Budget-Friendly Craft Haul + Mini Projects

 

Budget-Friendly Craft Haul + Mini Projects (because we love a deal 💅)

Hey crafty friends! ✨

If there’s one thing I love as much as glitter (but slightly more responsibly… no loose glitter disasters here 😅), it’s scoring amazing craft finds without emptying my wallet. So today, I’m giving you a peek at my latest budget-friendly craft haul AND showing you a few mini projects that you can whip up in no time. Because let’s be real—crafting is way more fun when your bank account isn’t crying. 💖💸

The Haul: What I Snagged

I hit up a couple of my favorite spots—Dollar Tree, Michaels & Hobby Lobby clearance, and Target’s dollar spot—and here’s what made it into my stash:

• Foam sheets & sticker packs – $1 each at Dollar Tree. Perfect for quick card making or small embellishments.
• Mini canvas boards – 4 for $5 on clearance. They scream “mini art gallery” vibes.
• Acrylic paint sets – Under $10! I love having a rainbow on hand for tiny projects.
• Washi tape bundles – Michaels clearance section, $2 each. These are the ultimate scrapbookers’ dream.
• Crafty charms & buttons – Dollar spot magic ✨. I snagged a bunch for DIY jewelry or scrapbooking accents.

Total haul cost? Around $25. Yep, I’m basically a bargain ninja. 🥷💖

Mini Projects You Can Try

1. DIY Button Earrings 🎨

Take a couple of those cute buttons, glue them to earring posts, and bam! Instant statement accessory. I paired mine with some leftover beads, and now I have a full set that cost less than a latte.

2. Mini Canvas Wall Trio 🖼

Grab your mini canvases, slap on some acrylic paints, and make a little themed set—florals, abstracts, or even a tiny quote. Arrange them on a shelf, and you’ve got gallery vibes without the gallery price.

3. Washi Tape Notebook Makeover ✏️

Plain notebook? No problem. Wrap it in your favorite washi tape patterns and add some sticker flair. It’s perfect for a budget-friendly planner, journal, or gift!

4. Foam Sheet Magnets 💕

Cut fun shapes out of your foam sheets, glue on a magnet, and suddenly your fridge is an adorable DIY gallery. Bonus points if you make seasonal shapes—hello, spring flowers! 🌸

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💡 Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to mix and match clearance finds. A little creativity + a little glue = a ton of cute craft magic.

That’s it for today, loves! Now it’s your turn—hit up your favorite bargain spots, grab some goodies, and make something that makes YOU happy. Remember, crafting doesn’t have to break the bank; it just has to spark joy. ✨

Stay crafty & sassy,
Amanda 💅

 

🍂 Cozy & Classy Fall Craft: DIY Dollar Store Pumpkin Centerpiece

Hi friends!
It’s Amanda — your Craftin’ Wife — and today I’ve got a grown-up fall craft that’s chic, simple, and perfect for those of us who love a little elevated autumn aesthetic (without the elevated price tag).

We’re taking a basic dollar store foam pumpkin and turning it into a beautiful neutral centerpiece using easy, affordable supplies and a little creative flair. This project is perfect for RV living — low mess, low space, big impact.

Let’s get into it!

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🛒 Supplies (all from Dollar Tree or similar):

• 1–2 foam pumpkins (orange or white — we’re painting them)

• Chalk paint or acrylic paint (neutral tones like cream, sage, or soft terracotta)

• Burlap ribbon or lace

• Hot glue gun + sticks

• Faux florals (muted fall tones: eucalyptus, berries, wheat, etc.)

• Twine or jute

• Optional: Gold or copper paint pen for detailing

• Optional: Candle holder or wood slice to use as a base

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🎨 Instructions:

Step 1: Paint the Pumpkin

Start by giving your foam pumpkin a makeover with chalk or acrylic paint. Go with farmhouse whites, sage greens, soft browns — whatever fits your vibe. Two coats usually do the trick!

Let it dry completely. (Set it on a paper plate or use a chip clip to hold the stem while painting.)

Step 2: Wrap the Stem

Once dry, wrap the pumpkin’s stem in twine or jute for a more natural, rustic look. Secure the ends with hot glue.

Feeling fancy? Add a touch of metallic paint or a gold paint pen to the edges of the twine for a chic finish.

