How to Stuff a Balloon with The Elf on the Shelf

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October 11, 2024 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Christmas, Facebook, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, The Elf on the Shelf Ideas

How to put Elf in a balloon. All you need is a funnel and ten minutes for one of the easiest and best ideas for The Elf on the Shelf— The Elf on the Shelf in a balloon! We also provide the most creative and easy Elf Ideas daily. Plus, you can use your stuffing tool funnel and pump to stuff a balloon and create balloons filled with gifts for every occasion!

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Disclosure: Frugal Coupon Living (the website, blog, and all social media channels) is not associated with CCA and B, LLC d/b/a The Lumistella Company, home of the official The Elf on the Shelf and Scout Elf.

We’re back with more of the best ideas for The Elf on the Shelf! Every day in November and December, we’re bringing you new Elf Ideas daily. To see new and older Elf ideas, check out our Master List of Elf Ideas!

The Elf on the Shelf in a Balloon

For many of these easy deas, you’ll need an elf that can bend. Make yours bendable to enjoy these ideas with our Bendable Tutorial for The Elf on the Shelf.

Balloon Stuffing Tool

Anyone can do this easy Balloon idea for The Elf on the Shelf. No fancy tools required! This DIY Balloon Stuffer Machine costs next to nothing, and you can use it year-round for fantastic gifts. Use it to stuff your holiday helper in a balloon for a fun arrival surprise, or stuff a balloon with candy for a great party favor!

You only need a few supplies to stuff The Elf on the Shelf in a balloon:

The Elf on the Shelf
Christmas Balloons (You’ll want a clear balloon so the kids can see the goodies inside! We went with this Christmas Balloon set)
Optional: Black Sharpie
Optional: Your candy of choice (we used Reese’s Cups)

Now for the two magic gadgets! To stuff the little red guy in a balloon, you’ll need a Balloon Stuffing Tool and a Hand Held Balloon Pump (guys, you’re going to need this balloon pump around the house for parties – it made blowing up my daughter’s birthday balloons so easy and quick!)

Balloon Stuffing Tool (aka canning funnel)
Hand Held Balloon Pump

The best part about these tools? You’ll be able to use them all year to make incredibly affordable and easy balloons filled with gifts! Fill balloons with candy, rolled-up dollar bills, small presents, and more!

How to Stuff a Balloon with The Elf on the Shelf

Follow these simple, step-by-step directions to learn how to stuff a balloon with a Christmas Elf! There’s two important things worth sharing. First, this is incredibly easy. Like, crazy easy. Plus, the balloon stuffing tool is incredibly affordable for all my frugal friends out there! Second, your kids will become obsessed with this easy Balloon idea for a family elf. You’ll have envious moms wondering, “How on earth did you do that?!” Send them here to share your wisdom. They won’t realize how easy it is until they try it themselves! Let’s get into the tutorial. Read on for one of the best Ideas — The Christmas Elf in a balloon!

How do you get The Elf on the Shelf in a balloon?

First, grab your balloon and start stretching it out. Make sure to stretch both the neck and the body of the balloon. You’re going to fit an entire Scout Elf in a balloon, so the balloon needs to have room!

Second, use your Balloon Pump to put the neck of your balloon on the neck of the pump. Pump up the balloon and deflate it. Repeat this a few times. This continues to stretch your balloon so you can easily fit your family elf inside.

Third, remove your balloon from the balloon pump. Wrap the neck of the balloon around your Balloon Stuffing Tool (aka canning funnel). Pull the neck of the balloon up the neck of the canning funnel. Make sure to pull the balloon up as much as possible — it’ll help you fit everything into the balloon in the next step!

Next, you have the option to add chocolates to the inside of the balloon to give the balloon weight. The Elf will likely still move around, but the chocolates are a fun extra treat for your child to enjoy when they pop the balloon!

Next, fold your Elf in on itself, similar to the way it arrived in the box. Wrap its arms around itself and fold its legs, like it’s sitting! Begin to slide the bottom of your elf doll into the balloon until everything but its head is inside.

Then, work the rest of the balloon up the face of Elf by removing the canning funnel. You’ll need to use your hands and a little patience for this part! Only the tip of the Elf’s hat will be sticking out at this point.

Return to your hand-held balloon pump, slide your balloon onto the pump, and start pumping. Don’t over-inflate the balloon — if you do, it could pop before morning arrives.

Tie off the neck of the balloon. Optionally, you can use a Sharpie to write a message from the Elf on the balloon. “Help me” and “I’m here!” are a couple of good message ideas for the Arrival of The Elf on the Shelf!

Finally, you’re done! You did this easy elf idea in a balloon DIY, and it looks like it took a lot of effort too!

So, what now!? Once your child pops Elf, you might be wondering, “How do you take The Elf on the Shelf off the floor?” Easy! Use our magic grippers printable to pick up your North Pole Friend.

The Elf on the Shelf Arrival Ideas

This idea is perfect for a First Night Idea for The Elf on the Shelf. We shared many Elf Ideas for Arrival, but we think this one is just adorable. It’s as if Elf floated down from the North Pole inside a balloon. You can use a Sharpie Marker and write “I’m Back!” or “Help Me!” on the outside of the balloon. We filled up other balloons around Elf and kept the clear balloons as the balloon Scout Elf chose to arrive in. That way, the kids can see their North Pole visitors!

A few other ideas for arrival include…

Don’t forget our Last Night Elf Ideas for Saying Good-bye.

Elf Printables

We love sharing printables! Get all of our holiday printables by entering your email address below. Look for an email to confirm you signed up. One you confirm, look for a second email in your inbox with a link and password!

Free Printables Step by Step Directions

1.) Enter your email address here.

2.) Look for a confirmation email in your inbox and confirm you requested a signup.

3.) We will send you a Free Printables Welcome Email with a link and passcode to all of our free printables.

4.) Enter your passcode at the top of the page here and click “Access Printables”

5. Enjoy your holiday helper printables.

Shop our Most Popular Printables + Digital Downloads

The Elf on the Shelf Christmas Tradition

The Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas Tradition. The tradition has a book and an elf doll. The book is poetic and in rhyme sharing the purpose of the Elf’s visits. The Elf visits each Thanksgiving. He/she goes and returns from the North Pole each evening. Every morning he can be found in a new location in the house. The Elf has been found in the refrigerator, fishing in the toilet, writing messages on the mirror, or hanging from the lights. It is VERY IMPORTANT, that the Elf is not touched each evening or his Christmas magic will be lost! Each family is able to name their special elf. The elves return to their home (Santa’s North Pole Work shop) every Christmas Eve.

You can also trap Elf f in the TV. Pin to Pinterest.

Don’t forget all of our daily Elf Ideas. Pin to Pinterest on your Christmas and Elf Boards.

We have been doing The Elf on the Shelf forever. See our Elf Master List of Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

Is Rent The Runway Worth It?

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March 28, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, Facebook, Frugal Living, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Online Shopping, Pinterest, Review, Social Media

Back-to-back black-tie weddings caused me to take a closer look at one time rentals vs buying discounted designer apparel. Take a look at Rent the Runway, where to buy designer brands for less, and rental clothing competitors. Get the answer to “Is Rent the Runway Worth It?”

Have you tried Rent the Runway? I first tried RTR 6 years ago when I was pregnant with twins – only I didn’t realize I was pregnant and I had to put on two pairs of Spanx to get in the dress. While this blog post has nothing about being the mother of twins or wearing twin Spanx (pun intended), it does provide a little insight on how to find the perfect size dress (or clothing item) for your special occasion.

In addition to finding the perfect dress for an occasion, there are other options to find more than the perfect dress. While you might have tried renting a dress online before, you might not be aware of a monthly clothing rental service too. With a Rent the Runway Membership, you can find outfits for any occasion including weddings, work, weekends, travel, and more. If revamping your closet for a month isn’t your cup of tea, give Rent the Runway a short try and rent designer clothing for a few short days during a special occasion.

How does Rent the Runway Work?

Rent the Runway is a rental clothing company that allows you to try on and wear designer brands. The online boutique includes stylish clothing connecting consumers to high-end top brands. Their business model focuses on helping women to stay up-to-date with constantly evolving fashion trends — without breaking the bank or repeating their outfits.

When renting clothing, your rental window can be as short as 4 days or as long as a 30-days. The online designer store includes many popular brands including Tory Burch, Farm Rio, LoveShackFancy, Mac Duggal, and more. Rent the Runway clothing is sent straight from the warehouse to your home and includes a pre-affixed return package for an easy-peasy designer rental service experience.

How to find your perfect size

One thing I love about Rent the Runway is the sizing. I can (humbly) enter my weight, height, and typical size and compare myself to others. This gives me a review and photos of how the dress looked on them. I can see the shape and height of other women and know how something might fit me.

As we all know, clothing size can vary greatly by designer and region. For example, UK fits much differently than US versions. To find your perfect size, when you find the ideal dress read the Rent the Runway reviews. Many individuals share their experiences with their rented dresses (items of clothing) – you might even find a few of my reviews online.

