East Coast Mommy: 2025

NEW bunny wreath you can DIY using dollar store supplies / Dollarama DIY/ Easter Wreath

The great thing about DIY is that you can customize your decor to your style and taste... using inexpensive supplies. Today, I'm sharing a gorgeous Easter wreath I made using Dollarama supplies. Check out the result (and the instructions) below.

Here's what I started with...

And here's what I created:

Cute, right?!?

Want to make one of your own?

Check out the video below for the step-by-step instructions.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

8 NEW EASTER Crafts for the WHOLE Family / Cheap and cheerful Easter Crafts for Kids & Adults/ Dollarama DIYs

Crafting is a great way to spend time with friends and family... and it's wonderful for mental health. And holiday crafting is the BEST! Today I am sharing 8 easy Easter crafts the whole family will enjoy. The crafts are simple and you can find most of the supplies in your recycling bin and at the dollar store.

1) Bunny treat holder - This is a cute craft, and a fun Easter party favour. Download the template here, colour the bunnies, cut them out, cut slips, and insert a treat. Cute, right? You can find step-by-step instructions here.

2) Heart shaped, yarn covered Easter chick - This little chick is totally adorable, and it's made by wrapping yarn around a dollar store wooden heart. Then, add a beak, googly eye, and beak... and voila! You can find the detailed step-by-step instructions here.

3) Coffee filter bunny suckers - Sometimes simple ideas are the best ones... and these bunnies are a perfect example. Cover a sucker with coffee filter, tie with a piece of twine, cut the top in half, twist the ears, and add the facial details. Sooooo adorable!!! You can find step-by-step instructions here.

4) Bunny cookie - This is craft is cute... and it's delicious. Place a cookie in a cellophane bag. Then, add cardstock bunny ears, googly eyes, a sticker nose, whiskers, and a mouth. This would make a wonderful Easter dinner "take home" treat. You can find step-by-step instructions here.

5) Wooden bunny ornament - I purchased a box of wooden circles (50 for $4) at my local Dollarama, but wood slice ornaments would work too. I painted the circle white, and added popsicle stick ears, a twine hanger, and a bunny face. I used a Cricut decal for the face, but stickers and paint markers would work well too. You can find step-by-step instructions here.

6) The cutest yarn chick - This is such a delightful little ornament... and it's super-fun to make. Kids and adults will love this one! You weave yarn around a piece of a toilet roll, and add a felt beak and googly eyes. You can find step-by-step instructions here.

7) Recycled bunny artwork - How cute is this bunny art? It's a fun piece made from an empty egg carton and a piece of a cardboard box. Kids, tweens and teens will love getting creative with this one! You can find step-by-step instructions here.

8) Paper Easter baskets - These are fun to craft and are perfect for gifting. Download the template I designed (below), decorate the basket, cut it out, fold it, staple in place, and add a pipe cleaner handle. You can find step-by-step instructions here.

To download the paper basket template: click on the photo below, right-click, save it, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

What do you think of the 8 Easter crafts I shared today? Let me know YOUR favourite in the comments below. Happy Easter!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

8 Quick and Easy Things to Make with Your CRICUT / Cricut Crafts to SELL and GIFT

If you have a Cricut and are looking for inspiration, you are going to love this. I’m sharing the BEST quick and easy things to make with your Cricut using inexpensive blanks. They are perfect projects for selling and/or gifting.

1) Personalized journal - I bought an inexpensive journal at my local Dollarama for $3.50, and I thought it would be great to add a funny message to it. You could add any words or pictures. This makes a great gift for a friend, family member or coworker. Get a closer look here.

2) Custom candle - I bought a great smelling candle for less than $5 at my local Dollarama. The blank side is perfect for adding a Cricut decal. I added a "I wish you lived next door" decal to mine. I think this would make a perfect hostess gift, don't you? Get a closer look here.

3) Candy dishes - The dollar store has a large variety of food storage containers, and they are easy to embellish with a Cricut. I recently made one into a candy dish for a high school graduate. This makes a great gift... and a fun addition to a gift card too. Get a closer look here.

4) Glassware - It's easy to find, inexpensive, and perfect for personalization. Wine glasses, beer steins, coffee mugs, and tumblers sell well, and they make great gifts. Get a closer look at a variety of options here.

5) Cutting boards - I love gifts that are dual purpose, so this cutting board is a favourite craft of mine. I used Cricut decals to turn one side into a tray for the Easter Bunny and the other side into a tray for Santa. Cute, right? Get a closer look here.

6) Wooden trays - Wooden trays can easily be transformed into any type of sign. For example, this baby announcement sign is a perfect gift for new parents. Get a closer look here.

7) LED lamps - These colour changing lamps with remotes are one of the best sellers in my shop. A piece of decor that can be customized is a perfect Cricut canvas. I've added names, logos, hockey players, and more. Get a closer look here.

