5 Ways to Save Money on CHRISTMAS DECOR by DIYing Things you Already have in your Home

Who doesn't love saving money? And what better way to save money during the holiday season than using stuff you already have to decorate your home? Check out these 5 budget friendly DIYs!

1) Use glass vases/jars/containers/bowls - Everyone has a glass vessels in their home, and they are easy to transform into Christmas decor. I added Epson salts and glitter to this jar, and then I added bottle brush trees, mini lights, and a fun ornament. Cute, right?

2) Use greenery - We had a lot of fallen branches and trees in our back yard, and I harvested what I needed to make an arrangement. I added a few dollar store picks, and inserted everything in a pot of soil I had leftover from my Fall mom. I can't believe this gorgeous arrangement only cost me a few dollars!

3) Raid the recycling bin - How cute are these fake cookies? I cut house shapes from an old cardboard boxese, and I added "icing" with a white chalk marker. They look cute on a plate, but they also look nice strung up on a piece of twine.

4) Use existing artwork in your home - My walls are filled with artwork, so it's fun to add a Christmas spin to them. You can wrap them like presents, or change out the artwork to something with a Christmas theme. You can grab some free "Movie Quotes" that I designed here.

For a closer look (and more step by step instructions, check out the video below.

I love this these ideas, don't you? Let me know your favourite in the comments. 

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the Christmas DIYs here.

FREE Holiday Prints for Christmas Movie Lovers (Elf, It's a Wonderful Life, The Polar Express, and The Santa Clause)

Last week, I shared a fun, FREE "Elf Movie" print, and so many people loved it that I decided to design a few more to share. I love that these are large pieces of artwork that you can print at a local copy store for about $1. Then, you can use dollar store frames... or frames you already have in your home. It doesn't get more budget-friendly than these FREE holiday prints for Christmas movie lovers!

Here's the one for "It's a Wonderful Life":

Here's the one for "Elf":

Here's one for "The Polar Express": 

And here's one for "The Santa Claus":

Aren't these great? I have all of my in dollar store frames, and my plan is to hang three on my wall, and change out the frames with new prints with the change of holidays / seasons.

To download your 11x14" prints FOR FREE: click on the photo you want (below), right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular photo.

What's your favourite Christmas movie? 

I just love budget-friendly holiday decor, don't you?

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the Christmas DIYs here.

NEW high-end Halloween decor (DOLLAR STORE finds and DIYs)

I love high end holiday decor, but I don't like the price tag. So... I like to search out dollar store finds and come up with my own DIYs. Today, I have FIVE fantastic items to share with you. You'll never believe what I made from a dollar store car cleaning cloth!

PS (Don't forget to check out the step by step instruction video on YouTube here... or at the end of the post.)

1) I am in love with this DIY. I found these fuzzy car cleaning cloths at my local dollar store, and I knew they'd be perfect for making a no-sew ghost pillow. They come 6 to a pack... so one package is enought to make 3 ghosts.

Cut a ghost shape from one of the cloths, use the ghost shape as a template to create an identical shape from another one of the cloths, use hot glue to attach the shapes together (leaving an opening for stuffing), turn it inside out, stuff the pillow with polyfill, close the opening with hot glue, use hot glue to attach a face made of felt.

2) I love a holiday wreath, and with a little DIY, it's easy to make something fun and unique for Halloween. For this wreath, I used: a dollar store wreath form, dollar store yarn, and a dollar store wooden cut out.

I wrapped a wreath form with black yarn (securing with hot glue periodically). Then, I cover with cat with some scrap fabric I had in my craft stash. To finish, I used hot glue to attach the cat to the wreath and added a bit of ribbon.

I think it's a wonderful piece of neutral, farmhouse decor for Halloween. What do you think?

3) There is nothing better than a super-easy DIY, and it doesn't get easier than this photo display. I found a cute black and gold clipboard, and it is the perfect vessel for displaying seasonal artwork.

I used mine with this adorable Halloween water colour picture I designed. You can grab your own copy (FOR FREE) here.

4) I love the seasona dollar store mats, and this one is perfect for Halloween. I love to layer it with a larger mat for a high end look.