Once you find the item you want, click the reviews or customer images. Sort the feedback by sizing that matches yours. Simply pay attention to your height, weight (be honest), and chest size. Then find similar women who have rented the same dress you are looking at. This quickly helps you realize if the item is true to size, runs small, or runs large.

This is my favorite thing about this website. Shopping like this cannot be done on T.J.Maxx, Nordstrom, Dillards, and other online dress stores I typically use first.

Take a look at my personal Rent the Runway sizing experience. By paying attention to the sizing, I knew I had to rent a size 14 Borgo de Nor Lemonade Margarita Maxi dress for a wedding rehearsal. M typical size is 6/8. In fact, the same designer has another dress that doesn’t run this large and it would have been better for me to go with a 6/8 – talk about confusion. This is why Rent the Runway reviews for each item are important.

Now that you know you have the ability to find the perfect size brand name clothing, let’s talk about renting brand-to-consumer items. To learn more about the rental process, take look at one-time rentals and memberships.

Rent the Runway One Time Rental

Rent the runway has short window items. This can be as short as 4 days or as long as 8 days. With a one-time rental, you can select a delivery date 1-2 days before your plans. With one-time rentals, to help make sure you get an outfit that fits, a free backup size is included in every order. Once you have chosen your items, the Rent the Runway rental bag will arrive at your door. No need to leave your house (except for your special event.)

Consider short-term clothing rentals for special occasions including:

For these special occasions, individuals often want a one-time use. In this case, buying a dress can often be a waste of money. Plus designer clothing vs warehouse clothing is quite different. Either you spend a little and the item doesn’t fit great. Or you spend a lot for a three-hour event.

Rent the Runway’s Collection Includes Popular Brands:

Ienna by Mac Duggal
Badgley Mischka
A.L.C.
Adam LIppes Collective
SIMKHAI
AMUR
Donna Morgan
Staud
Lilly Pulitzer
J.Crew
AFRM
Ulla Johnson
Veronica Beard
FARM Rio
MISA Los Angeles
LoveShackFancy
Sea New York
Tory Burch
Gucci

… and more!

Right now, code GETDRESSED with give you 20% off trying this one-time service.

Feel like a million bucks for only a few short dollars.

Rent the Runway Tip: If you have your eye on a specific, must-have dress for a one-time occasion, go with the one-time rental. You can schedule the date of your rental and ensure you have the perfect dress during this open window of time.

Rent the Runway Membership

Once you’ve chosen to rent designer clothing, it’s important to discover how you can rent top brands for less.

Do you need clothing for work? Do you have a series of events coming up? Do you want to treat yourself? Are you feeling like you deserve a closet overhaul but lack the budget… if you answered yes to any of these, then try Rent the Runway subscription service.

The Rent the Runway monthly clothing membership allows you to hang on to five items at a time. There are three membership plans allowing you to keep all five items for one month or get up to 3 free shipments a month and up to 15 brand-to-consumer items a month.

RTR makes this pretty easy with three main subscription plans.

Subscription Plan 1

5 items a month
1 shipment a month
Rent items up to $350 MSRP
$94/month

Subscription Plan 2

10 items a month
2 shipments a month
Rent items up to $3000 MSRP
$144/month

Subscription Plan 3

15 items a month
3 shipments a month
Rent items up to $3000 MSRP
$193/month

Subscription plans include all the popular designers’ brand names you get from the one-time rental but they give you more of unlimited access to your look. Grab not only designer gowns but the option of jewelry, handbags, coats, accessories, or even more clothing items to complete the look.

Runway customers can rent items for as long as they’d like during their ongoing plan and have the option to purchase any pieces they love at a discounted price.

Returns

When your rental period is up, return your items using the included prepaid UPS shipping label. With easy Rent the Runway returns, simply return the item to a UPS location with a prefixed label and packaging. You can also schedule a UPS pick-up. Easy peasy, return it immediately. They will do the cleaning.

Cancel

It’s really easy to discontinue and you can cancel Rent the Runway at any time. When you cancel the service, you still can keep your clothing items until the end of your subscription period.

A Rent the Runway phone number is not necessary. You can easily cancel online within the backend of your account. During my subscription period, I found the chat feature to be very helpful. This is a real person, not a robot. You can do this by going down to Contact Us at the bottom of the www.RenttheRunway.com page. You will get connected immediately.

Chat is available:

Monday – Friday: 9 am – 7:30 pm EDT
Saturday & Sunday: 9 am – 5 pm EDT

When canceling Rent the Runway, make sure to return your rented clothing items before your Rent the Runway membership/trial period ends.

Rent the Runway Promo Codes

One thing I love about this website is they don’t hide their discounts. How much does Rent the Runway cost? That will vary on the rental window and value of the clothing item. However, unlike the competition, RTR is pretty blatant about wanting you to save money and see what is available to rent. To find Rent the Runway coupons, scroll down to the bottom of the www.RenttheRunway.com page. Look for current promotions under the get help column.

Find Rent the Runway discount codes for their clothing rental memberships and one-time rentals so you can give them a try.

Rent the Runway Review

I decided to give Rent the Runway Membership a try. I went with the most popular plan, getting up to 10 items a month (It was only 8 rent my runway items when started but soon turned to 10.)

The Backstory

Within two years our family was invited to two destination black-tie weddings. With the first wedding, my husband and I went as well as three (of our five) kids. The receipts on wedding guest attire quickly added up and I looked for any way to save money. I was pleased with my purchases for the first wedding. I did a great job of savings on a Mac Duggal Runway Dress. I found a way I could resell the dress and earn money back.

For the second wedding, I began to try the same thing of shopping T.J.Maxx Runway Collection for designer gowns. This wasn’t working. What I purchased wasn’t exactly what I wanted. For me, finding the right dress is a “you know when you know type situation.” I wasn’t hitting the home run and new buying and returning was going to exhaust my time and quite frankly annoy me, so I began to search other places.

First, I searched for my favorite brand on Google. I knew exactly how Ieena by Mac Duggal fit so guessing which size was best would be easy. As I searched Mac Duggal on sale, Rent the Runway Mac Duggal dresses were coming up quite often. I had an existing RTR account so I began to heart (or save) these dresses.

Then it hit me. In addition to a black-tie wedding guest gown, I also need dresses and clothes for multiple events in the next few weeks. This included my daughter’s high school dance. I could rent both my dress and my daughter’s homecoming dress for a fraction of the price it would cost me to buy. I decided, in this season of activities and events, to give Rent the Runway Membership a try.

Experience

I began looking at the RTR membership prices. I decided with a discount code, the middle plan would be best for me. This gave me up to 8 items a month (now 10) and it allowed me to quickly return that Rent the Runway cocktail dress (for my daughter) that I needed for a mere 24 hours.

I had plenty of items saved so I just thought I would purchase the membership and quickly add these items to my cart. They would be a few days for shipping, it would be easy peasy. I quickly found a Rent the Runway coupon savings me almost $50/month for two months. I would pay about $90/month for two months. I purchased the membership and began the process of adding my items to the “bag.”

It wasn’t that easy!

I was so mad. Seriously, it felt like everything was unavailable. In fact, in a folder of about 100 saved items, I was able to maybe get 5 items. Thank God, I could grab that high school dance dress (did no one else need a Rent the Runway homecoming dress?) This was a $300 SIMKHAI Michelle Velvet Mini dress and I knew my daughter would be excited. Okay, so that was solved but I spent another two hours shopping for myself.

I saw that the rehearsal dinner dress I was eyeing had one available but it was over four sizes too big. However, reading reviews, I realized I would need it big because it ran small. I decided, even though the wedding is six weeks away, I might need to add this dress to my bag now. In this two-hour online shopping experience, I realized it was going to be hard to quickly grab my favorites. I was initially frustrated as I had to come up with a bunch of new likes. However, after getting started with a new folder of likes it became less hard and more fun as I ran through an index of all my upcoming events.

Since I needed the cocktail dress for my teen right away, I quickly added a few other cold-weather designer-brand items to the cart for a trip I was taking to New York City. While they didn’t excite me at first, I grew to love them. They actually gave me a few fun brands to wear while I waited for my ideal black-die wedding guest dress to become available. I would pay attention to my likes to see if any of my favorite dresses popped up as available.

While I used my first (of four) orders, a Mac Duggal gown became available. I am obsessed with Mac Duggal dresses and pretty much knew my size, so I quickly added it to my next order. This dress arrived maybe a week after I used the service and I held on to the dress for five weeks in anticipation of the wedding. I feared returning the dress and it no longer being available. So once I returned my New York Items and my high schooler’s dance dress, I grab the MD gown.

I now had two dresses that I held on to and I began to switch out other items. Cold winter items turned into a few fun spring dresses as the weather warmed. Once I learned to broaden my likes, I quickly found I loved the service. I loved that I got to wear dresses that were tailored, cost a lot of money, and had amazing fabric. I was saving money instead of buying new pieces for one-time use.

The wedding rehearsal dress and wedding gown worked out perfectly. I had plenty of fun things to wear in between trading one brand-name item for another.

What I Rented

Want to try what I tried? Here is the full list of items I rented while on the membership program.

