Ten Adorable Dollar-Store Fall Crafts 🍂✂️🐝

Create a Little Fall Magic Without Spending a Fortune

You don’t need a cart full of expensive supplies to make your home feel warm, festive and full of fall fun! With a few dollar-store finds, some basic craft supplies and a little imagination, families can create decorations worthy of any pumpkin patch.

These projects are designed to be affordable, cheerful and easy to customize. Younger children may need help with cutting, hot glue and small pieces.

Buzzy’s Budget Note

Estimated costs are based on purchasing the required packages at a typical dollar store. Many supplies—such as paint, ribbon, glue, googly eyes and pipe cleaners—can be reused across multiple projects.

Prices do not include tax, and actual prices and product availability will vary by store. If you already have basic craft supplies at home, your final cost could be much lower.

1. Wooden-Spoon Scarecrows 🌻

Turn ordinary wooden or bamboo spoons into an adorable family of fall scarecrows!

Supply List

• Wooden or bamboo spoons

• Acrylic paint

• Paintbrushes

• Googly eyes

• Raffia, yarn or twine

• Fall-colored ribbon

• Black marker

• Craft glue or hot glue

Directions

1. Paint the spoon and allow it to dry.

2. Glue on the googly eyes.

3. Draw a smile, nose and freckles with a black marker.

4. Add raffia or yarn for the scarecrow’s hair.

5. Tie a piece of ribbon around the handle.

6. Display the scarecrows in a flowerpot, centerpiece or fall wreath.

Approximate cost: $7–$9 when purchasing all supplies
Approximate cost if you already own paint and glue: $3–$5

2. Paper-Plate Pumpkins 🎃

This simple craft is perfect for younger children and makes an adorable fall wall or refrigerator display.

Supply List

• Paper plates

• Orange paint or orange tissue paper

• Green construction paper

• Brown construction paper

• Paintbrushes

• Glue

• Black marker

• Optional googly eyes

Directions

1. Paint the paper plate orange and allow it to dry.

2. Cut a stem from brown paper.

3. Cut a leaf from green paper.

4. Glue the stem and leaf to the top of the plate.

5. Leave the pumpkin plain or add a silly jack-o’-lantern face.

Approximate cost: $5–$7 when purchasing all supplies
Approximate cost per pumpkin: Less than $1 when making several

3. Glowing Fall-Leaf Lanterns 🍁

These cozy lanterns look beautiful on a mantel, porch table or dinner table.

Supply List

• Glass jar or clear plastic container

• Faux fall leaves

• Decoupage glue or diluted white glue

• Foam brush

• Twine or fall ribbon

• Battery-operated tea light

Directions

1. Brush a thin layer of glue onto the outside of the jar.

2. Place faux leaves around the jar.

3. Brush another thin layer of glue over the leaves.

4. Allow the jar to dry completely.

5. Tie twine or ribbon around the top.

6. Place a battery-operated tea light inside.

Approximate cost: $6–$8 for one lantern
Approximate cost per lantern when making several: $3–$5

Safety note: Use only battery-operated lights for this project.

4. Mop-Head Ghosts 👻

These fluffy little ghosts are delightfully spooky without being scary!

Supply List

• Small white mop head or white yarn

• Foam ball

• Black felt

• Ribbon

• Craft glue or hot glue

• Optional small hat, bow or fall flower

Directions

1. Place the foam ball beneath the center of the mop head.

2. Tie ribbon underneath the ball to form the ghost’s head.

3. Cut eyes and a mouth from black felt.

4. Glue the face onto the ghost.

5. Add a bow, flower or tiny hat for extra personality.

Approximate cost: $6–$8 per ghost
Approximate cost when using leftover ribbon and glue: $4–$6

5. Clothespin Fall-Leaf Wreath 🍂

This colorful wreath is easy to personalize and can be used year after year.

Supply List

• Wooden clothespins

• Cardboard, foam board or a wire wreath form

• Orange, yellow, red and brown paint

• Paintbrushes

• Faux leaves

• Fall ribbon

• Craft glue or hot glue

Directions

1. Cut a wreath shape from sturdy cardboard or use a premade wreath form.

2. Paint the clothespins in different fall colors.

3. Allow everything to dry.

4. Clip or glue the clothespins around the wreath.

5. Add faux leaves and a large ribbon bow.

6. Attach a loop of ribbon for hanging.

Approximate cost: $8–$11
Approximate cost using recycled cardboard: $6–$9

6. Pumpkin-Patch Garland 🎃

Create a cheerful pumpkin garland for a mantel, doorway, classroom or party table.

Supply List

• Orange foam sheets or paper pumpkin cutouts

• Twine

• Mini clothespins

• Faux leaves

• Black marker

• Ribbon

• Scissors

• Glue

Directions

1. Cut several pumpkin shapes from orange foam or paper.

2. Draw lines, faces or family names on the pumpkins.

3. Cut a long piece of twine.

4. Attach the pumpkins using mini clothespins.

5. Add faux leaves and small ribbon bows between the pumpkins.

6. Hang the garland across a doorway, mantel or wall.

Approximate cost: $6–$9
Approximate cost per garland using leftover supplies: $3–$5

7. Recycled Tin-Can Scarecrow 🌾

Give an empty food can a second life as a cute fall decoration or pencil holder.

