The BEST Dollar Store Cricut Blanks... and DIY gifts friends and family will LOVE

Did you get a Cricut for Christmas? Or have you had a Cricut for awhile, but need some inspiration? Today, I'm sharing some FANTASTIC Cricut craft ideas you are going to love. All the blanks come from the dollar store... and the DIYs create gifts friends and family will love. They are fun for your own home too!

1) These dollar store night lights are perfect for personalizing. The flat service is perfect for applying vinyl with your Cricut.

2) These dollar store LED lights come with a remote. You can change the colour and make it flash. I love the idea of adding some vinyl to make them custom. Cute, right?!?

3) The dollar store has many styles of water bottles, wine glasses, and mugs. They all make perfect Cricut blanks. 

4) Cookie jars make great gifts, and the dollar store has a couple of fun options. I love these ones I made with my Cricut. They say, "Mom's Cookies... hugs accepted as payment".

5) Dollar store jars can be used for other things too. I love this style. I made one into a memories jar and one into a cat treat jar. Which one is your fav?

6) The dollar store has many giftwrapping supplies, but I these plain brown bags are my favourite. They are easy to customize with a Cricut. Here are some I made for my son's hockey team.

You can take a closer look at all my finds in this video I made.

Seriously... aren't these fun ideas?!?!?

Which one of these is your favourite? I hope I've inspired you to head to the dollar store, grab some inexpensive supplies, and make something great!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Winter / Valentine's Day Porch Transformation... using Dollar Store Supplies

I have a really fun DIY for you today! I decorated my porch for winter and Valentine's Day with a few inexpensive dollar store items. Check out the dramatic transformation below!

Here's what I picked up at the dollar store: three heart picks, two strings of hearts, and two packages of glittery clothespins.

Here's a video I made showing how my porch looked BEFORE, what I did to transform it, and how it looked AFTER.

I think the garland around my door looks fantastic with my DIY Winter Wreath. What do you think?

And my Christmas greenery arrangement looks totally transformed.

Cute, right? I'm currently obsessed with how cozy my porch looks. 

Can you believe this wonderful transformation was done with dollar store supplies? I love a budget friendly DIY, don't you?

Winter can be gloomy, but with a few inexpensive supplies, you can really make your home cozy and bright. How do you decorate the outside of YOUR home this time of year?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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

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

     

Budget-friendly WINTER DECOR diys... simple crafts with a high-end look

When all the Christmas decorations come down, it's nice to have a few simple pieces of winter decor to fill up the blank space. When the temperatures outside are chilly, a few budget-friendly winter DIYs can make a home feel warm and cozy.

DIY WINTER WREATH - What do you think of this gorgeous budget friendly wreath made from dollar store supplies? I used an 18" wreath form, faux fur ribbon, silver skate ornaments, and silver florals. I cut strips of fur ribbon and used hot glue to attach it to the wreath form. Then, I hung the ornaments and used hot glue to attach the florals to the top of the wreath. Check out the video at the bottom of this post to see the step by step instructions.

SIMPLE CUSTOM WINTER SERVING TRAY - With a dollar store vase, tray and trinkets, you can make a gorgeous winter-themed serving tray. Fill the vase with glittery florals (or whatever you like), and use glue to attach the tray to the top. Easy peasy! Check out the video at the bottom of this post to see the step by step instructions.

CUSTOM (and cheap) WINTER ARTWORK - Dollar store ornaments can be repurposed to make adorable winter artwork. Cover the glass of a dollar store frame with contact paper, and use hot glue to attach an ornament to the front. Check out the video at the bottom of this post to see the step by step instructions.

WINTER TERRARIUMS - I love these terrariums, and they are super-easy to make using glassware you likely already own. Add some epsom salts to the bottom of a jar, pop in some bottle brush trees, and insert one of the fun snow characters that you can download for FREE here. Check out the video at the bottom of this post to see the step by step instructions.

For all the details on these fantastic projects, check out the video I made below.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite? I think they are all totally adorable!

These are the perfect DIYs for cold winter days. Happy crafting!!!!

