Personal Size Cookie Tart -- an easy and inexpensive Valentine's Day treat

I love a special homemade treat, and this adorable personal size chocolate chip cookie tart is cute and delicious. I paired my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe with some inexpensive dollar store dishes, and I'm sharing the recipe below.

Here's the recipe:

1)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2)  In a medium bowl, whisk together the following dry ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

3)  In a separate bowl, use electric beaters to combine the following:

• 1 cup butter (at room temperature... NOT melted)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

4)  Add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract to the butter/sugar mixture.  Beat with electric beaters until well combined.

5)  Using a wooden spoon, mix wet and dry ingredients together (just until combined).  Then, add 2 cups of chocolate chips.  (I like semi-sweet, but you can use whatever you like.)

6)  Place 4 tablespoon size balls into an oven safe heart-shaped dish and flatten the balls into the dish. (I found my dishes at my local dollar store (Dollarama). Bake for approx 12-15 minutes. When they are done, they will be slightly brown around the edges and still soft in the middle. Don't overbake.

The remainder of the dough can be made into regular chocolate chip cookies. Drop tablespoon-size balls (using a cookie scoop for best results) onto a Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake for approx. 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I made these tarts for my boys, and they were a huge hit. 

These tarts are served plain, but they'd be delicious topped with a scoop of ice cream too.

The tarts are good after they have cooled, but for the best taste, serve them warm. They'll be crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

This tart is based on my tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe, so I hope you give it a try. This really is the perfect easy and inexpensive Valentine's Day treat.

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 NEW Dollar Store Finds, DIYs, Tips & Tricks

I love creating a cozy home on a budget, and the dollar store really helps me to reach my budget-friendly goals. I like to shop at my local store frequently in order to find the best products, and today, I'm sharing 10 NEW dollar store finds, DIYs, Tips & Tricks. 

Here are my latest favourite finds from my local Dollarama:

1) Dollar store bins - Dollar store bins are inexpensive and great for organizing your home. I found this large plastic one recently, and I love how big it is. I love to use these bins in my craft room and in my closet. Such a great value!

2) Spice drawer organizers - The dollar store has several simple organizers, and this week I found these awesome spice racks. They are going to work really well in my spice drawer.

3) Simple toilet paper holder - I've been trying to make some space under my sink, and I found this to be a great storage solution. A couple of rolls of toilet paper fit on a dollar store paper towel holder. Then, the small stack can be stucked in behind the toilet -- out of the way until it's needed.

4) Inexpensive groceries - The grocery aisle at the dollar store is a fantastic place to find wonderful products at great prices. For example, this granola is a favourite in my house... and it's only $2.50 at Dollarama... much cheaper than the grocery store.

5) Signs - If you like inexpensive home decor, the dollar store always has tons of wonderful options. Many are fine "as is", but I also love DIYing to turn them into something even better. 

I recently found these two signs (below), and I love them both. I upgraded the hanger on the Easter sign and added some details to the bunny with a sharpie. I'm also planning to get "crafty" with the large "home" sign. It's a great size, and I can't wait to get creative with dollar store paint and my Cricut.

6) Yarn - Yarn can be expensive, so it's always wonderful to find it at the dollar store. This week, I found this wonderful "loop it" yarn that is perfect for crafting. I love it for making wreaths, and I think this grey will make a fantastic "winter themed" wreath.

7) Cute carrots - These carrots (which are currently available at Dollarama) are perfect for Spring and Easter crafts. Last year, I used them to make a "bunny butt garden", and this year I'm planning to use them to make a garland, and to craft items for my tiered tray. They always sell out quickly, so if you see them, grab them. 😀

8) Cute cloche - I love these little cloches, but I don't love the cheap, plastic base they come with. So, on a recent trip to Dollarama, I decided to try to put the plastic top onto a candle stick base. I LOVE the way they look together!

I'm planning to paint the Dollarama candle stick holder white and fill the cloche with Easter decor... but the possibilities are endless. Cute, right?!?

9) Mason jar lids - Mason jars have endless uses, and these dollar store lids are a great addition. If you are storing items in jars in your pantry, they'll look extra cute with these inexpensive airtight and leakproof lids.