Borgo de Nor Lemonade Margarita Maxi Dress – Rehearsal dinner, runs small
SIMKHAI Michelle Velvet Mini Dress – Homecoming dress, true to Size
Peter Som Collective Ruffle Shoulder Sweater – NYC vacation plus day to day
BLANKNYC Safari Cheetah Duster – NYC vacation, church event plus day to day
Benjamin Benmoyal Floral Long Caftan – True to size, adorable. This was adorable (pictured above) I would buy it if it wasn’t $590.
Trina Turk Yucca Floral Dress – I loved this. Wore it to church. True to size. Bright colors.
Lauren Ralph Lauren Floral Tie Waist Shirtdress – So cute, wanted to hit Nantucket but wore it to church instead.
Rebecca Taylor Camel Rose Plaid Blazer – Adorable. True to size. Dressed up with a dress and own with jeans.
J.Crew Block Print Coral Dress – Adorable. Wore on a cool weekend with a cardigan.
7 For All Mankind Stripe Puff Shoulder Sweater – I wanted to buy this, so cute. True to size.
Ieena for Mac Duggal Tie Back Floral Gown – I love it. True to size. Beautiful and sexy for a black tie wedding (but just enough.)
Tanya Taylor Cynthia Dress – Didn’t get to wear. cute. I thought it ran bigger.
Roksanda Anaisa Maxi Dress – Ran Huge (with a capital H.) Didn’t get a chance to wear it. Saw some wear in the collar on this piece.

Cleaning

Knowing I didn’t have to worry about the cleaning was a huge relief. When my daughter went to her school dance, I reminded my sweet girl over and over how expensive a dress she was wearing and to take incredible care of it.

Well, she’s 14 and she had an unavoidable stain at the end of the night. I began to panic thinking of how I was going to fix this stain. You know what… I sent it back when the stain and there was no charge for the dress for the returning cleaning. I read many reviews of Rent the Runway dry cleaning and the incredible fairy magic they have. Instead of trying to take care of it myself, I let them do their job at no added expense or charge. I was so relieved.

I realized that cleaning after each use does wear on some of the dresses. This was the case for the Roksanda Anaisa Maxi Dress. while I didn’t get a chance to wear it, I noticed the collar was losing a bit of coloring from use. This is a $1,300 dress so I would expect better r- would you eve imagine a $1,300 dress in your closet, by the way?

Summary

In summary, I found many of the most popular Rent the Runway Gowns are hard to acquire within the RTR membership. However, there are plenty of other items to replace that favorite. Many are just as cute. If you have your eye on that one item, the membership does give you a membership perk – take an extra 25% off all reserved rentals if you want to reserve a dress for a 4 to 8-day window. This Rent the Runway savings applies automatically at checkout.

If you have some time to watch availability, then you are good to go. For example, if you have a wedding in March, start the service in February with at least two return windows. This will let you request the dress as soon as one of your favorites becomes available. Or, you can also have a large selection of dresses instead of your eye on one item. This is what happened at my black-tie wedding. The dress wasn’t my first choice but it worked out in the end and I am really pleased with my choice. A slit down my chest was quite daring but since I was limited on favorites, I took the plunge and loved going outside of my comfort zone on a wedding destination vacation with just my husband and me.

So is it worth it?

When I first tried the designer rental subscription, I told myself “I will never do this again” because I could not get my #1 dress choice. This changed quickly as I realized how many other items they had and I began to open my eyes to so many pretty brands. I began to get so many compliments on the items I was wearing. In fact, not one item did I wear and not get a verbal like. I loved the items so much and so did others.

I wanted to keep the service for longer than I did. I kept the service for two months. The reason I stopped was I am a sweatshirt and sweatpants type of girl. If I needed everyday workwear or attended fancy occasions often, I would absolutely continue this service. In fact, the next time my daughter has a dance, I would love to try the service another month and have fun with a few cute items (In honor of her special occasion, of course!)

Next time I have a fancy wedding or upcoming event I will (in this order)…

1.) Find the best solution by buying from T.J.Maxx Runway and reselling on Poshmark & thredUP when done. Why rent, when you can own is my initial thought.

However, if I can’t find my ideal dress at a discount or need a lot of outfits, I will…

2.) Get a two-month period of renting designer clothing weeks in advance.

If I don’t need a lot of clothing…

3.) I will do a one-time 4-day rental with a free UPS return.

Make Rent the Runway your own. All of these options are ideal based on your own needs. Ask yourself…

Do you need something immediately?
Do you have time to wait for that ideal item to become available?
Do you need more than one item?
Do I want to gift myself a month full of fun clothing?

Seriously, Rent the Runway rentals have been worth it, and such a lovely way to try out new brands without breaking the bank.

Rent the Runway locations

Are you ready to shop Rent the Runway? Can I shop in person if online shopping is intimidating? If you live in a larger city, you used to be able to shop and return in person at one of the Rent the Runway luxury stores. However, Covid crushed this realization.

Popular places you could shop/return designer fashion brands were…

Rent the Runway Flagship Store NYC
Rent the Runway Dallas
Rent the Runway Chicago
Rent the Runway Bridgeton
Rent the Runway Miami
Rent the Runway Nashville
Rent the runway Greenwich
Rent the Runway Austin
Rent the Runway DC

However, all RTR locations are permanently closed. This was disappointing for many but exciting for others who took advance of the Rent the Runway sample sale.

Since closing all of its flagship locations, RTR returned its focus to investments in digital. This made it fair for everyone as the time, hours, and inventory are equally shared. It also made renting the runway returns a uniform process for all. Returning from multiple US locations to digital stores only created an equal ~~playing~~ shopping field for all. Everyone can shop pre-loved designer clothing with their online Rent the Runway Brand Consignment shop.

Rent the Runway on Amazon

One benefit of digital is RTR sample sales were no longer. Instead, you don’t have to live in a major city with a flagship store. Now everyone has access to Rent the Runway Clearance Sale and the “buy now” button (for those that don’t want to rent.)

In addition to buying used brand-name clothing off the Rent the Runway website, you can also buy from Rent the Runway when you shop on Amazon for Rent the Runway items. The Amazon Fashion resale option gives you the option to buy things from your favorite brands on one of your favorite websites.

Give Rent the Runway a try or try the competition. Questions about Rent the Runway vs. …? well Rent the Runway’s competitors include Nuuly, Armoire, and Fashion Pass. Let us know your experience and favorite place to rent designer clothing. I researched all three places before beginning with RTR. I still find the original place to be the best. RentTheRunway appears to be much more transparent than the places that opened after the original store.

So…. Is Rent The Runway Worth It? You let me know! I have found the clothes were fun and covered many of my event needs.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your ideas.

Dollar Store Crafts Ideas and DIY Home Organization Project Hacks

This post may contain affiliate links or ads. Read my privacy policy and disclosure policy here.

March 23, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

The Dollar Tree is amazing low-cost location for crafting supplies and there are plenty of different things you can make. Enjoy these Dollar Store Crafts and Hacks using unusual one-dollar items.

Dollar Store Crafts and Hacks

Make your Dollar Tree finds look like a million bucks! The Dollar Tree has hands down the most affordable crafting essentials. They are honestly the most overlooked store, in my opinion. With tons of home goods, kitchen utensils, organization materials, and crafting products, there’s really no limit to what you can create! We’ve organized a great list of some of the most imaginative DIY Dollar Tree crafts. I can’t believe the supplies these creative bloggers used to turn dull into extraordinary! Best of all, they all are frugal… but they look expensive.

Why are things so cheap at Dollar Tree?

It’s no secret, things are just cheaper at the Dollar Tree — it’s literally a dollar (well, mostly). Dollar stores acquire cheap, liquidated goods, so you can still get the low price without them going out of business. As for crafts, there are tons of options for your kitchen and home DIY Dollar Tree crafts. They’ve got lamps, vases, cups, forks, spoons, knives, organization materials like dividers and binders, and even things for your bathroom! At the Dollar Tree, and at pretty much all dollar stores, there are DIY options for any room in your house!

What can I make out of Dollar Store items?

The Dollar store is an amazing place for cheap craft items. This is of course because everything is a dollar (well a $1.25 – darn you, Dollar Tree – well can you blame them?) While Dollar tree has a small, eclectic $1 crafting supplies section, they have much more than that. I you can think outside the box and walk up and down the aisles with a bit of creativity, there are plenty of things you can make out of Dollar store items. Grab storage containers, plates, vases, and spray paint and let the fun begin.

These Dollar Tree Craft Ideas include…

In addition to these fun seasonal decor items, there are plenty of other ways to get crafty with the Dollar Store.

DIY Dollar Tree Crafts

There are some fantastic ways to upcycle your old decorations and make new ones with Dollar Tree items! It’s a great, easy way to create some chic Dollar Tree decor or even Dollar Tree gifts! DIY Dollar Tree projects are fun to do with your whole family as well. Make some new bedroom decor for your preteens, or even some handprints for your newborn! It’s a great way to explore your kids’ creative side without breaking the bank.

Get crafty!

What’s your favorite way to craft? Are you a DIY life hacker, a paint-by-number painter, or an advanced DIY pro? DIY Dollar Tree Craft ideas cater to all of your creative needs while staying on the affordable side. It’s amazing what you can do with a few bucks and a crafting guide. Whether you’re looking for quality time with your family or designing a new DIY home craft, check out these DIY Dollar Tree crafts below and let us know how you explore your creative side!

