Dollar Store Projects

10 budget friendly Christmas DIY’s

November 10, 2016 by Tanya 13 Comments

We are going to make a day of it this year, with warm boots, mittens and lots of cocoa to find our tree.

I cannot wait.

Like, literally. So in the meantime Santa’s little dress workshop can still be full of Christmas cheer and working on lots of projects while I wait for late November and tree-finding day to arrive.

This is my favorite time of year (I know I say that about every season) so I guess I love celebrating and decorating and that is why Christmas brings back so many memories. And makes me want to get to creating every chance I have.

Here are some of my favorite Christmas projects for a little inspiration and hopefully a few thrifty ideas to begin the season with excitement and joy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas, craft, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, Food Gifts, How To Save Money

Black and white DIY Thanksgiving pumpkins

November 4, 2016 by Tanya 15 Comments

Can you believe that it’s going to be Thanksgiving in just a few weeks?

Neither can I. We were just knee deep in summer a minute ago it seems, and the wonderful holiday season has already arrived.

Being that it is my favorite time of year I will take it however. I don’t know about you but I get a little (ok massively) excited when the holiday baking displays begin to pop up at the grocery store.

Marshmallow crème we are ready for you!

But before I get ahead of myself and begin to mentally put up our tree (too late I already have the colors, theme and location in my noggin) we have Thanksgiving to look forward to.

No matter where this Thanksgiving finds us, one thing is for sure, it’s such a good time to stop and really realize how truly blessed we are.

Time to spend with family or friends, or however you want, and food. Good food y’all.

I have had this little blog of mine for about four years now I think.

A lot has happened since then, and returning to work just under two years ago has meant not near as much time to write and share. But that return to work was necessary as I left an unhealthy life behind and struck out on a new path with my kids.

This Thanksgiving finds me very thankful, for a great career I love, the ability to provide for my family, and a man in my life who supports me and encourages me to do the things that bring me joy.

Looking back I am not sure how we made it, it’s been a rocky path for sure. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Autumn, Craft Ideas, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, Thanksgiving

Faux Succulent Wreath

February 7, 2015 by Tanya 43 Comments

Happy Saturday beautiful people!

Guess what? It’s raining in the Northwest (shocking I know) so I cleaned up my studio
area (which is half playroom/Lego Mecca and half my space) and I am going to try and
create my little heart out this weekend.

Since I have been blogging I have written I think one post on how to keep plants alive.

So what this means is, if you are going to go on a vacation, you might want to find another
home for them if you expect them to be watered.
It’s not intentional, it’s just one more thing to remember, and well a dog barks when it’s
hungry, plants need to up their game and come up with something besides a slow wilt. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Decorating, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, Modern Decor, Wreaths

DIY Bohemian Style Woven Tapestry

January 25, 2015 by Tanya 13 Comments

Do you ever wish you had a super cool tapestry for a table or your wall?

And perhaps it looks like something you would find in an amazing shop full of Bohemian fabulousness.

But you made it, and it was easy, and thrifty as well.

Are you in?

Inspired by so many gorgeous woven wall hangings and recycled fiber projects I keep seeing, I thought I might give
weaving a shot and see if I like it.

Not only did I find myself staying up very late in the weaving zen zone, I loved it!

And if you use materials you already have, or for the most part, making a pretty Boho tapestry is not hard at all.
I followed the instructions I found at the Free People Blog (I can get lost there for hours, it’s ah-ma-zing)
and made my loom from a piece of foam core board from Dollar Tree. [Read more…]

Filed Under: craft, Decorating, Dollar Store Projects, home decor, Modern Decor, Table decor, Thrifty Living, Tips & ideas for the home

Day #8: DIY Anthro Inspired Rope Basket

January 17, 2015 by Tanya 12 Comments

Making a basket out of rope couldn’t be easier when the base happens to be a $1 mesh garbage can from
the dollar store. I found mine at Dollar Tree.

Using up a few different types and widths of rope I had on hand, some paint and a few other items from
the craft hoard, I came up with this fun, bright footed basket.

