DIY Personalized Superhero Cape Party Favor Tags

I am in full on Super hero birthday planning mode. My little guy turns three this week and he loves nothing more than super heroes!    We are have the party at a moon bounce house so there's not much I need to do in the way of decorations or food, but I did want to add a little DIY superhero flare where I could!

Personally, I prefer to give party favors other than candy and treats. Is that just me? This year I bought water bottles at the dollar store for a buck each.  I quickly personalized them with each child's initial in the Super Man logo style and then added the super hero cape tags.

I found a whole group of Super Hero cape tags on Pinterest originally posted on Cuor Home, although unfortunately I can't find the direct link to them now.  This made the project super easy although I did want to personalize them a little and PicMonkey made doing that super easy!

Teacher Appreciation Week: Watering Can Flower Pot Gift (Free Printable)

Did you know that this week is Teacher Appreciation Week?  Totally is..and you're not too late to celebrate your child's teacher.   (And hint, hint Mother's Day and the end of the school year are just around the corner, too.) This is a really quick, easy, and inexpensive teacher gift..plus I'm making it easier since I'm including some free printables. Plus, I asked my cousin - who's a teacher - what one of the best gifts she ever received from a student was and she told me a potted plant with a sign reading: "Thanks for helping me grow."  So there you have it...this is a total win!

DIY Coasters with Mod Podge and Napkins {And a Giveaway}

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and All You Magazine, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #lifeforless http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.

Can you ever have too many coasters? They make great, inexpensive gifts and even if you keep them for yourself they're a great way to add a little color and personality to a room - while being totally functional.  During a recent trick to Dollar General I picked up the April issue of All You Magazine (totally scored using this $1 off coupon - get it while supplies last). 

Spring Coffee Table Vignette

If you follow me on Instagram you got a little sneak peek of this 'project' earlier this week.  It's not even really a project as much as it is an experiment.  I'm experimenting to see - for the first time in five years - if I can successfully keep coffee table decor in tact for more than five minutes.   My kiddos have kept hands-off so far and we're working on day four here!

Every time I flip through Pottery Barn or West Elm or Ballards I notice how nice their coffee tables look. I wanted something to add a little pop to my living room and this did the trick.  I gathered some items I already had pulling from various rooms, holiday decorations, storage boxes, and the bookshelf. 

Faux Terrarium in a Yankee Candle Jar

I'm so excited...I found another use for my empty Yankee Candle jars!  Nothing like a pretty FREE glass jar...and some dollar store supplies.

I am working on spring-ifying (yup, so went there) our house and this little guy was among my first projects.  I am calling it a faux terrarium because I don't know what else to call it and basically because 'paper flower with moss in a dollar store mini clay pot in a glass jar' is too long.

I am new to terrariums, but I'm liking them.  If you're not familiar, according to Dictionary.com a terrarium is "a glass container, chiefly or wholly enclosed, for growing and displaying plants." In other words I think I'm justified in calling this a faux terrarium.  No?

Okay onwards my friends.  I started by putting some filler (aka balled up tissues) in the bottom of my mini pots.  These mini terracotta pots come in a three pack at Dollar Tree. Can't beat .33 a piece! 

DIY Dollar Store 'Industrial' Light Fixture

My laundry room makeover is in full swing.  Nothing is safe (just ask my drying rack).   Not even the ol' bulb and chain.  The laundry closet light is literally a light socket with a bulb in the ceiling.   There she glows...

I know it's just a laundry closet, but I did want to spice up the light a little and I didn't want to spend much money.   A $2 DIY light fixture did the trick.

Dollar Store Valentine's Day Table Runner

My dining room table is looking festive for Valentine's Day, but my kitchen table is was seriously bare.  I was not looking to spend much money on my Valentine's Day decor so I headed straight for the dollar store.  That's where I picked up four of large felt hearts.

I attached them with a line of hot glue and they make an instant table runner.  If your table is longer or shorter you can obviously add more hearts or use fewer.   There's not much better than a 1 minute, $4 craft...

Thanks for stopping by 2IY! If you like what you see, we'd love for you to pin it!

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DIY Valentine's Day Twig Centerpiece

Looking to make a cute DIY Valentine's Day centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room table?  You've come to the right spot.  I created this easy and very budget-friendly centerpiece in just a few minutes and - or should I say 'even' - with the help of my 2 and 5 year olds.  The great thing about this piece is you can shop your house (and your yard) and spend no money at all.   I love projects like that!