DIY Tassel Garlands

Let’s start with a bit of color inspiration. Making your own adorable tassel garlands is so easy! They’re the perfect Dollar Store Craft for parties or cute room decor. If you are hosting a party, replace the birthday wreath with a fun splash of brightly colored garland. | Pizzazzerie

Buy It: Dollar Tree Tissue Paper

Jewelry Tower

The home crafter who loves DIY home projects will like this. How cool is this Dollar Store DIY Jewelry Tower? You’d never guess it’s made out of candle sticks and bowls from the dollar store. If it’s super stable, you can use it as a centerpiece for a table. Just add some fruit for Christmas cookies. Use Dollar Tree plates instead of bowls to create the same tiered tray and easy Christmas craft that’s flat! | Confessions of a Serial DIYer

Buy It: Dollar Tree Candle Sticks and Ceramic Bowls.

DIY Geometric Planters

These Dollar Tree craft supplies are not found in the crafting aisle. These geometric planters might be the coolest Dollar Tree DIY project I’ve seen yet! Hint this tutorial might include straws. | Homemade Ginger

Buy It: Hint, you will need some Dollar Tree Straws.

DIY Floral Mousepad

I love Rachel’s style! This Dollar Tree craft is just as simple to make as it is adorable. The mousepad is a super simple and efficient Dollar Store DIY project for the home. | The Crafted Life

DIY Mirror Jewelry Wall Hangers

Yep, another amazing dollar store craft! Organize your jewelry beautifully with these DIY mirror jewelry wall hangers. These mirrors were once used for another purpose making this Dollar Tree craft idea completely outside the box. | Homey Oh My

Buy It: Dollar Tree Mirrors

DIY Kitchen Dollar Tree Storage

The dollar store is your best friend for staying organized in the kitchen. Containers can get expensive, but with a little DIY you can upgrade your Dollar Tree containers for a chic look. We love how organized this pantry is. The fun idea is also found in our DIY Project Dollar Tree Home Organization Post! Add stickers for the pantry to be extra organized. | The Social Home

Buy It: Kitchen Dollar Tree Glass Storage Containers

DIY Dollar Tree Vertical Succulents Garden

Make your own vertical succulent garden with supplies with just a few supplies for a beautiful DIY Dollar Tree craft. Grab any color Dollar Tree frames and using the spray paint or acrylic paints of your choice, transform the look to fit the color patterns of your living space. | The Homespun Hydrangea

Buy It: Dollar Tree Succulents

DIY Starburst Mirror

Can you believe this gorgeous DIY starburst mirror is made with kitchen skewers? You’d never guess this Dollar Tree decor was so cheap! The sunburst from wood pieces mimics a very expensive designer home store.

Buy It: Round Dollar Tree Mirror

DIY Elephant Bookends

Toys are fun Dollar Tree Supplies that can be transformed into anything. Is it obvious what this item was before it was transformed into something new? These DIY elephant bookends are perfect for your kid’s playroom. Plus, they only cost a dollar! | Love Grows Wild

Buy It: Dollar Tree Plastic Animals

DIY Mini Flower Vases

Stephanie made this adorable Dollar Tree decor out of — you’ll never guess — salt and pepper shakers! They’d be perfect for a farmhouse-style kitchen. Have a hot glue gun and add adorable embellishments from the flower or craft aisle. | Hometalk

Buy It: Salt and Pepper Shakers

DIY Rope Baskets

Run, don’t walk to the local Dollar Tree store to make this DIY Rope Basket. This easy Dollar Tree Craft is perfect for storage! It requires rope, glue sticks, and a glue gun. | I Heart Organizing

Buy It: Plastic Laundry Baskets

DIY Colorful Clothespin Trivets

Your kids will love making these adorable colorful clothespin trivets. This DIY Dollar Tree craft is perfect for your summer bucket list! | Dream A Little Bigger

Buy It: Dollar Tree Clothespins

DIY Fish Scale Wall Art

You only need poster board and spray paint for this stunning Dollar Tree decor project. Win! Plus using a foam board you can make this canvas as large as you need to cover a wall with a beautiful DIY artwork peice. | Two Thirty-Five Designs

Buy It: Dollar Tree Posterboard

DIY Beaded Chandelier

Yes, you can make a chandelier from dollar store items. I’ve got to try this! | Dollar Store Crafts

Buy It: Dollar Tree Beaded Necklaces

Easy Faux Galvanized Topsy Turvy Planter

Leanne is truly the Diva of DIY! This Easy Faux Galvanized Flower Pot is a super cheap Dollar Tree DIY project. These go great with our Front Porch Ideas. We actually use these plastic buckets from the Dollar Tree as throwup buckets – gross I know but they definitely are multi-purpose. | Diva of DIY

Buy It: Dollar Tree Plastic Buckets with Handles

DIY Dollar Tree Farmhouse Makeovers

These DIY Dollar Tree farmhouse makeovers are at the top of my to-do list! (Also featured in our DIY Fixer Upper Farmhouse Style Ideas) | Little House of Four

Buy It: Dollar Tree Farmhouse Decor – Mason Jars, Candle Holders, Mirrors, Wooden Beads, Succulents and more.

DIY Hurricane Lanterns

Why didn’t I think of this?! Turn your dollar-store picture frames into beautiful hurricane lanterns. Just add a flameless candle.| Grosgrain Fab

Buy It: Dollar Tree Picture Frames

DIY Flower Stepping Stones

Wow! All you need is a $1 chip bowl from the Dollar Tree to make these super cute floral stepping stones for your garden. This fits right in with our Curb Appeal Hacks (to increase your home value!) | Hometalk

Buy It: Dollar Tree Veggie/Chip and Dip Tray

DIY House Key Frame

Organize your keys in style with this DIY house keyframe! Keep this DIY home project by the door so your keys are always right where you need them. | Red Fly Creations

Buy It: Dollar Tree Picture Frames

DIY Cake Stands

Go bright with these handmade cake stands. They’re perfect for parties and sure to impress! Layer for a tired look. | Creative Me Inspired You

Buy It: Dollar Tree Candle Sticks

DIY Plastic Stemware Chandelier

The talent is crazy! You’d never guess these gorgeous chandeliers were a DIY Dollar Tree craft. These would go great with our Midsummer Night Patio Ideas. | Oh That Mrs Greene

Buy It: Dollar Tree Drinking Glasses

DIY Dollar Tree crafts aren’t just fun activities for the whole family. They’re beautiful pieces that will make a lasting impression in your home. Let us know which one you’re dying to try in the comments below!

Does it spark joy? Get inspired by these KonMari Dollar Tree Organizing. Pin to Pinterest.

Also enjoy these Five Minute Science Experiments for Kids (some with items from The Dollar Store!) Pin to Pinterest.

Decorating the house? We love these Upcycled DIY Hardware – Knobs, Rods, Hinges, and More. Pin to Pinterest.

Inexpensive Backyard Landscaping Ideas on a Budget

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February 23, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Create the beautiful outdoor living space of your dreams with these inexpensive backyard landscape design ideas. Weekend project ideas to makeover your patio and yard! Take a sneak peek at these low-cost backyard design ideas including lighting ideas, DIY projects, garden hacks, and charming outdoor design tips.

Simple Backyard Landscape Design Ideas

When our family moved to a new house, it was at the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Our yard began to bloom before our very eyes, day after day. My family and I loved seeing what surprises the next spring day would bring.

You see, our new home backs against the woods, and even has a beautiful little creek that runs into the Potomac. Nature was totally doing its thing with our backyard landscape design, and I was willing to let it take the reins. My husband, however, had a different opinion. He pointed out that heavy rains would raise the creek levels, causing flooding. Plus, he noticed that the lower areas would become muddy, fast. And finally, he knew that the grass would grow uncontrollably — even taller than our kids! Regardless, I waved off his warnings. I didn’t see a real need for backyard landscape design.

Okay, okay. I’m big enough to admit where I’m in the wrong. After two months of living at the new house, the grass did in fact reach the boys’ shoulders. I have begged my husband to hire someone to help us get our backyard landscape design in order, ASAP. While he is looking for help, I am searching Pinterest for low-cost backyard landscape design ideas to perfect our natural space.

Simple Backyard Landscaping Ideas on a Budget

Are you also on a budget? It’s possible to create curb appeal without breaking the bank. Simple landscaping ideas for the backyard can bring together charm and tranquility turning a small backyard into a quaint oasis. Pull together garden hacks, creative landscape features, and DIY yard projects that create the ultimate list of Backyard Landscape Design Ideas.

Without further ado, here are the simple backyard landscaping that I have found so far! Why not share my research with all of my frugal friends and homeowners, too? These are cheap backyard landscape ideas but don’t worry, they are full of charm, quite quaint, and character.

Read on to discover some of the best, inexpensive yard designs that you can accomplish all by yourself. Easy backyard landscape ideas are ahead!

