It’s April, which means it’s officially stashbusting month! It’s time to dust off all of the supplies hiding at the back of your closets and create using what you already have on hand. Think of it like spring cleaning, only much more fun! If you’re planning to plow through your excess stash this month, you’ll be needing plenty of ideas and inspiration. Heather and Rhonda put their heads together and came up with this list of must-visit blogs to help steer your way through your stashbusting odyssey. Give your bookmarking finger a few good stretches, then read on.

Every Post is Amazing

One of the things we value most highly is innovation (coming up with new ideas). These blogs do it time and time again:

[Recycled Keyboard Letter Necklaces by Mich L in L.A.]

1. Mich L in L.A. – Every post is more amazing and delightful than the last. Michelle is a genius repurposer, and one of the most innovative creators we’ve ever seen. She posts tons of great jewelry ideas, mostly from upcycled materials you would never imagine could be made pretty (fly-swatters, metallic duct tape, zip ties, dollar store plastic cups — the list goes on forever).

[Mini Crepe Paper Roses by Filth Wizardry]

2. Filth Wizardry – This is another blog that continually delights us, post after post. Almost all the projects are amazing innovative, cheap projects you can do with your kids (or your kids can do by themselves).

[Spoon Egg Holder by Just Something I Made]

3. Just Something I Made – Cathe Holden is a talented graphic designer and seems like an all-around lovely person. Her blog is full of amazing images, freebies, tutorials, and great ideas.

[Recycled Treasure Chest Gift Box by Creative Jewish Mom]

4. Creative Jewish Mom – Tons of wonderful crafty ideas for kids, decor, celebrations, and more. Also a great source for projects related to Jewish holidays, which can often be difficult to find!

[Hair Barrette Necklace by Aunt Peaches]

5. Aunt Peaches – With super creative ideas, amazing writing, and great photos, Peaches is the complete package. She is a lover of all things funky and a glitter addict who always keeps us on our toes.

[Wine Cork Ink Pens by Paper, Plate, and Plane]

6. Paper, Plate, and Plane – We have two standard reactions each time we pull up a new post on Jeromina’s blog. 1. Gasp! and 2. “I would never have thought to use _____ to make ______!” She has an amazing talent for turning everyday objects into incredible creations.

Dollar Store Crafty

We’re not the only ones who save random odds and ends and shop for discount whatnots to turn into amazing treasures. For more frugal crafts than you can likely complete in a lifetime, here are a few places you should definitely check out:



[Reversible Wrist Bands by Polish the Stars]

7. Polish the Stars – Making DIY accessories and home decor items on a next-to-nothing budget, often using scraps and salvaged materials.

8. Bon Temps Beignet – A good source for inexpensive projects using seemingly mundane items that you probably already have laying around.

9. Frugal Ideas from the Parsonage – This site is especially great if you are looking for inexpensive projects and activities to do with your kids.

10. Design Dreams Japan – 100 Yen Crafts!

11. Shoestring Pavilion – If you have Dom Perignon taste on a Boone’s Farm budget, this is the place for you, especially when it comes to decor projects.

[Curling Ribbon Coasters by Chica & Jo]

12. Chica & Jo – Tons of great crafts, and lots of dollar store crafting!

13. Scene of the Grime – A lot of recycled materials projects, great for those of us who can’t stand to throw things away!

14. Crafty Mommy & Me – Many great cheap craft projects, many of which are perfect to do with kids.

15. Eyeballs by Day, Crafting by Night – If country-themed dollar store crafts are your thing, this is a must-visit site.

16. Michele Made Me – Home to lots of recycled paper crafts. Time to raid the recycling bin!

Home Decor

No matter what decorating style you prefer, it’s almost always cheapest to fashion your own DIY decor rather than buying from the store. Give your rooms a dose of personality without blowing your budget with ideas from these wonderful home decor blogs:



[Bedroom Makeover by Funky Junk Interiors]

17. Funky Junk Interiors – One man’s trash is another’s fabulous new coffee table. Designer Donna specializes in a salvaged, shabby look that would make any old farmhouse insanely jealous.

18. Finding Fabulous – A collection of frugal decor ideas from across the web, including a nice selection of original project tutorials. The site places much emphasis on reusing and revamping what you already own.

19. Country Chic Cottage – When it comes to creating vintage-looking home decor from new materials, Angie has a keen eye and a lot of brilliant ideas.

20. Tatertots & Jello – Jen has an uncanny ability to make something out of nothing. She also has a knack for finding other amazing crafters to feature!