8) Christmas ornaments - I love making Christmas tree ornaments using my Cricut. It's a wonderful way to commemorate important events and milestones. This year, my son is graduating from high school, and I made this graduation ornament for him. Get a closer look here.

You may also be interested in the video I made here.

I hope I've inspired you to try something new with your Cricut. Let me know in the comments which one of these projects is YOUR favourite.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

The cutest St. Patrick's Day Crafts / Easy to make using dollar store supplies

St. Patrick's Day isn't just for the Irish. It's a fun craft theme too! Today, I'm sharing the cutest St. Patrick's Day crafts... made mostly of Dollarama supplies. Check out the post below... or pop on over to YouTube, and check out the video I made here.

1) Yarn Hat - This hat is easy and inexpensive to make. It's a great family craft too because it's fun for ALL ages. Find the step-by-step tutorial here.

2) Lucky charm - The wood rounds I used to make this come in a package of 50 for $4, so they are really inexpensive. Add a decal, some twine, and wooden beads to create an adorable "lucky charm". Find the full step-by-step tutorial here.

3) Wood block leprechaun hat - This craft is adorable, and looks great displayed on a shelf or tiered tray. Find the full step-by-step instructions here.

4) DIY St. Patrick's Day edible rainbow necklace - What's better than a craft you can eat?!?! Check out the full step-by-step instructions here.

Want a closer look, check out the video I made below.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

The CUTEST Valentine's Day crafts for kids, tweens, and teens.... and adults will love them too!

Crafting is a great way to spend time together, take a break from screens, and save money. Today, I am sharing FOUR of the CUTEST Valentine's Day crafts. They'll be a hit with kids, tweens, teens AND adults. Take a peak, give them a try, and let me know which one is your favourite.

1) Love bugs - Grab some items from your recycling bin and a ball of yarn. You are going to want to make a bunch of these adorable love bugs. Find the easy-to-follow instructions here.

2) Heart ornament - This is a simple craft that is made using dollar store supplies, but it's sooooo cute. You can hang it anywhere, but I love to decorate a pencil tree for Valentine's Day, so that's where I am putting mine. You can find the step by step instructions for this heart ornament here.

3) Simple heart card - This is such a fun card to make. Grab a box from your recycling bin, turn it into a heart template, and use it to create a delightful Valentine's Day card. Find the step by step instructions here.

4) Tumbling tower block love note - This little wooden craft could not be cute... or easier to make. It's sweet sitting on a shelf, but it's also perfect for a tiered tray. Find the simple step-by-step instructions here.

For a closer look at how I made all four of these cute Valentine's Day crafts for kids, tweens, teens and adults, check out the video I made below.

Which one is your favourite?

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Work with Me (contact info and media kit)

Through sharing my experiences raising my three boys, I try to inspire other moms with easy and inexpensive ideas for family fun. My blog (EastCoastMommy.com), which I started in April 2011, contains free tutorials, crafts, holiday fun, party planning, yummy recipes, DIY projects, product reviews, contests, family travel and more.

I love finding easy, inexpensive, and unique ways to build a home for, and have fun with, my family. I also love to share my favorite products and ideas with my loyal readers.

Do you have a product that I need to try?

I adore working with brands I believe in, and I pride myself on using my brand and voice to share products with my audience in an authentic way. I like creating content that is interesting and useful to my readers. I prefer focusing on creating a branded narrative with product placement over a product review/ad.

Here's an example of what I am talking about: https://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/fun-ways-to-decorate-room-for-hockey-fan.html

If you are interested in working with me, I'd be happy to discuss opportunities for:

sponsored posts (with quality, well thought out content and photos)

social media promotion

brand ambassadorships

reviews/giveaways (I prefer reviews in conjunction with a giveaway over straight reviews, as they get more attention from my readers.)

To download a copy of my 2025 media kit: right-click on the picture below and print the 8 X 10 jpeg.

Please email me at EastCoastMommy@gmail.com for more information and rates.

I look forward to working with you!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Bio

Gina Bell is a former Financial Analyst turned Writer, Content Creator, YouTuber, and Social Media Influencer. She's a mom of three who loves crafting, cooking, travelling, decorating, and party planning. She lives in Antigonish, NS, with her husband and three sons and is constantly on the lookout for easy, inexpensive ways to make magical memories with (and a cozy home for) her family. Follow her adventures at EastCoastMommy.com.

Social media handles

www.EastCoastMommy.com & www.DIYparties.ca

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2025 Graduation Party Favors -- with FREE printable tags

***UPDATED with 2025 tags***

I love a good party favor... especially if it's budget-friendly. So, when my son graduated last year, I decided to create some inexpensive party favors using dollar store goodies. I came up with five party favor ideas (and free printable tags) that you are going to love! (And for a closer look, take a look at the video I made here.)

Here are the items I used to create the party favors.