DIY Water Feature

You weren’t expecting an impressive water feature right off the bat, were you? Don’t worry, this isn’t an expensive water fountain. It’s amazingly easy to achieve this beautiful backyard landscape design with your downspouts. For your liner, cover the bare ground with plastic trash bags. Add your river rock, gravel, water plants, and mulch. The rainwater will travel down the spout and over the rocks to provide a beautiful rock water feature. | Woo Home

Flower Basket Yard Designs

Love greenery and flowers? When it comes to small backyard landscape ideas, raise your plants off the ground with this handmade planter. Line your walkway with these wooden posts topped with flower baskets. These yard designs can be customized to fit whatever color scheme you’ve chosen for your backyard landscape design. Just paint, assemble, and enjoy! | Cottage at the Crossroads

Weathered Wood Renewal DIY

Has your old wooden outdoor furniture seen better days? I’ve got good news — you don’t need to buy a completely new set! This outdoor furniture improvement project renews weathered furniture to polish up your patio. All you need is Howard Products SunShield Outdoor Furniture Wax with UV Protection.

DIY Outdoor Lights

Another easy backyard landscape idea that brings a lot of character is these DIY light poles. Light up the night with this backyard landscape design. This super simple project shows how to string lights from natural elements like tree limbs using galvanized buckets and concrete. (As seen in our Backyard Movie Ideas) | Ida klipper och klistrar (in English)

Cheap Patio Lighting DIY

In our cheap patio ideas, we introduced this cheap patio lighting idea. Hang string lights in potted lamp posts for a chic look, even with a small backyard. The glow of the lights with the beautiful flowers is a winning combo! | I Should be Mopping the Floor

DIY Horizontal Slat Fence

Transform your backyard landscape design on the cheap with this DIY Horizontal Slat Fence. The fence looks so modern — your guests won’t know it’s DIY until you tell them! Plus at a low cost, you can get your own privacy fence or create divisions in the landscape and create and outdoor living room. Plant vines in a pot and allow the to climb the fence if you desire. Keeping your greenery in a pot will keep them from spreading too quickly as the roots are contained. | Fresh Mommy Blog

Christmas Lights Backyard Landscape Design

Who says Christmas Lights are only meant for winter? Light up your backyard every night of the year with inexpensive Christmas lights. Lights around the trees are low maintenance backyard ideas and give you that custom landscaping lighting found in expensive homes. | Shop Wayfair for Lights.

DIY Patio String Lights Tutorial

No money for a pergola? Until you can create your own DIY pergola, transform an outdoor space into the same idea with lights. How amazing do these string lights look in this seating area on a deck? Transform the ambiance of your patio with this simple, step-by-step DIY Patio String Lights Tutorial. These lights can also create a beautiful dining area for a midsummer night dinner party outdoors. | Place of My Taste

DIY Newspaper Hack for Weeds

You don’t have to use chemicals to solve your weeds problem. This newspaper hack prevents any grass and weed seeds from germinating for the be-all, end-all of weed solutions! Something to keep in mind: unlike WeedBlock Barrier fabric, the newspaper will decompose after about 18 months, so you’ll have to be ready to replace them. This backyard hack can also surround your shrubs without having to dig up any roots. | Rosemary on the TV

DIY Marble Fence

I know I can’t be the only one that loves incorporating color into my yard designs. Easily transform your garden fence with this cheap backyard landscape design idea. All you need are colored marbles and a drill! Create your holes, insert colored marbles, and let the light do the rest. I can guarantee your kids will love this one — imagine the colors of the sunset as you put together your own suncatcher focal point. | Garden Drama

DIY Planter

Need backyard landscape ideas but no grass? Bring the grass to pavers with a quaint idea that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. One cheap backyard landscape ideas is to make your own DIY planters. We all know planters can be expensive, and they’re not even the focal point — the plants are! Luckily, you can easily upcycle a humble Styrofoam cooler into a DIY Planter. Such an unexpected backyard landscape design! | Salvage Sister and Mister

DIY Beverage Tub

Keep beverages cold without that expensive cooler (this one’s way cuter, anyways!). Use it inside or outside to keep all your beverages in one adorable place. This DIY Beverage Tub comes with two SVG files.

DIY Glowing Orbs

You’d never guess that it only costs $1 to $3 (if anything!) to create these DIY Outdoor Glowing Orbs. You might even have all the materials at home right now! | The Art of Doing Stuff

DIY Fire Pit Tutorial

Kids and adults love fire pits (did someone say s’mores?) But, I’ve been holding off on getting one — they can get way too pricey. This DIY Fire Pit will only set you back $60! Make it a weekend backyard landscape design project to complete with the whole family. Everyone will take pride in this super simple outdoor fireplace. | Keeping It Simple Crafts

DIY Upcycled Armoire

No need to spend thousands on sheds. This couple took a $20 yard sale armoire and used one-half of it to cover unsightly wires from their outdoor electrical box. It hid an unsightly garden hose and became a super simple storage solution for weed killer and plant feed. The other half became a garden bed for growing vegetables. So smart! | Shabby Glam

DIY Pot-In-Pot Gardening Hack

As seen in our garden hacks and tips, try this pot-in-pot method. This DIY backyard landscape design lets you switch up your plants instantly! | Florida Friendly Plants

DIY Bean Pole Teepee Plant

This fun and inexpensive backyard landscape design idea also becomes the perfect DIY outdoor hangout for the kids. They will love patiently watching it grow before their eyes! | Artful Parent

DIY Rock Garden

Is green landscape challenging? Small backyard landscaping can be turned into a hardscape with pavers, stone walls, and/or rocks. If areas of your yard are brown and dead, don’t hire a costly landscape designer. Instead, replace dead grass with a DIY Rock Garden. You’ll save money and create an interesting element of your yard designs! | Home Talk

DIY Terracotta Pot Garden Hack

Calling all green thumbs! I love the look of this herb garden. Transform your flower beds with humble terracotta pots. Place your terracotta pots inside the ground and put a variety of herbs in the pots or make your own summer vegetable garden area! This can transform a lawn once spring arrives. You can house the pots indoors or in a greenhouse nursery during the winter months. | Town Mouse

DIY Rock Wall Garden Design

Elevate the look of your front or backyard landscape design with a rock wall edging against a colorful flower bed. It’s amazing how rocks can effortlessly improve your yard designs! This can be done against the house or try along-fence backyard landscaping as a simple idea. | Pine and Prospect

Decorative Fencing Hack

HVAC units and garbage cans are eyesores that can get in the way of a beautiful backyard landscape design. Hide these unsightly items with easy to install decorative fencing. This simple idea is an especially nice touch when you have small backyard hot tub landscaping the mind. It’s important to hide all unsightly things. | All Things Mama

DIY Wood Pallet Walkway

One simple backyard landscaping idea is creating a path. Even in a small yard, pathways give the effect of a secret garden. Keep mud and dirt off of your shoes with this frugal, upcycled wood pallet walkway. This is one of my favorite garden yard designs, and something a little different from the traditional stone path! | The Homespun Hydrangea

Look at these DIY Midsummer Nights Backyard Lighting Ideas. Get ready to invite friends over with super simple backyard lighting ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Save these Garden Tips and Hacks when creating your own perfect space. Plenty of ideas for those with a green thumb or even a black thumb. Pin to Pinterest.

Disney Princess Birthday Party Ideas

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February 18, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Baby, Birthday, Crafts, Facebook, Games, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Kids, Parenting, Party, Pinterest, Printable, Recipe, Social Media

Girl, put on your crown and princess dress. This post is full of exciting Princess Birthday Party Ideas. Enjoy princess birthday cakes, party foods, crafts, princess-themed party games, party favors, and more! If the crown fits, wear it!

Your little princess is turning another year older. You know what that means. Bring on the crowns, costumes, sparkles, fancy food, and all things pink. It’s time for a princess party!

Before we begin, let’s set the foundation for hosting a princess party and then learn how to create your on DIY Disney Princess Birhdtay Party on a budget!

How do you host a princess party?

Guess what, it’s easy to keep a princess party at a low-cost. There are plenty of great DIY princess birthday party ideas that you can do yourself.

Become a great princess party host when your try some of these fun money-saving ideas

Have DIY Dress Up

For a princess party, you need plenty of great props. Many little princesses might come dressed up, however, others might be looking for a few fun accessories to adorn. Princess props include costumes, wands, and crowns. No need to spend on expensive Disney brand items. Grab knock-offs at The Dollar Tree or a set of fun dress-up items on Amazon. You can use the actual event to make your own princess wands with wooden dowels, ribbons, and more.

Create DIY Entertainment

Princess characters for hire can get quite costly. Saving on birthday party entertainment is actually quite easy. These memorable princess party games are perfect for keeping your young queens active and entertained. In addition to kids’ party games, try some of the princess party activities like wand-making, nail painting, and princess training. While you do such magical crafts, turn on process movies in the background.

Go on a Magical Treasure Hunt

In addition to fun process games and party activities, you can offer a royal treasure hunt filled with finding Disney princess party favors or birthday presents for the guest of honor. Grab a scavenger hunt based on your party location like an at-home scavenger hunt, outdoor scavenger hunt, or even a birthday party scavenger hunt. With each clue, have small mementos including necklaces, rings, crowns, candy, or birthday presents.

