How similar are Jot pens at the Dollar Tree to Ooly brand pens?
Have you seen this four-pack of pens at Dollar Tree made by Jot? They are also available in a four-pack of black (all the same size). When I saw them they reminded me of a pack of pens I have from Ooly. I thought they would make a great gift so I had to give them a try and see how well they worked.
I love my Ooly pens and I have been carrying them around in my purse for some time. They were given to me as a gift and I have thoroughly enjoyed them. So when I saw a similar set at the Dollar Tree by Jot, I had to try them.
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As I said, I love my Ooly pens, I have the Modern Writers package. But for the price difference and the loss of two colors, the Dollar Tree pens are great too!
Learn how to turn a dollar tree candle into a beautiful gift with Etchall Creme.
with Etchall Creme
Grab a candle and some ribbon from the Dollar Tree and make a beautiful etched candle using Etchall Creme. Such a simple idea makes for an elegant finished product and an affordable gift any time of the year.
The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links. They cost nothing for you to use. Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.
Process:
Remove all the labels from the glass and clean it with rubbing alcohol. The higher the content of alcohol the better. In a pinch, you can use hand sanitizer to clean with.
For the size of this project, I was able to cut the vinyl on a Cricut Joy. I used a free design and font in the design program for the Vinyl Sticker design. (Leaf Embellishment #M3A9A159F) If you don’t have a cutting machine you can cut vinyl by hand or use a paper punch design.
After the cut is finished, weed away the design.
When I apply vinyl, I fold the vinyl in half to mark the middle. Then I apply it to the candle, middle first, and smooth it out from there. Wrinkles in the vinyl are OK as long as the design is smooth and sealed against the glass.
Apply the etching creme generously to the design. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Then remove the creme and replace it in the jar to use again. Wash the design and remove the vinyl. I use a baby wipe when the design is small enough and then clean the glass with rubbing alcohol.
Here is the result of the etching.
To finish off the look of the candle, I applied rubbing wax to the design in silver to enhance the design and wrapped a coordinating ribbon around the neck of the glass container.
Suggested Materials:
Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, C – Cricut, O – Other
Trying alcohol ink on silver metallic looking stickers from the Dollar Tree.
Alcohol inks are very fun to create with. They interact with each other in interesting ways creating different results each time. They work on most non-porous surfaces so when I saw these metallic-looking stickers at the Dollar Tree, I knew I wanted to try alcohol ink on them.
Metallic stickers come in silver, gold, and bronze colors. I chose the silver thinking it would work best with the inks.
First I tried dropping the ink onto the sticker, the next one I tried applying the ink with a cotton swab, and on the last sticker, I switched to acrylic paint markers. Each process gave a different result. The video tutorial below will take you through each process.
Video Tutorial:
I think the first and last version gave the best results. While the stickers appeared metallic in the package and once removed appeared more like plastic either surface should work. The alcohol ink didn’t work as well as I expected. The acrylic paint markers gave great coverage but lost the metallic quality of the original sticker. In summation, the plastic mailing envelope I used as a protective work surface actually had the best results from the alcohol ink being applied to it. So now I have another project to work on!
Make your own travel valet tray that can be used for so much more.
Have you ever seen a travel valet? They are basically a basket or tray if you will that you use to collect all your pocket items when traveling. This is a quick and easy-to-make version using a placemat from the Dollar Tree and a Snap Kit from Gwen Studios.
The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links. They cost nothing for you to use. Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.
The Gwen Studios Snap Kit is available at Walmart. On top of it is a cut-down piece of a woven plastic placemat from the Dollar Tree.
From the kit, you’ll need the tool with the appropriate parts installed for the snaps you are using and the snaps. An instruction sheet is included in the kit to guide you on the use of the different snaps. You can see 8 stars and 4 of each male and female parts in the above photo.
A close-up image with the snaps in place before using the tool to set them. Watch the video tutorial for detailed instructions on how to make the travel valet.
Place the tool on the snaps and squeeze tight to secure them in place. It really is easy to use.
Video Tutorial:
The finished travel valet is flat on the left and snapped together on the right. It is really handy for so much more than travel. The valet can withstand getting wet, making it work well in the bathroom or kitchen because it is plastic.
This Easter Bunny Decor is a Dollar Tree craft project.
This project turned out better than I envisioned. The Easter Bunny Decor is made from a foam shape, napkins, and ribbons that I purchased at the Dollar Tree. It was a fun decoupage process. My youngest daughter loves bunnies and claimed this as her own.
Materials:
foam shape
napkins
modpodge
foam brush
ribbons
fabri-tac
All these materials can be found at the Dollar Tree except for the Fabri-tac glue.