10) Craft supplies - The dollar store is always adding new craft supplies, and these wooden buttons are my latest favourite find. They are unfinished, so you can use them "as is", or you can paint them to match your craft project... and 100 buttons for $2.50 is a great price!

Looking for more great products and tips and tricks for using them? Check out the short video I made...

Do you have a favourite item on my list? Let me know in the comments.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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

     

FREE Printable Valentine's Day Print

I love seasonal decorating, but I never want to spend a lot of money on something that is only going to be on display for a couple of weeks. That's why one of my favourite holiday decor hacks is putting free prints in dollar store frames. This year, I designed a simple ombre Valentine's Day print -- and you can download a copy FOR FREE below.

How cute does the print looks with my Valentine's Day tiered tray?

I made three versions of the print, so you can choose the one you like the best.

To download a copy of the print: choose the print you like below, click on it, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

I printed mine at Staples for less than $1, but alternatively, you can print it at home or wherever you get your photos printed.

You can pop your print in a dollar store frame, or you can put it in a frame you already have.

I love it on a shelf...

And it would look cute on a mantle or hallway table too.

What do you think of this cute little print? Let me know if you have any trouble downloading it, and I'll help you get a copy.

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 Dollar Store DIYs for Valentine's Day -- They look high end, but only cost a couple of dollars.

This time of year can be grey and gloomy, so it's the perfect time to add some festive Valentine's Day decor. Crafting a few items is great because they are unique, customizable and budget friendly. Today, I'm sharing TEN fantastic dollar store DIYs for Valentine's Day that you are going to love!

1) Tissue paper artwork - Sometimes simple materials are the easiest to work with and have the greatest impact. For this project, you'll need a dollar store frame, tissue paper, contact paper, scissors and glue.

Then:

a) Cover the glass in the picture frame with contact paper or scrapbook paper.

b) Draw a pencil outline of a heart on the contact paper.

c) Cut a bunch of 1 inch squares of tissue paper.

d) Take a square of tissue paper, wrap it around the end of a pencil, and glue it to the outline of the heart. Continue until the entire heart is covered in tissue paper.

e) Add a hanger if desired. I used a leftover silver necklace from New Year's Eve. lol

2) "Made with Love" cutting board - There is nothing better than transforming a cheap dollar store find into something fantastic. Check out this "I love the Kitchen" sign I recently found at my dollar store. Here's the before...

And here's the after...

I started by painting the cutting board pink, adding some twine and wooden heart to the top with hot glue. Then, I added a bit of checked ribbon to the bottom and a Cricut decal to the centre. Cute, right?

3) Valentine's Day book stack - I love a cute book stack, and I made this one using a few scraps of wood I had in my garage. You could also use real books or dollar store tumbling tower blocks glued together.

I painted the blocks, added a strip of ribbon and a wooden heart with hot glue, and added the words "I love you more". I used my Cricut to add the words, but you could use stickers or a Sharpie too.

4) Valentine's Day rolling pin - This is a perfect addition to a tiered tray or Valentine's Day vignette. I started with a toy rolling pin, and I painted it pink and white. Then, I added some ribbon and the words "Be Mine". I used my Cricut, but a Sharpie or dollar store stickers would work too.

5) Dollar store pallet sign - I love transforming something simple into something great, so when I found this little pallet sign, I knew I could turn it into a cute Valentine's Day creation. 

I painted it, added some ribbon with hot glue, and attached an "X" and an "O" from an old Tic Tac Toe game that my kids no longer play with. Didn't it turn out sweet?

6) Key to your heart - This little key is adorable, and soooo easy to make. I found a bag of these little wooden tags at my dollar store, painted one of them pink, added a piece of twine, and attached a little key. I love how cute this little trinket looks on my Valentine's Day tiered tray.

7) "Tumbling tower blocks" love letter - DIY doesn't get much easier (or cheaper!) than this. Paint 4 tumbling tower blocks, use hot glue to attach the blocks together, trace out the letter shape with a black sharpie, and attached a painted wooden heart with hot glue. Easy peasy!