Narrow Down Your Disney Princess Theme

Narrow down your Disney princess party ideas by choosing a specific princess. For example, if your child loves cinderella, have a blue, silver, and white color palette to direct your princess decor ideas. Create fun DIY balloon garland out of your color palette. Search Pinterest for cinderella party food ideas like blue gum balls, blue chocolate dipped pretzels wands, Royal Carriage carrots, and more. Narrowing down a color palette based on your desired Disney process helps you with tableware, napkins, streamers, and a color scape for your Disney princess birthday decorations.

If you’re looking for more frugal tips and ideas to plan the perfect princess birthday party, you’re in luck. We’ve got loads of cute ideas for princess cupcakes, princess games, pretty party food fit for royalty, and lots of décor, favors, and crafts that the kids can make to keep them entertained.

From tea party scones to strawberry cupcakes to sparkly pink slime to send home with every princess, you’re sure to find some excellent princesses party ideas to use for your birthday bash.

Happy planning, let’s go have a ball, a princess party ball with these cute ideas!

Princess Birthday Cakes

For get the birthday cake! If cupcakes are more your style, you can’t get any prettier (or pinker) than these lovely raspberry JELLO cupcakes. The white chocolate buttercream icing makes these cupcakes ultra-sweet. They’re a nice change of pace from your usual chocolate or vanilla cupcakes. Simple sprinkles give the cupcake some texture your birthday princess will love. | Saving You Dinero

Rapunzel is a really popular princess, thanks to the Tangled movies, so these Rapunzel cupcakes could be perfect for your little princess. We love the bold colors of the purple icing with the yellow “hair” trailing down the side of the cupcake. And you can use a boxed cake mix and store-bought frosting for these, making them easier to prepare than you’d think. | Well If She Can Do It

Indulge your sweet tooth with these pretty pastel strawberry-filled cupcakes. It’s a vanilla cupcake recipe, and they’re filled with strawberry jam. This recipe makes a small batch of only seven cupcakes, so if you’re planning on lots of party guests, make sure to triple the recipe. Add a fun gumball for sweet treat cake toppers. | Amanda Wilens

How about some strawberry cupcakes that are full of real strawberry pieces throughout? They’re topped with a pink swirled vanilla frosting and a large pink gumball on top to complete the look. | Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt

Princess Party Food

Throwing a princess party in the fall or winter months when the weather’s chilly? The princesses will surely welcome this gorgeous, warming cup of Elsa white hot chocolate. These princess party drinks are rich, creamy, ready in less than 10 minutes, and perfect for any princess. | Baking Beauty

If you’re considering a tea party, no tea is complete without some delicious scones. These chocolate chunk scones will go over well. This recipe makes eight scones, and they look lovely when cut into heart shapes and surrounded by pink flowers. | Amanda Wilens

Speaking of tea, you’ll need some finger sandwiches for the affair. Since they’re served cold or at room temperature, you don’t have to worry about keeping them warm or reheating them! | Aleka’s Get Together

Are you going for a Cinderella theme? If so, these magical pumpkin piñatas are an absolute must. They’re filled with lots of fun candy inside and will delight all the little princesses at your party. | Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt

Try foods themed after all the Disney princesses! There are many ideas here, like Anna’s sandwiches in the shape of crowns using a Princess Crown Cookie Cutter. Also try fairy bread in honor of Cinderella’s godmother, Tiana’s lemon frog cake, and more. | Play Party Plan

Belle’s grey stuff is super popular at Disney parks, but you can easily make it at home for your princess party! It’s basically Oreo pudding. Adding the sugar pearls to each dollop of pudding makes it look extra fancy. | Lil Luna

These Beauty and the Beast Oreos are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. The Oreo treats are covered in yellow chocolate melts and topped with white icing and sugared red roses. They’ll look gorgeous on the dessert table. | Mommy Musings

Princess Party Décor

To make a significant visual impact for just a few dollars, try this DIY plastic tablecloth backdrop in different shades of pink. It’ll look amazing behind your food table, candy buffet and you could do one for a photo backdrop as well. This aurora inspired backdrop screams all things pink. Adjust the homemade princess party decoration ideas to a tablecloth colors to fit your favorite Disney princess. | Smart Party Planning

Princess Party Activities, Crafts & Favors

Get ready to entertain your guests… your princesses… with these princess party games. Ten engaging and fun games for girls from treasure hunts, to relays, wand making, and more. Add these princess games to play to the party plan.

This princess birthday party games printable set is most fitting for preschoolers. Think ages 3, 4, 5 6 and 7. Set comes with princess games directions and a supply list.

Now we need a few low-cost Disney Princess party supplies. These princess paper dolls will make beautiful party décor and could be given out as favors or used as a party craft, too. You can even save them after the party to decorate your little princess’s room with her favorite Disney princess. | Red Ted Art

For more Disney Princess party ideas, these adorable princess candy necklace princess party favors will be a hit with the girls! They have an unbranded look, so they’re great for a general princess theme but could work for a Disney princess party, too. These could even be used as invitations. You can also find this free princess-themed birthday party printable in our 25 Free Disney Printables post! | Five Marigolds

A princess party theme needs an amazing crown or tiaras. You’ll be amazed at all the beautiful ideas in this post from Dinner at the Zoo, but one of our favorites was having the flower crowns for girls and gold crowns for boys so that everyone got something to sit atop their head, just like real princesses and princes. Other ideas that we loved were the jewelry selection station (with beaded and candy jewelry available) and the face painting station. | Dinner at the Zoo

Want a fun princess themed birthday party favor? Make batches of fairy slime to give to the princesses in attendance! Parents will appreciate that there’s no food coloring so that it won’t stain kids’ hands. It’s still lovely and sparkly, though. | The Best Ideas for Kids

For slime fanatics, this princess slime is another excellent choice. It’s made with only three ingredients and is pink and sparkly. What more could you ask for? Put in little jars with a ribbon tied around, and you’re all set. | Simple Everyday Mom

How fun is this pink princess cake mix playdough? It’s perfect if you’re throwing a party for toddlers or preschoolers. However, if you want to make this taste safe, you’ll need to use edible glitter instead of real glitter. | Crayons and Cravings

Princess Party Crafts

Any Disney princess or Little Mermaid fan will love making this Ariel papercraft. You can print and cut all the pieces to make it easy for the kids to assemble their own mermaid in just a few minutes. It’s super easy to change out the hair and skin color, too, just by changing out the color of craft paper. | Ottawa Mommy Club

No princess can be without her crown. Every little girl will enjoy making paper crowns as a great way to kick off the party. You’ll need some yellow or gold construction paper or scrapbook paper and lots of pretty stick-on jewels. | The Craft at Home Family

A proper princess needs a wand! Making paper leaf wands can be a super fun craft for the kids, especially if they gather their own sticks, get to choose their ribbon colors, etc. Of course, if you don’t have time for an extended craft, you could always reassemble them or at least prepare all the materials beforehand. | Barley and Birch

Here’s another princess papercraft that’s super easy to set up and make. If Snow White is one of your child’s favorites, they’ll love this craft! It looks just like her, doesn’t it? | Ottawa Mommy Club

We hope you enjoyed this list of princess birthday party ideas. We’d love to feature even more perfect princess party ideas! Share your princess-themed birthday party pictures with us if you’ve thrown a spectacular princess birthday party.

Keep the party entertaining with these Kids’ Party Games. Some of the best party activities for kids. Pin to Pinterest.

Need more Kids’ Birthday Ideas? Enjoy Themed Party Ideas for Kids, Adults, and Families.

This also includes our Popular Tea Party Ideas, perfect for a Princess Birthday Party.

You can keep parties small or even celebrate small celebrations every six months. Take a look at these…

Cheers to another year!

40 Beach Tips and Tricks – Hacks and Ideas for Your Trip to the Sand

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September 21, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: DIY, Frugal Living, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Summer

Who’s ready for some summer fun and sun?! For the best beach trip ever, check out these Beach Hacks, Tips, Tricks, and DIYs for your next beach vacation. Wondering what to bring to the beach? We’ve got a beach checklist just for you, too! Follow some of these crafts, tips, tricks and ideas for the beach to make your next day on the sand the most memorable one yet.

Since we lived in Florida, we have figured out some of these beach hacks for fun in the sun (and sand) just from experience! For all of you who are less experienced with beach hacks, you are definitely going to want to consider these before you take off for the beach on your next vacation.

How can I make a beach day more fun?

The heat of the sand and the grit of the dirt can cause a lot of chaos on the shore. It’s easy to get grumpy when you are not prepared for the adventure ahead. Make a beach day more fun by having a few activities, hack and tips in your back pocket. These ideas for the beach will allow you to be prepared making the beach fun for everyone.

Did you know there’s one simple ingredient that will easily wipe off sand? Did you ever think to freeze aloe into ice cubes to make sunburns less painful? Are you looking for exactly what to bring to the beach? Have you ever thought about putting a twist on your favorite childhood beverage with an adult Capri Sun?