💗 

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also be interested in these easy and inexpensive winter DIYs on my YouTube channel. Don't forget to like the video and hit the subscribe button. It really helps my channel. :-)

Adorable DIY Winter Terrariums... including FREE printables

Sometimes the simpliest ideas are the best ones, and I am absolutely obsessed with making DIY winter terrariums. They are easy to make, inexpensive, and totally adorable. Today, I'm sharing a few I made, the step by step instructions, and FREE prints for you to download. Let me know which one is your favourite!

To make a DIY terrarium, you'll need: a glass container, epsom salts/glitter, bottle brush trees, and a 4x6 (which you can download for free below).

Then: add epsom salts and glitter to the container, insert a couple of trees, cut out one of the prints I designed (below), and insert it into the epsom salts. That's it!!!!

Check out the THREE versions I made below. Cute, right?!?!

To download one of the super-cute winter characters: click on one of the pictures below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo. 

Make sure you use copy paper or cardstock!

What do you think? Do you have a favorite? I think they are all totally adorable!

This is the perfect DIY for a cold winter day. Happy crafting!!!!

💗 

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also be interested in these easy and inexpensive winter DIYs on my YouTube channel. Don't forget to like the video and hit the subscribe button. It really helps my channel. :-)

How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets: tips, tricks and my BIG reveal

I have been looking at my stained oak cabinets for years and yearning for a a more modern and bright kitchen. After getting a quote, I knew hiring a professional was out of my budget, so I decided to do it myself. My husband and I did research, purchased supplies, and got to work. Today, I'm sharing the result, the products I used, and what I learned.

Here is the before picture of my kitchen.

And here is the after. I love how bright and modern it looks.

It wasn't hard... but it was a lot of work. For me, the key was to just do small sections when I had the time to do them. I took my time and got it done.

If you have considered painting your cupboards, I highly recommend getting started. It really is amazing the difference paint and new handles make!

Check out these photos for inspiration...

Ready to take the plunge? I made a video showing you all the steps you need to take to get a fantastic result. Check it out on YouTube!

You might also find these links helpful...

LINK TO THE HANDLES I USED: https://amzn.to/3Z4UZsQ (aff.link) LINK TO THE PAINT PYRAMIDS: https://amzn.to/3GyGXsj (aff.link) LINK TO THE CABINET DOOR BUMPER PADS I USED: https://amzn.to/3Z1XFY5 (aff.link)

I hope you are inspired to tackle this project in your own home. And if you have any questions, leave them in the comments below, and I'll answer you as soon as I can.

Good luck, and thanks for checking out my painted kitchen cabinets!

💗 

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

The BEST Ideas for Celebrating NEW YEAR'S EVE at Home

When you have kids (and even when you don't)... sometimes dressing up and heading out to a fancy New Year's Eve party isn't always desirable. So, hosting a family-friendly celebration can be the perfect way to ring in the new year. Today I'm sharing the BEST ideas for celebrating New Year's Eve at home.

Activity Bags - I love making activity bags that can be opened each hour leading up to midnight. The bags can contain noisemakers, the supplies for a midnight toast, games, and more.

I love having one bag contain the items needed to set up a photo booth.

And including a year in review questionnaire is fun too. 

To download a FREE copy of the one I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

Special New Year's Eve Treat - To make this festive treat, simply add candys to the bottom of a wine glass and top with a decorated cupcake. Cute, right?!?

Adorable New Year's Eve Mocktail - To make this adorable beverage, add sparkling water or 7up to a champagne flute, add a bit of cotton candy to the top, and insert a straw. Easy... but so much fun!

New Year's Eve Party Favours - Every party needs a party favour, and I have three simple options to share.

Breakfast for tomorrow - Add a tag to a small box of cereal or a pop tart.

Midnight Kisses - Add a tag a little bag of Hershey kisses.

Rings to ring in the new year - Add a tag to candy rings.

For a closer look (and full instructions), check out the YouTube video I made.

Will you be celebrating at home this year? I hope you find some of these ideas fun and helpful. Happy New Year!!!!

💗 

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)