Supply List

• Clean, empty tin can

• Tan or cream paint

• Paintbrush

• Googly eyes

• Raffia or yarn

• Burlap or fall ribbon

• Black and orange markers

• Craft glue or hot glue

Directions

1. Make sure the can is clean, dry and free of sharp edges.

2. Paint the outside and allow it to dry.

3. Glue on the googly eyes.

4. Draw the nose, mouth and freckles.

5. Glue raffia or yarn around the top for hair.

6. Add a burlap or ribbon hatband.

7. Use it as a decoration, utensil holder or pencil cup.

Approximate cost: $6–$8
Approximate cost when reusing a can and existing glue: $3–$5

Safety note: An adult should inspect the can carefully for sharp edges.

8. Family Gratitude Tree 💛

This meaningful project doubles as a fall decoration and a sweet family tradition.

Supply List

• Small branches collected outdoors

• Vase, jar or small flowerpot

• Construction paper or cardstock

• Twine or ribbon

• Hole punch

• Markers

• Optional decorative stones or filler

Directions

1. Arrange the branches inside the vase or container.

2. Cut leaf shapes from colorful paper.

3. Punch a hole in each leaf.

4. Thread a small piece of twine through each hole.

5. Have family members write something they’re thankful for on a leaf.

6. Hang the leaves from the branches.

7. Continue adding leaves throughout the season.

Approximate cost: $5–$7
Approximate cost when using collected branches and a jar from home: $2–$4

9. Pumpkin Splatter-Screen Door Hanger 🍁

Turn an inexpensive kitchen splatter screen into a festive pumpkin for your front door.

Supply List

• Round splatter screen

• Orange spray paint or acrylic paint

• Green faux leaves

• Brown ribbon or burlap for the stem

• Fall ribbon

• Floral wire or zip ties

• Craft glue or hot glue

Directions

1. Paint the splatter screen orange and allow it to dry completely.

2. Create a stem using folded burlap or brown ribbon.

3. Attach the stem to the top.

4. Add green leaves and a large fall bow.

5. Secure everything with floral wire, zip ties or glue.

6. Add a loop of ribbon for hanging.

Approximate cost: $8–$12
Approximate cost if you already own paint and glue: $5–$8

10. Buzzy’s Pinecone Bees 🐝🍂

These tiny fall bees are the perfect Buzzy B addition to wreaths, centerpieces and seasonal scavenger hunts!

Supply List

• Pinecones collected outdoors or purchased

• Yellow paint

• Paintbrush

• Black pipe cleaners

• Googly eyes

• White paper, felt or foam for wings

• Pink ribbon

• Craft glue or hot glue

Directions

1. Clean and completely dry the pinecones.

2. Paint yellow stripes across each pinecone.

3. Allow the paint to dry.

4. Add googly eyes.

5. Bend pipe cleaners into antennae and attach them.

6. Cut two wings from white paper, felt or foam.

7. Glue the wings to the back.

8. Finish each little bee with a pink ribbon bow.

9. Add the bees to a centerpiece or hide them around the house for a Buzzy scavenger hunt.

Approximate cost: $6–$9
Approximate cost using collected pinecones and leftover supplies: $2–$4

Buzzy’s Master Shopping List 🛒

If you want to make several of these projects, start with one combined shopping list:

• Acrylic or washable paint in fall colors

• Paintbrushes or foam brushes

• White craft glue

• Hot glue and glue sticks for adult use

• Googly eyes

• Black markers

• Construction paper or cardstock

• Foam sheets

• Wooden or bamboo spoons

• Wooden clothespins

• Mini clothespins

• Faux fall leaves

• Raffia or yarn

• Twine

• Pipe cleaners

• Fall ribbon

• Burlap ribbon

• Paper plates

• Glass or plastic jars

• Battery-operated tea lights

• White mop heads

• Foam balls

• Black felt

• Scissors

• Hole punch

• Floral wire or zip ties

• Round splatter screen

You do not need to purchase every item at once. Choose two or three projects that share supplies to stretch your craft budget further.

A Little Fall Fun Goes a Long Way 🍁

The best crafts aren’t always the fanciest or most expensive. They’re the ones made around the kitchen table while everyone is talking, laughing and sneaking pieces of candy corn.

Pick a project, turn on a cozy fall movie and let everyone add their own personality. Crooked smiles, mismatched eyes and extra-big bows only make the finished creations more special.

When you’re finished, decorate the house, surprise a neighbor or give your creation to someone who could use a little seasonal cheer.

Happy crafting, honey! May your glue dry quickly, your glitter stay mostly on the table and your home be filled with handmade fall magic. 🍂✂️🎃🐝