21. Thrifty Decor Chick – From traditional to unusual, get great ideas for window treatments, decor accessories, and furniture makeovers that look like a million bucks but cost just a few.

[Spray Painted Glass Luminary by Under the Table and Dreaming]

22. Under the Table and Dreaming – Home to a selection of DIY ideas by the talented Stephanie Lynn, with designs that look like they stepped right out of the pages of Better Homes & Gardens.

23. Shanty 2 Chic – A virtual handbook on how to turn ordinary into extraordinary, combining bargain shopping with crafty ingenuity.

24. Madigan Made – If your tastes lean toward the simple and elegant, you’ll love Madigan’s projects. Her ideas are easy on the eyes, easy on the pocketbook, and easy to make.

25. Knock Off Decor – Forget about that dog-eared stack of Pottery Barn, West Elm, and Ballard’s catalogs. Save a boatload of cash by taking the DIY route instead!

26. Infarrantly Creative – Roadkill Rescues are must-see! (Who doesn’t love a good curbside treasure??)

General Crafty



A little of this, a little of that. Some blogs just seem to have it all! No matter what crafty discipline you prefer, these blogs offer a little something for everyone:



[T-shirt Yarn Braided Coasters by Carolyn’s Homework]

27. Carolyn’s Homework – Few craft bloggers are as prolific as Carolyn, who comes up with something new and exciting to share almost every day. She has so many beautiful ideas!

28. The CSI Project – Each week the CSI gals issue a themed crafting challenge, featuring project tutorials, a weekly link party (posts must fit the week’s theme), and great giveaways. If your linked-up projects are selected by the judges as one of the best, you get a special badge to proudly display on your site.

29. Crafts and Deals – This curated collection of ideas includes links to tutorials for projects of all kinds, most of which could easily be completed on a dollar store budget.

30. I Share Crafts – A user-submitted photo gallery of crafts, this site offers you the opportunity to both share your own projects and to ogle the creations of others.

[Scary Shark Mouth Container by What I Made]

31. What I Made – The projects here are awesome, but our favorite part of each project is the illustrated instructions. Surfing this blog is just way too much fun!

32. Skip to My Lou – Fabric, yarn, paper, and more. With an impressive library of holiday projects and a little bit of everything else, it’s impossible not to be inspired here.

33. Mod Podge Rocks! – All Mod Podge, all the time. If you’ve ever wondered about the versatility of this staple supply, this blog proves that you can Podge just about anything.

34. Crafts by Amanda – With a nice selection of crafts for both kids and adults, Amanda brings you all kinds of crafty goodness.

35. Brassy Apple – There are so many words to describe Megan, the creative mind behind this site: Upcycler extraordinaire, pattern designer, and sewing guru just barely scratch the surface.

Kid Crafting

Crafts can be fun for everyone, regardless of age or skill level. These blogs specialize in projects that even the smallest hands can handle:

[Flower Building Toy by Made by Joel]

36. Made by Joel – Portland artist and toy designer Joel Henriques has a distinctive, whimsical style that makes each project as fun to look at as it is to play with.

37. The Crafty Crow – An extensive collection of crafts for kids gathered from all corners of the ‘net, categorized both by theme and appropriate age level.

38. Make and Takes – This blog covers many crafty arenas, and while we love the entire site, we’re particularly fond of their selection of kiddie projects.

Sewing

Hands down, one of the most useful and versatile tools in a crafter’s arsenal is the sewing machine. Grab your pinking shears and pincushion, then take a look at these sites:

[Wall-e “Eve” Softie Sewing Pattern by Happy Together]

39. Happy Together – As a mom, military wife, blogger, and seamster, Jessica is one busy lady! Her sewing patterns and tutorials include wonderful clothing revamps and adorable plush toys.

40. Delia Creates – Delia’s collection of sewing projects, especially her cute hats, scarves, and other accessories, will keep you basting and hemming through yard after yard of that stashed fabric.

41. Kojodesigns – Penned by a super-talented pair of sisters who are also stay-at-home moms, the projects here include a slew of kids clothing patterns and a whole bunch of awesome home decor.

Eye Candy

Whether looking for inspiration or just passing some time by surfing the web, who doesn’t love looking at pretty pictures? For an eyeload of gorgeous crafty goodness, check out these blogs:

[Vintage Bluebird Frame Printable by Free Pretty Things For You]

42. Free Pretty Things for You – The tagline for this blog is “where lovely handmade meets vintage love.” Site owner Keren designs projects have a beautiful, heirloom-like quality. She also offers a selection of free vintage clipart to pretty up all kinds of projects.