Try out some of these FREEBIES, Beach Hacks, Tips, Tricks, DIYs, and more to make your summer vacation extra fun for the entire family!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our Beach Life Hacks! Plus, if you and your family are snackers like mine, you’ll want to save these beach-friendly food recipes: Strawberry Salsa Recipe and Seasoned Oyster Cracker Recipe.

Beach Games for Kids

The first idea for fun at the beach is having activities the family will enjoy. These Seventeen Family Friendly Beach Games can be played with kids, adults, youth, teens, families and more. These games include directions as well as a supply list. No need to purchase expensive games online. Access your beach towels, beach balls, cups, water bottles and more.

Download and print these fun activities for the beach. Laminate them to keep them from getting wet and use over and over again. These beach games are perfect for you next beach vacation!

Beach Games Directions PDF

The Best Beach Hacks

Enjoy a family vacation, time with friends, and the sun and surf! Relax on your next beach vacation by being prepared with some tip and tricks. Having a few beach ideas in your back pocket will allow you to enjoy the sound of the waves, sand castles and other fun things.

Pull up a beach chair and follow along for some of the best ideas for the beach.

Beach Packing List

1.) I would hate to let you forget any of the essentials before you leave for the beach! If you need reminders about what to bring to the beach, grab this FREE Beach Packing List from Frugal Coupon Living.

Sunscreen Tattoo

2.) Have some fun with your sunscreen! Make your own custom shape with this Sunscreen Tattoo from While I’m Still Young Tumblr.

DIY Beach Waves for Your Hair

3.) Tired of straight hair? Sea salt water is the perfect beach hack for effortless, beautiful curls! Make a DIY Sea Salt Spray for Beach Waves from Naturally Curly.

Aloe Ice Cubes

4.) Sunburn sucks, and the aftercare can get messy. Solve the “goo” problem by freezing your aloe vera! You can thank me later for the soothing cooling sensation. Get this Aloe Vera Cubes beach hack from The Dumbbelle.

Baby Powder Sand Trick

5.) Plot twist: it’s actually incredibly easy to remove sand from your skin. Just make sure you add baby powder to your list of “what to bring to the beach” must-haves! Remove Sand with Baby Powder from I Dream of Clean.

DIY Drink Holder Craft

6.) Sand on the bottom of my cold beverage is a major pet peeve of mine. When you pick it up, the sand falls all over your towel, chair, everywhere! Here’s the solution: make a DIY Drink Holder beach hack from Positively Splendid.

Baby Pool Trick

7.) A Kids Beach Pool is a great beach hack to keep the little ones busy while you sit back and relax in the sun. Fill yours with water, toys, or both! It’s also great for a nap from Baton Rough Moms. Get yours HERE.

DIY Lip Stain

8.) Who has time to reapply lip color while they’re at the beach? Not me! Make this fun The Kool-Aid Lip Stain from The Beauty Department for a beautiful lip color that lasts all day.

Popsicle Cupcake Holder

9.) This Ultimate Popsicle Beach Hack uses a cupcake holder from Ziploc to prevent drippy messes when you’re enjoying a sweet treat at the beach.

DIY Beach Dress

10.) You don’t need to buy a fancy cover-up to look cute on the beach! Use a scarf to make a DIY Beach Dress for the same look, or recreate this cover-up from Lily Girlfriends they shared in a YouTube Tutorial.

DIY Face Mist

11.) Cool off and treat your skin! This Green Tea Face Mist can be chilled for a refreshing beach hack during a hot day at the beach. Green tea is great for your skin, too! If you’re a fan of skincare and health, don’t forget our other Essential Oil Recipes.

Beach Activities

12.) Looking for activities to keep the kids occupied and stave away boredom? Check out Beach Games from Mom Me. Print our beach activities and take them along with you!

DIY Beach Bag

13.) Figured out what to bring to the beach? Once you have your essentials together, don’t bring them in your favorite tote just for it to get it soaked! You need to make this DIY Duck Tape Beach Bag from Fiskars.

Shaving Hack

14.) Freshly shaved legs plus salt water are painful, but not anymore with this beach hack! Shave and layer with Baby Oil from Munchkin and Military.

DIY Towel Holder

15.) You can never have enough pockets, and now your beach towel can have them too! The fold in the towels create storage for sunglasses, your phone, flip flops and more. Try this Simple Beach Hack Towel Tutorial from Making it with Danielle (link unavailable.)

Beach Day Trip Organizer

16.) Organize your ride to the beach! I’m loving these Car Organizational Tips from The Castro Family.

17.) Here’s a fun alternative to regular old ice packs. Fill water balloons and use them to cool food in the cooler from Brit Co. The kids will have tons of laughs with them later!

Water Balloon Cooler Hack

DIY Snack Traps

18.) Reuse Coffee Mate Containers to make these beach hack Snack Bottles from Mrs Happy Homemade. No one goes hungry, and you’re doing the planet a favor, too!

Bagged Ice Cream Recipe

19.) Want a cold dessert for your beach picnic? You can have ice cream at the beach without it melting with Ice Cream in a Bag! You can safely keep ice cream in your cooler with this beach hack, or make it at the beach! Idea from Growing a Jeweled Rose.

Adult Capri Suns Recipe

20.) You know your kids love Capri Suns, but just wait for this adult version. Make these Adult Capri Suns with this recipe from She Knows. Cheers!

Hair Scarf Directions

21.) This beach hack is a beautiful way to style your hair and looks effortless, too. Try this Beach Hair Scarf Tutorial from Hair Romance.

DIY Beach Kit

22.) Have everything you need in one place! Make your own Beach Vacation Kit from The Tip Toe Fairy. I’d definitely include these essential oils including Carrot Oil (for sunscreen) and Citronella (for bug protection).

Nap Idea for Babies

23.) Were the sandcastles exhausting? The beach is a great backdrop for babies to nap. All you need is a shovel, hole in the sand and some towels to create this beach hack nap spot for babies (or adults) from Kelly’s Korner Blog. A kiddie pool with towels for a pillow also works great.

Fruit Salad Bento Box

24.) This one’s great for all the kids (and adults) that love snacks! Take finger snacks to the beach. We love to sort ours into compartments and use a toothpick (or plastic fork) for picking-up (shop here). Idea from The Creative Food.

Dollar Store Sand Toys

25.) There’s no need to buy a bunch of beach toys when you can make your own! Idea on Sandy Toes and Popsicles. Before your next adventure, head to the dollar store or pull together things you already have.

Money Holder

26.) Protect your cash at the beach. You can make a money holder using a medicine bottle with this easy beach hack! This DIY Medicine Bottle Cash Holder comes from Inspiration Realisation.

Hide Your Money

27.) Looking for an even more discreet money holder? This Chapstick or Marker Money Stash is the solution for you. This DIY comes from Instructables.

Keychain Float

28.) This DIY Cork Key Chain allows your keys to float, and it’s especially useful for boaters. This beach hack will save you from a lot of trouble later on! Idea on Green Moxie.

Waterproof Phone Case

30.) Keep your electronics safe and dry with this waterproof case for your phone, iPod, and more!

Update: Hold on, we also ran into this cell phone case tip! You’ve got to see this!

DIY Beach Tent

31.) Ready to watch the sunset or enjoy and evening bonfire? Make a beach tent to act as your family’s home base using just sticks, a blanket, and other supplies from home. Idea from Apartment Therapy.

Simple Beach Tent

32.) Make your own reusable tend with this DIY Easy Beach Hack Tent Tutorial from Getaway Today!

Waterproof Safety Tattoos for Kids

33.) These are amazing for keeping your kids safe on the beach. Try these Waterproof Safety Tats for easy ID, in case something should happen!

DIY Sewing Beach Bag

34.) More space for goodies = more fun on the sand! Create an Oversized Beach Bag from I Heart Naptime.

Sand Handprint Craft

35.) Take a lasting piece of the ocean home with you. Did you know you can make casts of handprints and footprints with sand? Make a Sand Hand or Footprint Cast from Crafting a Green World. These handprint decorations could make cute mementos and memories from the trip.

Tarp Beach Pool for Kids

36.) Easily make a beach pool so kids can still enjoy the water on days where there are rough waves or strong tides. Idea from In Lieu of Preschool.

Beach Bathtub for Kids

37.) This works best at a public beach that is not too crowded. Store your beach toys in a large Rubbermaid container. When you get to the beach, remove the toys and fill a large plastic bin with water at the closest shower. Keep the bin filled while you play during the day. The water will warm up in the sun. When you are ready to go, grab a bar of soap and bathe the kids in your Rubbermaid container. Fill back up with toys and drive home. This is great for getting the kids clean before they climb back into your car!

No Mess Beach Toys Holder

38.) A Mesh Basket for Beach Toys also works great for preventing mess. This shakes the sand off immediately to keep the bag and your toys sand-free. Idea from the Idea Room. Grab yours HERE.

Sand Play-Doh

39.) Take the beach home with you and make your own DIY Beach-themed playdoh! The kids will love this Sand Play Dough Tutorial beach hack from Mama Papa Bubba.

Seashell Craft

40.) If your family is anything like mine, you leave the beach with more shells than you know what to do with. Instead of letting them sit around, try this Melted Shell Crayon Art from Artful Parent. You can store them all in a glass jar or vase for beautiful, colorful room décor at home.