8) Valentine's Day candle - Inexpensive candles make simple Valentine's Day decor, and it is simple to make them look custom and high end. Take a cheap candle, and add a Cricut decal to the front. You could also use stickers or glass markers if you don't have a Cricut. Then, embelish the topof the candle with a bit of twine. Cute and cozy!

9) Dollar store glassware - Dollar store glassware is perfect for creating inexpensive Valentine's Day decor, and you can repurpose it for other holidays too. Try filling a glass jar with love hearts, adding a sticker to the front of a expresso cup and filling it with chocolate kisses, or filling a dollar store jar with pink and white buttons. No craftiness is required for these simple projects!

 

10) Repurposed wedding decor - The Valentine's aisle isn't the only place to find Valentine's Day decor at the dollar store. The wedding aisle also has some wonderful options. Recently I found this white tin bucket and pink rose flower ball at the dollar store. I added a bit of ribbon to the bottom of the bucket, and made a date decal on my cricut. I absolutely love how it turned out... and it totally screams "Valentine's Day".

Didn't these projects turn out great? Which one is your favourite?

And if you want a closer look at my projects (and step by step instructions), you can check out the video I made here...

I hope you take some time to make one of these Valentine's Day DIYs... or a few. It really is easy, inexpensive and fun to add some unique, high-end decor to you home.

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 Dollar Store Finds, Tips & Tricks... including a "10 products in 10 minutes" video

I love a good bargain... and I really love inexpensive tips and tricks that make my life easier. So, today I am sharing my latest 10 favourite dollar store finds and some great ideas for using them (in no particular order).

1) Large unfinished crate - I love the size and shape of this crate. It would be great for storage, and I have big plans for updating it with a little DIY. It's really good quality for the price. 

I feel like these crates are going to go quickly, so if you see them in your store, make sure to grab one!

2) Water Bottles - I love everything about these water bottles: the colour, the spout at the top, the size, the shape, and the fact that they are BPA free.

I plan to add my boys' names to the bottom of the bottles with my Cricut. If you are crafty, these water bottles make perfect (and inexpensive) blanks.

3) Sturdy cutting board storage rack - I love how solid and sturdy this metal storage rack is. It would be great for storing cutting boards and pot lids... but it's also good for storing iPads, Chromebooks, and paperwork. It's a great tool for getting organized and managing clutter.

4) Pressed wood crafting blanks - I love the inexpensive crafting materials that you can buy at the dollar store... and my new favourites are the ones pictured below. I can't wait to start crafting with the new rounds I found for less than $1 each!

5) Valentine's Day jam jars - I love these little jam jars. They would be adorable filled with homemade treats are store bought Valentine's Day candy. So cute!

6) Metal bird - This was the cutest piece of decor I have found at the dollar store in a long time. It has a lot of character for such a tiny little piece, and I can't wait to add it to my Valentine's Day tiered tray.

7) Oven safe glass dishes - These heart-shaped bowls would be adorable filled with candies for Valentine's Day... but they would also be really cute used to bake individual goodies. I plan to cook small individual cookie tarts in these oven safe glass dishes, and I know they'll be a huge hit with my boys.

8) Dollar store treats - Treats from the dollar store are staples at our weekly family movie nights. The Old Dutch sea salt & malt vinegar chips are our favourites. They have a great crunch... and they are only 50 cents a bag. If you haven't tried them, you totally should!

9) Winter gear - I have been buying dollar store ski gloves for my kids for years. My boys lose a lot of gloves, so having an abundant and inexpensive supply is helpful.

I also love the magic gloves because they are easy to slip in your coat pockets, purse, or glove compartment. And the cozy (sherpa lined) neck warmers are fantastic too. They keep the kids warm without being a chocking hazard.

10) Helpful kitchen items - The non slip mat is large and can be cut to fit any drawer.. and the pre-cut 

parchment paper is super convenient. Both of these items are bargains and really helpful in the kitchen.

I'm super excited about all my Dollarama finds this week, and I hope I've inspired you to go looking for a few of these fun finds.

Interesting in a closer look at these products? Check out this "10 products in 10 minutes" video that I made for you.

Do you have a favourite item on my list? Let me know in the comments.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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