Step 3: Add Ribbon or Lace

Wrap a strip of burlap or lace around the lower third of the pumpkin, securing it with hot glue in the back. This gives your piece texture and that cozy, autumn-cottage feel.

Step 4: Floral Flair

Use your hot glue to attach faux florals to the top around the stem. Go for an asymmetrical look — one side full, one side simple — to keep it modern. Tuck in berries, wheat sprigs, and tiny leaves. If using two pumpkins, give each a different floral "crown."

Step 5: Display with Intention

Place your finished pumpkin(s) on a small wood slice, metal tray, or even inside a repurposed basket to create a stunning fall centerpiece for your tiny home table, RV dinette, or outdoor setup.

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🍁 Why You’ll Love It:

• Chic & Adult-Friendly: It’s seasonal without being kiddie.

• Budget-Conscious: Whole project under $10–15.

• RV-Friendly: Lightweight, compact, and non-breakable.

• Customizable: Make a pair for a mini mantel or gift one to a campsite neighbor!

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🎃 Craftin’ Wife Pro Tip: Use a muted color palette (think soft olive, cream, rust, and copper) to keep it grown-up and elegant. Add a few drops of essential oil (like cinnamon or clove) to the inside of the pumpkin for a scent boost!

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As always, tag me if you make one — I’d love to see your take on this cozy fall DIY!

Stay creative and classy,
Amanda
Craftin’ Wife’s Creations 🍂

My Least Favorite Things Right Now

 Hey Y'all!

For the Least Favorites, I figured I'd do 2 craft items, and a few beauty items as well...

1) American Crafts Adhesive Vinyl~ This is glitter vinyl specific, the others seem to do okay, but I still wouldn't use it if given an option. The glitter doesn't cut well. On my many attempts, when I did get it to cut it was a pain to weed. It sticks to pretty much nothing but itself, and is crazy thin. I had purchased several rolls, and had so much issue working with it I gave them away. After such a hard time I tried the others (foil, and holographic) that I had also purchased, and luckily they worked for that project.

2)RoseArt~ Crayons & Colored pencils, both of these suck. (I had enough bad experience with these, I've not tried the markers.) The crayons are too waxy and don't leave much else behind. The colored pencils have poor pigmentation, and dull quickly. Spend the little extra and get higher quality! 

Beauty Items:

Dishonorable Mention- Makeup Remover Facial Wipes~ Some Dollar Tree products are a hit, some are a miss. I actually didn't even finish using these. They dried out super fast, and the wipes themselves were so thin I found them hard to use. (They tended to want to wad up in my hand.) They also weren't very good at removing makeup. Save the dollar+! I've since used them again, and while still rather thin, there still not great. 

1) Burt's Bees Tinted Balm~ I have two of these, one in a pale pink, the other in a rich berry shade, neither has much pigmentation. I know a tinted balm isn't supposed to be solid pigmentation, but expected more. The pink is actually more tinted/pigmented than the berry, which is pretty much non existent on my lips. I could get over that, but the balm isn't very good either. I have one lipstick from the new line, and it's more moisturizing than the balms (still lightly pigmented however). I remember Burt's Bees being better than this, so I don't know if the formula changed or what went wrong, but these are a fail. 

2) Lorac Alter Ego Lip Gloss~ This feels great on the lips, and was very moisturizing. The issue was that when first applied the color was beautiful, but within 20min it was gone (Where did it go?). The moisturizing effect lasted most of the day, so maybe it was a color issue (Flower Child) and maybe not. At $$ this price point, I'm not willing to gamble on Lorac Lip Gloss (again).

3) Parlor Leave in Detangling Conditioner~ Yuck! This feels more like a crappy hairspray than a detangler. The Barbie Cotton Candy Kids Detangler from Dollar Tree does a better job. After using this I had a really hard time combing out my damp hair, and felt like I was pulling some out. I actually had to cut a bit from the ends on one side it was such a matted mess. I will not give this another try as a detangler, and will not subject my mom or sister to the horror that is this product by sharing it with them. The only plus? It smells really good.

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

My Least Favorite Things (Currently)

 Hey Y'all!

Since I did my Top 3 Favorites, I figured a bottom three in the same categories may be interesting.