What you'll need:  
-Small flower pot, vase (not clear glass) or bowl.
-A few Branches
-Floral foam or styrofoam (or balled up newspaper)
-Covering such as tissue paper, burlap, greenery, or shredded paper
-Valentine's Day-colored or themed scrapbook paper
-Ribbon, twine, or string

I collected twigs from the yard with my two year old son.  We looked for small branches that had some 'Ys' formed on them so we could use them to hang our decorations.   I used about four of the branches selecting twigs that were generally the same size.

Put the floral foam or styrofoam into the pot or vase.  If you are using  the newspaper method ball it up really tight and press the sticks as far into the paper as possible so they stay standing. 

6 Ways to Re-Use Christmas Decorations in Valentine's Day Decor

If you're like me you want to decorate for Valentine's Day, but without spending a bunch of money on decor.   Even DIY holiday decorations can add up...so this year I challenged myself to decorate for the holiday of love by re-using my Christmas decorations.

Here are 6 easy ways you can upcycle from one red and white holiday to the next.

DIY Sharpie Mugs {Using Stickers as Stencils}

A few days ago I was in the dollar store and I picked up a pair of white mugs.  I full intended to use them for my first ever Sharpie mug project.  I wasn't sure who would be the lucky recipients until I realized they'd make the perfect housewarming gift for my husband's cousin and her roommie.

If you don't know how I feel about monograms by now...well then you must not be visiting 2IY enough (kidding, of course)..but I am very fond of them.  I already had a black oil based sharpie paint marker so I was in business.

For some reason I was totally blanking on a design (perhaps it was the 11th hour-ness of my gift) so I turned to Pinterest where I came across these adorable mugs by Simply Kierstie.  She's one of my favorite bloggers anyway so I'm not surprised I was drawn right to her Sharpie mugs of all the mugs on Pinterest (there are a bajillion).    I typically use Pinterest for inspiration, but honestly why mess with perfection - and to me, Kierstie's mugs were perfect. 

We're (back) Co-Hosting the PINcentive Blog Hop #18

Three times in six week...oh yes we did!  Two it Yourself has once again been featured on the PINcentive blog hop (this time it was our Dollar Store DIY Chalkboard Tray that caught the eye of the lovely hosts) and so once again we're thrilled to be co-hosting this week's link party!  I'll let Elena from Cropped Stories take it from here...
 
Welcome to the 18th week of the blog hop!  This week, I thought it might be fun to let you in on the numbers.  You know the numbers I’m talking about right?

The winners of our hop get some major Pinterest exposure when their content gets pinned by my team of pinners (below) and by, YOU, the blog hop participant!  I’m happy to report that the number of times our winner’s content gets pinned has been averaging around 60-70 times!  As fantastic as this number already is, there are many instances our winner’s posts are pinned well over 100 times!  Take a look for yourself at, what I’m calling, Our PINcentive Blog Hop Pinterest All-stars!

DIY Dollar Store Chalkboard Tray

For a recent dinner party I served a cheese tray. Instead of the usually guessing/sniffing/tasting game, I decided I would be nice to my guests and let them know what type of cheeses we had.  I made a chalkboard tray using a tray I bought at the dollar store and some chalkboard paint from the craft store.

The tutorial for this is stupid it's so easy...

Ok, so to make your DIY chalkboard cheese tray you need a platter (mine was plastic), chalkboard paint, and a foam brush.

Squeeze some of the paint right onto the tray (not too much because if it's too thick it won't dry very well) and use the foam brush to evenly spread it all over the tray.  I tried to brush all in the same direction. 

Pottery Barn Table Setting Knockoff from the Dollar Store

Isn't it lovely? I love Pottery Barn's table settings. They're often simple yet stunning and timeless. What I can't swallow is paying $12.50 for a charger.  Not a plate...a plate that holds a plate.  Note "a".  That means if you want to set the table for six you'd be spending $75 on plates you don't even eat off.   Let's not talk about if you're setting the table for 12 or more...

That, my friends, is why I love the dollar store.  Right before Christmas I went in looking for some gold chargers for my Christmas table.  I found them for one dollar a piece. Guess what...they even have the beaded edge, just like Pottery Barn's.   I picked up six...you know, for $6.

'Read More' after the jump to see my Pottery Barn knockoff table setting....