Now the hard part is trying to figure out where I am going to use it. So far it looks cool by my fireplace,
at the foot of the stairs, with a plant in it, and full of toys.

Oy, the options! Like most things it will probably be moved around and used in many roles over time.

But for today, I will show you how fast this rope basket came together, lets craft! [Read more…]

Filed Under: craft, Decorating, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, home decor, How To Save Money, Modern Decor, Thrifty Living

Top DIY Projects + Reader Favorites for 2014!!

December 30, 2014 by Tanya 5 Comments

Happy last day of 2014 friends!!

I don’t know about you, but to me that just looks and sounds crazy!

But we are here again, saying farewell to another year, and welcoming in a wonderful new year full of hope, promise, and
some projects we can work on together!!

I want to thank you for your continued reading, encouragement, and ideas.
This has been an interesting year, with a mix of loss, joy, excitement, and truth telling.
Mixed in there was a whole bunch of laughter, hot glue sticks, and learning that made it a wonderful blogging year here
at twelveOeight. And I have you to thank for that. If you didn’t keep on coming back and reading, pinning and sharing
there would be no twelveOeight.

So thank you, thank you for making my dream grow, and turn into something unique and different, and far more wonderful
than I could have dreamed on my own.

Here are some of the DIY Projects that you loved this year, ready? [Read more…]

Filed Under: craft, Decorating, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, home decor, How To Decorate, how to make a chalkboard, Thoughts, Thrifty Living, Wreaths

Red + White Buffalo Check Christmas Light Garland

November 19, 2014 by Tanya 18 Comments

In the spirit of all things red and white this year (I cannot wait to show you the tree, but it’s not done yet so give me a few more days!)
I wanted to have a garland that I could hang anywhere that glowed in all of it’s red and white goodness and just
makes you happy each time you walk by it.

I have seen ping pong ball covered lights before for other types of garlands, but I wanted to try making a Christmas Garland
out of one.

Inspiration struck on a recent trip to Michael’s, when I found strings of red and white mini lights.
My heart went pitter patter and I knew exactly what I would do with them.

Well, kind of. And that never happens so it was awesome! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas, Craft Ideas, Decorating, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, fabric

How to Make a Glitter House Village {the easy way}

November 13, 2014 by Tanya 12 Comments

Does the thought of having a your own Glitter House Village sound wonderful?

It has to me too for a couple years now.

And I have thought about different ways I could construct cardboard glitter houses,
But schedules are busy this time of year, and it’s hard enough to sometimes
balance it all and have time to create and craft too.

Let alone build a teeny village while keeping little hands from grabbing one
and running around like crazy folk.

So the idea went on the back burner until I came across a pretty but kind of faded
Victorian style house at Goodwill. It was $6.99, and I brought it home and left it
on the kitchen counter for a couple days. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas, craft, Craft Ideas, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, Spray Paint 101, Thrifty Finds, Wreaths

How to make your own cleaning supplies

October 31, 2014 by Tanya 5 Comments

So my friend Haley and I had a chance to share some of our absolute favorite ways to recycle, DIY
and upcycle our way around our homes with a wonderful group of women. We have a MOMS group
that is a co-op designed to support, uplift and encourage mothers in a comfortable setting. We take
turns cooking, and working in the child care area so everyone in our group has a chance to get a
break, not share their food with a 2 year old. And take away something they can use. [Read more…]

Filed Under: DIY, Dollar Store Projects, Gifts From The Kitchen, Homemade Cleaning Supplies, How To Save Money, make your own mixes, Thrifty Living

DIY Painted Sugar Skull

October 1, 2014 by Tanya 28 Comments

I have a heavy influence of Spanish and Native American art and history in my artistic psyche, probably since I
grew up in a community with both cultures represented via food, art, and music, they are interests that I find
myself continually drawn to.

And, I love bright colors, and sometimes a well-placed fake flower too.
Today’s project is something I have been longing to do, and never found the right medium.
Until a Dollar Tree trip to pick up a few things, and I scored this skull door-knocker. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Craft Ideas, DIY, Dollar Store Projects, Fall, Halloween