Dollar Store Gift Ideas
It’s almost that time! Yikes!
More gifts needed and less money available. So I headed to our local dollar store in search of inspiration.
Here’s one of the inspiring ideas. It’s easy and can be personalized to fit the receiver.
Just what I need this time of year!
I gathered up 11 2/1/2 by 3-inch frames. Cost $11. The other items listed below I had on hand.
Supplies
Past years Christmas cards {I always save them for at least one Christmas project}
- A piece of foam board approximately 20 inches by 12 inches
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors or paper cutter
- Box cutter
- Piece of chalk
- Small ruler
- Sawtooth hanger
- Plus 11 2/12 by 3-inch frames. I bought 6 black, 4 silver and one gold.
- Pliers
Steps to make the tree
1: Lay out the frames in a Christmas tree design with one on top and one on the bottom {for the trunk!} Since I used different colors of frames I took a picture of the layout I liked.
2: Take out the image in one frame and use it as a size to cut out images from those past Christmas cards. Set the decorative small pieces from the cards aside for a quick project below.
3: Fill each frame.
4: The small frames I bought had the hinge to set up the frames. Since I wanted the tree to lay flat, I used pliers to remove the hinge and the piece holding the hinge in place. This left a hole in the back but that’s okay.
5: Lay the tree on top of the foam board and roughly measure out a basic tree shape. Cut the tree out using the box cutter. Don’t forget to leave the trunk! Yep, I cut the trunk right off the first one. :/
6: Fire up the hot glue gun and completely cover the foam board tree shape with your frames.
7: Use a good amount to hot glue on the back to add the sawtooth hanger.
Other ideas to add to the tree
Finished and hanging! Can you tell that one card was used for four frames and another card was used for two frames??
This would also be cute with words. Either spelling out something or adding a poem or sentence.
After I was finished Mike suggested I make one with pictures of the dogs. I have a good friend who sends those family photo cards. I’m thinking of making wallet-size prints of those past years card for a special holiday gift.
I’m off to the dollar store!
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So, for those small decorative Christmas card pieces leftover…
use a hole punch and instant gift tags!
You could also make the tree larger by adding an extra roll of frames, smaller by removing the four frames on the bottom roll, or make a fat tree by turning the frames lengthwise.
Any other ideas to insert in the frames?? Let me in comments below!
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