43. How Does She? – Covering many different lifestyle aspects, How Does She? is the brain child of three talented women. Along with their team of contributors, they cover craft ideas, as well as food, fashion, and family.

44. CraftGawker – Similar to I Share Crafts, CraftGawker is a user-submitted photo gallery of the most eye-popping craft pictures on the internet. It is part of the GawkerVerse, which also includes sister sites FoodGawker, WeddingGawker, and DwellingGawker.

45. One Pretty Thing – Site curator Rachel scours the web daily to bring you the most gorgeous crafts around. She posts themed roundups of projects guaranteed to make you drool.

46. // Between the lines // – From fashionable accessories to home decor worthy of major retail shelves, craft lover Pascale brings you fab projects from her home base in the oh-so-posh city of Paris.

Food Blogs

Go ahead, play with your food! We promise we won’t tell mom. If you enjoy being in the kitchen as much as the craft room, combine cooking and crafting at these yummy blogs:

[Nilla Wafer Mini Meals by Dollhouse Bake Shoppe]

47. Dollhouse Bake Shoppe – Specializing in edible crafts, particularly making miniature whatnots that you can snack on!

48. TidyMom – Many of the recipes posted here includes a list of steps that can be completed by little hands.

49. Diamonds for Dessert – Do you like treats that are as fun to look at as they are to eat? This site always has the best fun food!

50. Little Nummies – If your household includes a kid who is a picky eater, stop by for fun sandwiches and other kid-friendly food.

51. Sprinkle Bakes – Home to some of the most beautiful desserts you’ve ever seen!

52. Amanda’s Cookin’ – The counterpart of Crafts by Amanda, here you will find a well-rounded collection of recipes to take you from breakfast all the way through midnight snacking.

Fashion Crafty

Do the contents of your closet drain the contents of your wallet? With a little DIY prowess you can get the look you want for a whole lot less. Here are a few frugally fashionable places to check out:

[Chocolate Flower Necklace by The Sisters 4 Say More is More]

53. The Sisters 4 Say More is More – Selina, Sophie, Olivia, and Elsie have a knack for creating stylish wearables for next to nothing. They also share all kinds of tips and ideas for looking your best on a budget.

54. Studs & Pearls – Can a girl ever really own too much jewelry? S&P’s tutorials will help you fashion your own bling, often using the most mundane of objects and turning them into something special.

55. Glitter ‘N Glue – Love designer looks but don’t have the cash to drop on the real deal? Shopaholic-turned-DIYer Kirsten gets the look without the price tag, and shows how you can do it too.

Cool Craft Sites (not necessarily blogs)

Craftiness on the web isn’t limited strictly to the blogosphere. Here are a few sites that aren’t craft blogs, but are still chock full of information and inspiration:

[Recycled Magazine Wastebasket at Cut Out + Keep]

56. Craftster – The mother of all craft sites. No matter what crafts are your favorites, this site provides you with a vast library of resources and information.

57. ThreadBanger – Sew your way to a rockin’ home and wardrobe with this online TV network that’s all about DIY.

58. Cut Out + Keep – An online community dedicated to tutorial sharing, with lots of great projects to make and be inspired by.

59. SwapBot – Need yet another excuse to create? Stop by SwapBot to join all kinds of swaps, crafty & otherwise.

More From the DSC Network

In case you haven’t heard, Dollar Store Crafts is just one of a family of related sites. If you love DSC, check out what else we’ve been up to:

[T-shirt Bleach Fail at CraftFail]

60. CraftFail – A community blog where you can send photos of your crafts when they don’t quite work out!

61. Dollar Store Mom – The child of Dollar Store Crafts, with more crafty ideas for kids, as well as resources for living a fun and frugal life.

62. Decor Hacks – A beautiful home on a budget.

DSC Staff Craft Blogs

A few of the staffers here at DSC also pen their own crafty blogs. If you just can’t get enough of your favorite crafter’s ideas, here’s where else you can find them:

[Ruffled Steampunk Spats Crochet Pattern by Mrs. Greene]

63. Mrs. Greene – Rhonda has a penchant for offbeat crafts, whether made from traditional materials or from something completely unexpected.

64. Obsessively Stitching – If you enjoy reading contributor Care’s posts every month, her blog is full of even more goodness, including a collection of free sewing patterns for all kinds of fun stuff.

65. Bromeliad Living – Contributor Samantha specializes in living large while spending small, with lots of DIY fashion and home decor.