What are some of your favorite beach hacks and tips? Have any advice on what to bring to the beach? Please share in the comments below!

No more moans of “I’m bored mom” when you prepare for your summer with these Summer Boredom Busters and Activities for Kids! Pin to Pinterest.

Headed to the beach? Also take a look at these Pool Noodle Ideas and Hacks – Pin to Pinterest.

Next, enjoy our Beach Inspired Party Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Surprise Birthday Party Hacks and Ideas

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August 16, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Birthday, Facebook, Hacks, Instagram, Party, Pinterest, Social Media

Shhh, don’t blow it (pun intended!) Gift the person who has everything a party. These Surprise Birthday Party Hacks and Ideas will help you pull of the biggest secretly planned party that the guest of honor and party guests will love.

Does anyone else like giving surprises more than receiving them. Perhaps its the little bit of “control freak” in me. I really like to know what is going on but really like to surprise people with gifts, events, outings, etc.

What is a Surprise Birthday Party?

A secretly planned party for someone who is not told about it until he or she arrives. Typically when the guess of honor arrives, the crowd yells, Surprise!

Surprise parties are especially great for the person who has it all! The best gift you could give them is to gather all their friends and family together in one room. Everyone is there for them!

Planning a surprise party can be a little bit intimidating. The key word is planning. If you are not a planner, step aside and fine someone who is.

First, you have to do everything you can to make sure the guest of honor does not find out. That can be a challenge, especially with technology today! It’s important to plan ahead. I suggest talking to all guests instead of sending out a mass invite. If you are talking to your guests, you can remind them how important it is that the party is kept a secret.

The day of the party, make sure you line up a chauffeur. Have someone drive them so they can’t bail on the location all together. Can you imagine if they texted you replying “they were too tired to go out tonight!” that would be a disaster. When I had my sweet 16th surprise birthday, I tried to change the restaurant at the last minute. Luckily, my mom (my driver) would not let me change restaurant locations. You could also have the party at home. Everybody makes it home each day, no?

Before the guest of honor arrives, make sure you have parking under control. They will likely recognize cars so use side streets or additional parking lost. You could even bus people back and forth to the party.

Have a way to say “Surprise!” Have huge balloon drop, noise makers, or even face masks with a photo of the guest of honor! Enjoy these Surprise Birthday Party Ideas and hacks. Let us know how it goes!

We love celebrations! Also take a look at our Retirement Party Ideas, Family Birthday Celebrations, and Half Birthday Party Ideas – for those 6 months to 100 years old!

Surprise Birthday Party Hacks and Ideas

Lets get ready to celebrate! Copy these surprise party ideas that include invitations, party favors, party games and more. Enjoy these low-cost birthday surprise ideas that are easy to implement and everyone will love!

Invitations

I love the pun! “Shhh! Don’t Blow It!” Surprise Birthday Invitation. This invitation is no longer available on Etsy, but there are plenty of cute surprise party invitation ideas.

Party Décor

Foil balloons are so easy to access now and best of all they can easily be blow up with a low-cost balloon pump. Spell out your statements with this Surprise Balloon Banner.

X facts for X number of years. In this creative party décor idea from Marta Writes, this photos of number-related facts gives party guests something to do early on while waiting for everyone else to arrive. This can easily be done on a word document.

Party Perfect Orlando has a beautiful display of memories over the years displayed in a photo luminary tablescape. Follow this tutorial on how to make photo luminaries using Vellum Paper.

Party Games

Having something to do at the party is important. You can invest lots of money into entertainment or quickly pull them together on a budget. These low-cost games are perfect for kids, teens or even adults. They use common supplies around the home or ones you can easily access at a craft store, Target/Walmart or even The Dollar Tree.

Don’t get bored. Included these 16 Party Games for Kids Printable PDF with directions and supply list. The kids will love each and everyone one of these games. Play them all or pick the ones you love.

Hosting an adult birthday party? Adults like games too. Everyone on the guest list will love this low-cost entertainment. Save these 17 Adult Party Games Printable PDF with game instructions and supply list.

How well do you know the guest of honor? Some of these answers might come as a surprise. Print your game from Play Party Plan and honor your birthday person. See how many answers you know to these questions. Who got closest to 21?

Surprise Party Ideas

Go incognito with a mask. The birthday boy or birthday girl will have no idea why 100 clones of him / her on the the room! These are so fun and we truly thing worth the investment! | This shop owner is taking a break, you can find more face masks on a stick here.

For an outdoor party, get festive with a Happy Birthday song. Light sparklers to set the mood! This would make the perfect opportunity for some of the best surprise party photos!

Party Food

Of course your #1 surprise birthday party food idea will need to be anything the birthday person loves! They are other cute ideas to fit the surprise party theme.

Choose your number, but have blow pops and suckers on your table. You even have Hershey kisses for years that kiss a**. This plays with the number of your themed birthday party. | DIY Inspired

Personalize your menu. Include a few of his (her) favorite things in the party foods. Of course this requires planning. Since it’s a surprise party, the hosts really need to know the person of honor. | Source Unknown

Guest Book

Don’t let these memories go down the drain – must like those years of your life must have… considering how many candles we see on that surprise birthday party cake. All humor aside, look at these surprise party ideas for a guest book.

Build a memory with a Jenga Game guest book. It comes a game later and who wouldn’t love to re-read through these memories (again and again) during a family game night? | Source Unknown

Set up a chalk board with instructions for guests and ask everyone to stick a photo into a guest book and leave a message for the birthday boy / girl. You will need an instant Polaroid-type camera.

Layout envelopes in the shape of a number representing their year of life. The envelopes can comprise of several words of love and affection from you, family, and friends. You can make this before the party and as guests arrive they can add a index card or small letter inside the envelope. Easy and low-cost party decorations and a really cute gift or message for the special birthday person. | Source Unknown

Balloon Ideas

Hang a Balloon Chandelier full of memories. Grab some photos, helium and relive those moments. Follow this DIY balloon tutorial.

If you plan on dropping balloons, you can buy a balloon bag. You can also make your own balloon drop with this tutorial. We also have a balloon drop tutorial in our Family Birthday Celebrations.

Mask the party entrance with a waterfall of balloons. This is perfect for the front door or if your birthday kid is at home, use it on their bedroom door. | Source

Surprise Party Cake Ideas

If you have a surprise party, you need a surprise party cake! A Pinata Cake is a perfect birthday cake for the occasion!

Speaking of Surprise birthday cakes, make a cake of candles. Simple and fun! Have a fire extinguisher near by with all those candles!

Toss his face on a a stick with these photo cupcake toppers! These make me laugh so much… you too?

Scavenger Hunt

As if a surprise wasn’t enough to cause a heart attack. Take your guest of honor on a birthday treasure hunt too fun something fun at the end!

Have your guests hide in a room and remain quite, while the birthday boy / girl goes on a scavenger hunt to finally find them! Use our printable Birthday Scavenger Hunt. | Source Unknown

Sometimes a surprise is in the birthday treasure hunt. Send your child on an at home Birthday Scavenger Hunt with 20 birthday treasure hunt riddles and clues.

Beer & Wine Tasting

Does your birthday guy or gal have a special drink or love cocktails? If you have something brewing for the adults, change the party location. You can bring the winery or brewery to your house. Try a wine tasting party or even a beer Oktoberfest party.

We love these Family Birthday Celebrations for times where you aren’t hosting a party! Pin to Pinterest.

And for small recognition, look at these Half Birthday Party Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Curb Appeal Hacks To Increase Your Home Value

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May 10, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Seasonal, Social Media, Spring

Frugal Curb Appeal Hacks To Increase Your Home Value. Update the appearance for your home for little expense.

Curb Appeal Hacks

One of our most famous posts is our Front Porch Ideas. We wanted to go further this spring and add some curb appeal hacks to improve the expense and appeal of your home. There is nothing more attractive than a well taken care of home from the outside. It’s like putting your best on the facade and as everyone drives by, they don’t see the mess that lies inside – it’s our secret! Take a look at Porticos, flower beds, street number pots and many more ideas to inspire your green thumb and home improvement skills this spring!

Also visit our Inexpensive Backyard Landscaping Ideas on a Budget with ideas that can be transitioned to the front yard too!

To start off, how fun and easy is this tip? Identify your home with House Number Flower Pots from DIY Show Off.

Your welcome and your front porch are everything! Remember it’s their first impressions. Renew weathered wood with this front door home improvement project. Just add SunShield Outdoor Furniture Wax with UV Protection.

If time is on your site, build a Pergola Over Your Garage like Lauries. How beautiful is this touch?

The best way to update your curb appeal is paint and it can be so inexpensive! We love this Home Makeover from Beneath My Heart.

Add Appeal with a DIY Portico on a Front or Side Door like this tutorial from Southern Hospitality Blog.

Love of Family and Home shares a cute Side Yard Update and a tip on how to get rid of get rid of weeds.

Transform Walkway Pavers with Lava Rocks from Paint Speckled Pawprints.

Update your home apparel with this Garage Door Gel Stain Idea from Domestically Speaking. You can find a similar (sworn by) paint in our Home Hacks Amazon Shop.