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.

6 NEW dollar store finds and DIYs for FALL and HALLOWEEN

I love budget-friendly seasonal / holiday decor, and today I have some fantastic dollar store finds and DIYs for Fall and Halloween. A few of the pieces are multi-functional... and they are all easy, inexpensive, and super cute. I even created a YouTube video that will allow you to get a closer look at everything!

1) Multi use Book Stack - I found this faux book stack at the dollar store, and I knew I could easily make it a reversable version that would work for Fall AND Halloween.

I covered the existing words with a couple of coats of white chalk paint, and then I added the words "farm fresh pumpkins" that I printed on my Cricut. I added a bit of twine and a yarn pom pom pumpkin. Cute, right?

Then, I flipped around the book stack and added the words "spells and potions", which I cut out with my Cricut. I finished by sliding the twine to the opposite side, and adding a dollar store LED light.

2) Pumpkin with a gold stem - I love all the different styles of pumpkins that you can buy at the dollar store, but the one with the gold stem really caught my eye.

I also thought it would fun to give the orange pumpkin a "glam" Halloween makeover. I painted it with black paint from the dollar store (2 coats). Then, I used dollar store metallic gold paint to add polka dots. Didn't it turn out great?

It looks super-cute with the irridescent vase (from the dollar store) and a print I designed in a dollar store vase. You can download a FREE copy of the "Hello Pumpkin" print here.

3) Simple seasonal soap - I think this idea is genius. Peel the label from a dollar store soap dispenser, and add a seasonal window cling. It's simple, but looks great!

4) Seasonal candles - Window clings can also add a seasonal flair to candles... in just a few seconds.

They stick easily to most surfaces, but you could use a bit of glue if you want them extra secure.

5) Inexpensive wall hangings - You can also make inexpensive wall hangings with dollar store window clings and stickers.

6) Front door wreath - I made this adorable floral decor for my front door using a dollar store bucket and dollar store sunflowers.

I used my Cricut to apply a design to the front of the bucket, I inserted a piece of floral foam, and I added the flowers (one at a time). I absolutely LOVE how it turned out... and it's easy to switch out the flowers for various seasons.

For a closer look at all these dollar store finds and DIYs, check out the YouTube video below.

Which of these projects is your favourite? I think mine is the book stack because it can be used for Fall AND Halloween. I love anytime I can save money, time, and storage space.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

High-end FALL decor made using DOLLAR STORE supplies (in LESS than 5 minutes!)

I love simple seasonal decor... and these ideas are budget-friendly, easy, and super cute. They all look high end, and no one would ever guess they came from the dollar store. You are going to LOVE these dollar store FALL DIYs!

The inspiration for these projects came from these adorable Dollarama window clings I found a couple of weeks ago. I absolutely love them!

The red truck was my favourite, and I knew it would make an adorable piece of Fall artwork. I picked up this floating glass from at the dollar store, arranged the window clings between the two pieces of glass, and put the frame back together.

Didn't it turn out cute?!?!

I also used the window clings with a dollar store vase and candles. I filled the vase with popcorn kernals, inserted a candle, and added window clings to the outside of the glass. 

I think this is a really clever piece of decor, and because I didn't use any glue or adhesive, I can change up the vase later.

I also created a similar piece of decor with a larger vase. For this one, I didn't use any window clings, but I set it on top of a dollar store candle holder that I painted with white chalk paint.

I also found this iridescent vase and fake wheat at my local dollar store. The vase is very "on trend", and I love this colour for Fall.

Doesn't it look high-end with the print I designed? (PS-You can download this print for FREE here.

Here's a look at all the projects together. Pretty great for DIYs that take less than 5 minutes!

Get a closer look at all the Fall dollar store DIYs in the video below.

Which is your favourite? I think the window cling artwork is mine. I love that I can easily reuse the frame for Halloween and Christmas. All I need to do is change out the window clings. It doesn't get easier and/or more budget friendly!

♥

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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

First Day of School 2022

Today is the first day of school for my boys... which is always a bit of a sad day for me. The lazy days of summer have come to an end, and the crazy school/hockey schedule is just beginning. And I was extra teary this morning as my oldest son headed out for his LAST first day of school. Luckily, my boys let me take a few pictures to document the occassion. 

As always, we started the day with pancakes in the shapes of their Grades.

Then, we took our traditional photos holding 8x10s from the first day of school the year before.

Grade 12...

Grade 10...

Grade 8...

After school, we'll all share a special treat, and talk about the day. I can't wait! 😁

Happy first day of school everyone!!!!

♥

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

FREE Halloween Watercolour Print

I love designing seasonal prints, and I just finished creating an adorable Halloween watercolour. It looks fantastic in a dollar store frame or attached to a dollar store clipboard, and you can download your copy for free below.

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

Enjoy your free print, and Happy Halloween!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You may also be interested in the Halloween ideas here.

And this fun video!

FREE First Day of School Photo Props

The first day of school is an important milestone for kids, and it's important to document it in photos. Over the years, I have always made it a priority to take "first day of school" pictures of my boys, and today I'm sharing fun (and FREE) photo props. These are so adorable!!!

If you want to make a super cute photo frame, start with a piece of dollar store foam core, and cut the inside out with an X-acto knife.

Then, use a ruler and markers to make lines on the form core... so that it resembles a piece of loose leaf.

You can leave it "as is", or you can decorate it with the pictures below. 

I printed the pictures, cut them out, and used a glue stick to attach them to the frame. Cute, right?!?!

To download the pictures for free: click on the pictures below, save them to your computer, and print like regular 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. I printed mine at my local copy store (Staples).

You can also print the pictures on cardstock, attach them to pencils with tape, and use them as props for a DIY photo booth.

You can get a closer look at my favourite back to school photo ideas in the short video I made below.

How do you document the first day of school? I hope you like my back to school photo ideas and FREE printable photo props.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like these school lunch HACKS.