And don't forget to pick up some Halloween goodies at great prices. 😁

5) These candle holders are one of my favourite things to buy from my local dollar store. They are perfect for making tiered trays, but I also like using them to elevate and display decor.

Here I painted one with white chalk paint and one with matte black spray paint. Don't they look great in this black and white Halloween display?

For a closer look at all these ideas for high-end Halloween decor, check out the YouTube video below.

Do you have a favourite dollar store find or DIY for Halloween? Happy Halloween!!!!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You may also be interested in the Halloween ideas here.

5 NEW easy and budget-friendly HALLOWEEN ideas (Dollarama finds and DIYs)

I am obsessed with simple, budget-friendly holiday decor, and I have 5 NEW (and fantastic) ideas to share today. If you like awesome finds and DIYs, you are going to love these!

1) This baby doll head is totally creepy... but also cute. lol I added a light to the inside to make it extra spooky!

2) I found a super-cute purple witch broom at my local dollar store, so I thought I'd set up a "witch broom parking" vignette. I cut a sign from a piece of dollar store foam core, and then I covered the sign with dollar store contact paper. I used my Cricut to add writing, and framed the sign with black electrical tape.

I inserted the sign into the top of a dollar store "over the door" coat rack, and then I added brooms and witch clothing. Cute, right?!?

3) I have used these dollar store cloches is a few DIYs, and I love how versitile they are.

For Halloween, I filled the cloche with the insides of a dollar store pillow, and then I added a nose and mouth (which I cut out with my Cricut). The result is this adorable ghost.

4) I found this screaming doormat sensor at my local dollar store, and I think it's a lot of fun. I can't wait to add it to my Halloween decor.

5) For Fall, I had a lot of fun DIYing with seasonal window clings, so I thought I'd make some similar artwork for Halloween. I started with a double paned floating frame from Dollarama, and I put a spooky window cling in the centre. It took less than a minute, but the result is super-cool.

For a closer look at all the products and DIYs, check out the YouTube video below.

Do you like decorating for Halloween? What do you think of these 5 dollar store DIYs and finds? Let me know your favourite in the comments below.

♥

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also be interested in the FALL finds and DIYs here.

The best NEW Dollar Store Finds and DIYs for Halloween

I love a good dollar store find, but I also want to make sure the items I buy are high quality. Today, I'm sharing my latest NEW dollar store finds and DIYs for Halloween. You are going to love these!

1) The first thing I wanted to share are these Fall pumpkins. They are great for Autumn... but they are fabulous for Halloween too. Just flip them around, and DIY the back.

Trace the pumpkins onto scrapbook paper, cut out the shapes, and use Mod Podge to attach the paper to the pumpkins.

Then, you can use them "as is" or you can add the word "BOO". I used my Cricut, but you could use stickers are paint instead.

Cute, right?!?

2) This double pane dollar store frame is my favourite. It's inexpensive, but it looks high end. How cute is it with this FREE Halloween picture in it? Download your copy of the purple and green "Happy Halloween" print here.

3) Halloween is synomous with "treats", and the dollar store is the perfect place to stock up on goodies. Last week, I bought a bunch of my family's favs.

4) Dollar store stickers and window clings are the perfect way to add a festive touch to decor that you already have in your home. You can add them to frames, soap dispensers, candles, and more.

5) These LED lights are my latest decor purchase, and I think they are adorable. Find dollar store items you love, and add them to existing decor you have in your home. It's a great way to get a high end look on a budget.

6) This over-the-door hanger is fantastic for organizing your home, but it's fun for Halloween too. I used mine to set up a witch closet on the back of my door. Isn't this an adorable Halloween vignette?

7) A few weeks ago I found these adorable faux book stacks, but I didn't love the saying. So... I used a bit of paint and my Criciut to turn it into a Halloween book stack... and I love how it turned out.

For a closer look at all my Halloween dollar store finds and DIYs, check out this video.

How cute are these dollar store finds and DIYs? Which one is your favourite? I'd love to know if you've found anything fun lately!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You may also be interested in the Halloween ideas here.