tons of adorable EASTER items recently, but I was particularly drawn to a couple of adorable burlap bunny gift bags. I immediately thought they'd make cute Easter pillows, and today I'm sharing the "no sew" instructions. You won't believe how EASY, INEXPENSIVE and FUN these DIY Easter pillows are to make!

I started out with these two burlap gift bags.

Then:

1) I used a seam ripper to separate the front and back of the bags from the sides. I cut off the handles to use.

2) On the back of the ears, I used hot glue to attached zip ties. 

Or.. you could use popsicle sticks. You just need something to give the ears a little bit of structure.

3) Cover up the zip tie with a piece of the burlap handle and a bit of hot glue.

4) Use hot glue to attach the front and back pieces of the bags together... leaving an opening at the bottom for stuffing. Stuff the pillow, and use hot glue to seal the bottom together.

Pro-tip: Use the stuffing out of a dollar store pillow. It's great quality... and a lot cheaper!

Cute, right!?!

I made a pink one and a blue one, and they both look awesome on my couch. And, of course, I love that they only cost me a few dollars.

Need more info? Take a peek at this short YouTube instructional video I made.

What do you think of these little pillows? I can't wait to share more simple Easter DIYs with you. Make sure you subscribe to my free  newsletter and YouTube channel so you don't miss out on any of the fun!

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more wonderful Easter ideas here.

Yarn Wrapped Bunny Ear Wreath... made using dollar store supplies

I am so excited to share this adorable Easter craft with you today. This bunny ear wreath is made from dollar store supplies, and it could not be easier to make. If you can wrap yarn around a wire wreath frame, you can create this super-cute yarn wrapped bunny ear wreath.

To make this wreath, you'll need: bunny ears, a wreath frame, zip ties, and yarn (I used just over 1 1/2 balls of yarn on a 14" frame). Optional... a pom pom for a tail and felt to make feet.

Then:

1) Use zip ties to attach the bunny ears to the top of the wire wreath form.

2) Tie one end of the yarn to the wreath form, and wrap the yarn around the wreath until the wire is completely covered. When it's completely covered, secure the end of the yarn with a couple of knots.

3) You can leave the wreath plain... or you can use hot glue to add a pom pom to the bottom and a couple of feet (made from felt) to the front. I added a pom pom and feet to mine, and I'm in love with how it turned out!

What do you think? Cute, right?!?

Want a closer look at how I made my yarn wrapped bunny ear wreath? Check out the short video I made...

DIY decor is the best because it is budget-friendly, fun to make, and easy to customize. I hope I've inspired you to make a wreath of your own. Happy Easter!

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more wonderful Easter ideas here.

SIMPLE Easter DIYs you are going to want to make this year (including craft VIDEOS)

Who doesn't love a simple Easter DIY that is adorable and uses inexpensive supplies? So... I've gathered up a few of my favourites below! Each one has easy to follow step by step written instructions AND a short instructional video. Check them out, and let me know which one is your favourite.

1) Sock bunnies - These sock bunnies are easy to make using dollar store socks and other craft supplies. Once you start making them, you'll want to make a whole herd. Check out the written instructions here, or watch the video below.

2) Candy Easter basket - What's better than an Easter basket full of candy? What about an Easter basket MADE of candy? Find the written instructions here, or watch the video below.

3) Mason jar crafts - These dollar store jars are easily transformed into fantastic Easter DIYs. Check out these four fantastic ideas here, or watch the video below.

4) Easter prize punch - This prize punch uses a piece of foam core from the dollar store, plastic glasses, and tissue paper. It's easy to make and lots of fun! Find the written instructions here, or watch the video below.

5) Easter chick decor - These are literally the easiet Easter decor DIYs! If you can glue chicks to a branch, you can make this wall hanging AND this wreath. Check out the written instructions for the wall hanging here, and the video tutorial below.

6) Bunny butt garden - This bunny butt garden is adorable and made using easy to find dollar store supplies. Find the written instructions here, or watch the video below.

7) Yarn wrapped bunny wreath - This is one of my favourite Easter DIYs ever! It was easy to make and I think it's super-cute. Check out the step by step instructions here, or watch the video below.

8) FREE Easter Print... and simple DIY display option - Is there anything more fun than getting something for free? I am loving the adorable watercolour picture I designed for you, AND I have a fun DIY display option that you are going to love. Find the written instructions (and download the free print) here, or watch the video below.