TOP 3:

 https://craftinwifescreations.blogspot.com/2024/06/my-favorite-things-currently.html

Bottom 3:

In no particular order, one craft item, one beauty item, and one random item. 

1) 

Mini Electric Iron from Dollar Tree~ I have no "craft in progress" pics for this because it didn't work. 

To clarify it did get warm, but definitely not hot enough to adhere HTV to any surface. I tried both cloth, and wood. It was a big no go. It didn't even work well for ironing the wrinkle out of the fabric during preheat. It may work for something like perler beads, but I'd just buy a regular iron for that. Doesn't even come close to comparing to the Cricut Easy Press Mini. Would NOT recommend! They can't all be winners.

*Couldn't find a link, but the website is not exactly user friendly.

2)

 Pacifica Pineapple Bubbles Clarifying Mask~

It seems like this may have been discontinued (I can see why.) as I can't find it online. (I got mine from TJ Maxx.)

Pacifica site:  https://www.pacificabeauty.com/collections/skincare

I never could get this to work right. Maybe it was user error, but it didn't bubble, but also didn't feel like a mask (or a cleanser). I gave it several tries, and it never "worked". It also didn't do anything for my skin, it felt and looked the same before & after. The scent was okay, but fairly overpowering. I've not tried anything else from the brand, am I missing something? Let me know in the comments.

3)

Picture Credit: https://www.aldireviewer.com/little-salad-bar-farmhouse-potato-salad-steakhouse-potato-salad/

Aldi Steakhouse Potato Salad~

We all tried this, and none of us liked it much. (5 adults, 3 kids) It seemed sweet, but also kinda like a loaded potato salad. The flavors just didn't combine well for our taste. We all prefer a mustard potato salad, and knew going in this was different, it's just not for us. If you like a semi sweet potato salad you may love this.

What are some of your least favorite things? Let us know in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

My Favorite Things (Currently)

 Hey Y'all!

Here are a few of my favorite things...

I'll do a top three of my favorite things. one craft item, one beauty item, and one random item. 

In no particular order:

1) StarKist Tuna Bowl-

Surprisingly, we both really like these. Even more surprisingly we both think out of the 4 variations that three are great, and the Tomato Basil is only okay. We do these for lunch, especially on the go, quite a bit. They're cheap, compact, easy to store, and taste good. We always eat them cold, out of the pouch, with a fork.

2) NexGen Hemp Seed Oil Lotion-

We got ours from Dollar Tree, but it's not on their website. I did find it online for $6.

I like this because it smells good, is pretty moisturizing, and inexpensive. 

The oil provides good skin moisturization. Furthermore, oil has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of specific skin conditions including eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne rosacea. Favorable results likely relate to the GLA component of hemp oil.

3) Craftables Vinyl-

I really like all their products, they always are even prettier than pictured, cut and weed extremely well, and adhere with ease. I will always recommend their products to vinyl crafters. I also like that they are a smaller company, and are US based (in TN). Their customer service, and product knowledge is unmatched. I can't say enough good things about the brand.

What are some of your favorite products currently? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Dollar Tree $5 Spot Craft Items Review (Dollar Tree Plus)

 Hey Y'all!

Today I'm reviewing two of the Dollar Tree $5 craft items: 

Mini Electric Iron- I have no "craft in progress" pics for this because it didn't work. To clarify it did get warm, but definitely not hot enough to adhere HTV to any surface. I tried both cloth, and wood. It was a big no go. It didn't even work well for ironing the wrinkle out of the fabric during preheat. It may work for something like perler beads, but I'd just buy a regular iron for that. Doesn't even come close to comparing to the Cricut Easy Press Mini. Would NOT recommend! They can't all be winners.

*Couldn't find a link, but the website is not exactly user friendly.

Ultra Thin Portable Light Pad- It's definitely thin, but not too flimsy. I wouldn't do anything hardcore with it, but it worked well for weeding vinyl. I could see using it to trace, or for small diamond art. It's USB powered which was fine for me, but may be an issue for someone else. It's not too bright, and at 13x9in, a pretty good size. No complaints for $5. I do have another light pad (not Cricut) and several lamps, and I've come to realize I much prefer the Ottlite Desk Lamp.

Have you tried the Dollar Tree craft items? What do you recommend? Share in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife