This list of 15 budget-friendly craft projects under $15 is the perfect place to start if you’re looking for cute DIYs that won’t break the bank.
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Craft supplies? In this economy?
With the cost of absolutely everything on the rise, it might be hard to justify buying new craft supplies for projects. I get it; I’m constantly checking out the local dollar stores for decent supplies that I can use in my makes. And coupons? Heck yes, I’m always on the hunt for them!
But hey, we’re makers. This means we need to craft, even if our wallet is begging us to stay away from Michaels and Hobby Lobby.
So, if you’re looking to make your craft money go further, these budget-friendly craft projects are for you. And for tips and tricks on saving money on craft supplies, check out my post Handmade on a Budget: Make Beautiful Art Without Spending a Fortune.
Now for the list!
15 Budget-Friendly Craft Projects Under $15
01. Hair Scrunchie
Hair scrunchies are easy to make and the supplies can be super inexpensive! You can get both elastic and fabric from Dollar Tree—or if you want to spend even less, turn an old t-shirt into a scrunchie! No sewing machine? No problem! Pick up a needle and thread from the Dollar Tree as well and sew it by hand!
02. Crochet Infinity Knot Headband
This headband is so cute—and it’s another project that you can make with supplies from Dollar Tree. Don’t know how to crochet? Not a problem! Try braiding the yarn instead. I love the classic look of the headband in the tutorial, but you can also add beads, try vibrant colors, or use more than one color.
03. Polymer Clay Smores
These “smores” are super cute—and they don’t require many supplies! You can either pick up three colors of polymer clay (brown, white, and tan) or pick up just some white clay and paint the pieces with whatever paint you have lying around. (No paint lying around? Dollar Tree has inexpensive bottles of acrylic!) Or just get white and brown polymer clay and use a little of each to mix up a lighter brown for the graham crackers.
04. Cactus Push Pins
Another adorable project that requires very little by way of supplies. Green glue sticks, a glue gun, and some push pins! (And maybe some paint if you want to add details.) If you can’t find green glue sticks, use the standard white glue sticks and paint your little cactus pins green—or whatever other colors you want!
05. Mini Photo Frame Magnets
I love fridge magnets and these are no exception. You can use any colors you want for these aesthetic magnets. Use photos of yourself, your friends, your pets, or even places you’ve traveled! Or, if you don’t have any photos on hand, cut out pictures from magazines or pictures from old books you find at the thrift store.
06. Rock Cactus
This is one of those crafts that isn’t necessarily “practical”, but is ridiculously cute—and that’s all that matters here! I love these little cactus rocks! They’re adorable as is, but you could also write little notes on the back of them. If you seal them with something that’ll make them waterproof, you can even use them as outside décor!
07. Bird Felt Bookmark
Although my bookmarks are usually sticky notes and old receipts, I love aesthetic bookmarks. (Even if I’m inevitably going to lose them!) These bird bookmarks are really cute, and if you made a couple of different birds and packaged them as a set they’d make a great little gift for the reader in your life.
08. Pennant Banner Pin Holder
If you’re like me and have an abundance of pins and not enough room on your coat or purse to show them off, why not make some of these cute pin holders? You need very little fabric to make them, and you can get your wooden dowels at the Dollar Tree. (You can even get fabric there, although not the exact fabric used in this tutorial!) These are great gifts, especially if you’re also gifting any sort of pins!
09. Mini Mountain Photo Holders
These are oh-so-cute, and require very little materials or time! You can use them to hold photos, or as place card holders for parties and other events. Or use them to hold business cards, tarot cards, affirmation cards, or love notes! These are great little gifts that would make excellent stocking stuffers.
10. Cactus Ring Holder
I love cactus crafts (can you tell? I think this is the third one on the list!) and this ring holder is no exception. This super simple craft can be made with air-dry clay, polymer clay, or even good old salt, flour, and water clay/dough. I need to make a couple of these!
11. Felt Hair Bows
Hair bows are cute accessories that are easy to put together and require very little in materials. Don’t think you’re limited to putting them in your hair, though! Instead of adding hair clips to the back, why not attach them to earring posts? These are made with felt, so they’re incredibly lightweight. You can also attach them to pins, or necklaces, or make a ton and turn them into a garland. Think outside the box!
12. Paper Flowers
I love paper flowers in all their forms! These lovely, delicate little flowers are stunning and they make a gorgeous piece of décor that will last longer than “real” flowers ever could. You can give them as gifts, use them to pretty up your home or office or hand them out to strangers to brighten up people’s day.
13. Macrame Keychains
If you’ve got a friend who is always losing their keys, make them a little easier to keep track of with a bulky Macrame keychain! Because they’re made with cord, yarn, or whatever other material you might choose to use, they’re typically pretty lightweight. I love the simple, rustic look of these keychains, and you can use a variety of colors to make them truly one of a kind.
14. Macrame Bracelets
This summer camp classic needs reviving! I love these colorful, knotted bracelets. I remember them as “friendship” bracelets and made so many with embroidery floss and hemp when I was younger. If you go with embroidery floss, you can almost always find some at the Dollar Store. Of course, stores like Michaels carry a variety of them as well! A couple of skeins of string will make tons of bracelets, so get knotting! (And don’t be afraid to add some beads, too!)
15. Textured Vase
Class up any glass jar with a little texture! This tutorial calls for a “glass jar” which of course you can pick up at Dollar Tree or any thrift store. But why not get creative? Use old spaghetti sauce jars, mason jars, or whatever other glass jars you have on hand. Pick up some air-dry clay, and get crafting. This project doesn’t even require any paint! (Although if white décor isn’t your vibe, you can paint your air-dry clay when it’s cured!)
Which of these budget-friendly craft projects will you try?
Art is my happy place. Maybe you can relate.
Everything might be too expensive these days, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut craft supplies out of your budget. Don’t be ashamed to capitalize on sales, shop the dollar stores, and check out thrift stores.
I’d love to see what budget-friendly crafts you’ve made! Show them off on Instagram with hashtags #theserialcreative #budgetfriendlyDIYs