Video Tutorial:
Above is the back view of the bunny. Pink flowers on the napkin are so bright and perfect for spring. The green leaves were added over the first layer of napkins. This added activity and visual direction to the final piece. In total, it took two napkins to cover the bunny because I needed to grab a few more green leaves.
How I updated a night light from the Dollar Tree with a vinyl design. @OfficalCricut @DollarTree #affiliate
A Dollar Tree Craft
I found this plain night light at the Dollar Tree and I was drawn to it for a crafting project. As a craft designer, I always have my eye out for project ideas and the Dollar Tree is a great place to find economical items. With the use of my Cricut and a little bit of vinyl, I transformed this plain night light into something more decorative. Follow along for this quick and easy project.
Many of the items I use in my posts are provided by the manufacturers in order to promote their products. I want to give special thanks to those brands who sponsor this site.
materials
Materials:
night light
Cricut Maker
Holographic Vinyl
transfer tape
Cricut design
scissors
washi tape (optional)
Cricut Maker
I cut the stencil design on my Cricut Maker using holographic Cricut vinyl. The design I used is a purchased Cricut design – Flower Square Coaster #MCDABE4D. I sized it to be a bit smaller than the flat surface of the night light.
I used washi tape for additional security on my mats since they aren’t as sticky as they used to be. This is just a precaution and not necessary for most.
For the next step, weed away all the unwanted vinyl and then apply your transfer tape. The video below will show you how these preparation steps were done.
Video Tutorial:
The finished night light is placed in our downstairs bathroom which is very dark. It stays lit all the time and sets off a beautiful soft blue glow that works really well with the holographic blue vinyl. I am happy with the result and I think the design really adds to the night light.
Suggested Materials:
Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, C – Cricut, O – Other
See how to transform an inexpensive picture frame from drab to fab with a patina kit. #dollartreecraft
With a picture frame from the Dollar Tree and a patina kit from Modern Masters (affiliate link), I transformed this simple frame from drab to fab. It takes a little bit of dry time between the steps but other than that, it is a really easy process. The kit has most of what you will need.
The patina kit comes with primer paint, copper paint, and the patina spray and nozzle. Simple directions are on the box. Handled the patina spray with caution, see the warning on the bottle and use in a well-ventilated area.
Additional Materials:
nail file or sandpaper
picture frame
foam paintbrush
spray box or similar
rubber gloves (optional)
Video Tutorial:
Watching the patina transform the frame as it dried was really interesting because you really don’t know what results you will get until it dries. The process was really fun and I can’t wait to try it on other surfaces. What would you use this kit on?
Check out this test and review of Jot brand metallic gel pens found at the Dollar Tree.
Are they worth it?
Even at a dollar, there are items at the Dollar Tree that just aren’t worth the price. Have you wondered about the Jot Metallic Gelli Pens? Check out my test and review of them to see if they are worth it for you.
Dollar Tree carries a lot of different craft products. The problem is that not all of them are worth purchasing. Check out my review of Metallic and Watercolor Pencils and find out if they are worth it. #Dollartree
Are they worth it?
Dollar Tree carries a variety of craft products. Sadly, not all of them are worth the dollar spent. But for the other products, it is really wonderful to be able to save and get a craft supply for a dollar. Besides food, I imagine craft products are a very popular category at the Dollar Tree.
The two packages of pencils I recently found are metallic pencils and watercolor pencils. In the video below I demonstrate using them and if they are worth the buy.
Learn how to make a Santa gnome from simple materials, many found at the dollar store.
Mini Santa Gnomes are so fun to make and are great holiday-themed items. Each one can have its own personality. They can have big noses or long beards. You can twist the fake fur making a handlebar mustache. Your Santa gnome can be made fat or skinny. Change the color of the hat for a different look. Different decorative elements on the hat can change the theme completely.
I chose to add a pin to the back so my Santa Gnome can be worn. Another option would be to add a hook and hang him on your Christmas tree. These mini gnomes can decorate packages or used for other decorative elements. I have one sitting on my desk!
materials
The list of materials may seem rather long but they aren’t expensive. Once you have obtained them all, you can actually make ten Santa Gnomes from one pack of gloves. You will have a lot of other materials left over, so grab another pack of gloves for more gnome making. Items noted with DT were bought at the Dollar Tree.
Materials:
2 pairs of glovesDT
small rubber bands DT
nylons DT
pom pom or bell DT
scissors
polyfill (or similar)
Hot Glue and Gun
fake fur
pinback (optional)
ornament hook (optional)
Fake fur can be expensive so purchase as small a cut as possible – 1/4 a yard or even an 1/8 a yard. You don’t need much for the mini gnomes. I found mine at Walmart. Fake fur can be found in a variety of different colors.
