Y’all it has been a hot minute since I have mustered up enough time and creativity to come up with something creative, much less write about it. I thought there was no better way to get back in the game than a good ole Dollar Tree Easter DIY. I realize many Dollar Tree locations have different assortments of supplies but hopefully you can take this tutorial, and allow it to inspire you to create your own version. Whatever that may look like.
I am providing a list of the supplies I used for reference when planning your own project.
- 4 mini plaques from Dollar Tree
- 1 jumbo popcicle stick
- Glue gun
- Paint of choice
- 3 Dollar Tree Egg ornaments
- Elmers Glue
- Stain of choice
- Greenery
- Sandpaper
- Staple gun (optional)
- Toothbrush (optional)
Begin your Dollar Tree Easter DIY by glueing them end to end to form one larger rectangle. This will serve as the background of the entire project.
With these particular plaques I found it necessary to reinforce the middle seam by glueing a jumbo popsicle stick to the center. This step is optional an will obviously vary depending on what material being used for the background.
I chose to stain the plaque with my personal favorite shade of stain, Early American by Minwax which can be found at most home improvement stores.
This is where this DIY get interesting. After the stain has dried you will paint on a thick layer of Elmer’s Glue. Yes you read that right. Elmer’s Glue is the secret ingredient behind all those beautiful faux crackle finishes. Before the glue has time to dry, read ahead to the next step.
While the glue is still wet, apply a coat of paint right on top. I am using a basic white here. Trust me on this one. I know it feels wrong but if it is then you don’t wanna be right.
Once you have applied the paint it’s time to grab the heat gun or hair dryer to finish the job. This is where the magic truly happens. As the surface dries the crackled effect will appear. Like literal magic…except not. It’s just you and your mad crafting skills to blame for this one.
Don’t forget to add a little distressing to the edges with sandpaper.
Now the the background is ready, grab your Easter egg ornaments and slap a layer of stain on them before painting. I used the same stain as before and layered it with “Dusk” by Waverly. The only downside to these little shapes that can get a little pesky is the tiny holes in the tops. I like to fill them with a hot glue or wood glue and lightly sand them smooth before painting.
To ad a speckled look grab an old toothbrush, lightly load it with paint and run your finger across the bristles to splatter tiny little paint flecks to your surface. This step is completely optional but it creates a really fun effect.
To top everything off with this Dollar Tree Easter DIY I grabbed some lambs ear picks I already had on hand, trimmed them to size and attached them with a staple gun. You can also glue them if you don’t have a gun readily available.
Topped with a bow and this pretty little project is finished and ready to decorate! Not too bad for a project costing less than $10!