9) Easter pillows made from dollar store bags - I love a simple "no sew" HACK... and these pillows are the perfect simple project for Easter. Check out the written instructions here, or watch the video tutorial below.

Aren't these Easter DIYs adorable? Take a peek at some of the videos on YouTube, give them a "thumbs up", and subscribe to my channel to be notified when I post something new. I have some more great Easter videos planned, and I don't want you to miss out on the fun.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find MORE fun Easter ideas here.

DIY Boho Wreath for Valentine's Day

How cute is this DIY boho wreath? I love the contrast of texture between the metal frame and the soft yarn, don't you? This adorable wreath was easy and inexpensive to make, and it's perfect for Valentine's Day! Check out the simple step-by-step instructions (and easy to follow video) below.

You'll need a metal ring, scissors, something to wrap yarn around, and yarn in Valentine's Day colours. I chose pink, white, and grey.

Then:

1) Wrap the yarn around an 18" piece of cardboard or foam core about 15 times... and cut the strands at one end.

2) Loop the strands around the ring.

3) Add as many strands you like... in whatever colours you prefer.

4) Using the same colours of yarn, make 5 pom poms. If you have never made pom poms before, you can watch the video below. (It's really easy!)

5) Tie the pom poms to the ring and secure on the back with hot glue.

6) Use sharp scissors to trim the bottom of the yarn strands. You can cut it straight across, or you can make a "v" shape like I did.

That's it! Isn't this a sweet little wreath?

For more info... check out my YouTube insructional video here.

If you are looking for a simple Valentine's Day craft, you should totally try this simple wreath. It's fun to make... and super-cute!

Happy Valentine's Day!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Don't miss out on any of the fun... follow me on social media here.

     

If you are looking for more Valentine's Day inspiration, check out more than 30 Valentine's Day ideas here.

10 BEST Dollar Store Finds… including some great items for Easter

I'm back with another TOP TEN dollar store finds, DIYs, tips and tricks. This week, I have some fantastic products to share... and wonderful ideas for using the items in your home. Take a look, and let me know what you think.

1) Bunny ears - These grey bunny ears are cute "as is", but I also think they'd make an adorable wreath. I'm planning to wrap a dollar store wreath form in "loop it yarn" (that I also found at the dollar store. Then, I'll add the ears to make an adorable bunny wreath.

2) Paper towel holder - I love this black metal paper towel holder... but I plan on using it for toilet paper. It fits three rolls, and tucks in behind my toilet... where the toilet paper is accessible... but out of the way. Clever, right?!?

3) Easter candy - It's best to stock up on supplies while the selection is good, and I love these inexpensive chocolate bunnies. The jelly beans are high quality and delicious too. I plan on displaying my jelly beans in a glass jar from Dollarama. I'll add the words "Jelly Beans" with my Cricut and display it on my tiered tray for Easter.

4) Porcelain plates - These plates are high quality and super cheap. They are a great find, and sure to go quickly... so if you see them, grab a couple boxes.

5) Burlap bunny bags - These bunny bags are adorable and great quality. They are cute as they are, but I plan on turning them into a couple of Easter pillows. I'll stuff them and seal them with hot glue. Easy peasy!

6) Dip dye tote - Isn't this a gorgeous bag for a couple of dollars? It would be great for hanging and storing produce, and it would be perfect for a shopping bag too. It's super-trendy and looks very boho chic.

7) Easter tablecloth - The dollar store always has a variety of adorable flannel backed tableclothes for holidays. They are inexpensive, and I love this simple design for Easter.

8) Easter basket and matching eggs - This bunny basket is one of the many cute Easter baskets for sale at the dollar store. It would be easy to personalize with a Cricut too.

9) Craft supplies - The dollar store has a large number of fantastic crafting supplies, but one of my favourites right now is this wooden canvas. The backside can be painted to look like a frame, and the inside can be decorated any way you want. 

10) Easter carrots - The dollar store has two different types of carrots and they are both perfect for Easter crafting. This year I have a few fun things planned for them, but last year I made two different pictures. You can check them out below, and click on the links to download your copies for FREE.

Download the "Carrots 4 Sale" picture here.

And you can download the "Hoppy Easter" sign here.

For a closer look at my BEST dollar store finds, check out my YouTube video below.

I hope I've given you some dollar store inspiration. Which one of my 10 finds is your favourite?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also be interested in the Easter ideas here.