Money can't buy happiness. But it can buy some sweet tech modifications that will put a smile on your face each time you reach for your laptop or headphones, even if all you have is a buck. Each of these crafty customizable projects can be completed for just one dollar.
So grab a buck, head to the dollar store and put one of these four materials on your shopping list:
1. Contact Paper: This DIY wood-grain laptop skin from Fine & Feathered is crafted from contact paper found at the dollar store.
2. Ironing Beads: Using a $1 bag full of colorful and crafty ironing beads, user xMeerjam shared her unqique headphones on Cut Out + Keep.
3. DIY Macro Lens: Wish you could get close-up macro shots with your phone camera or point-and-shoot? Try this accessory mod from Make Projects using one lens from a $1 pair of reading glasses.
4. Headphone Accessory: Keep headphones from tangling (or getting mixed up in a sea of white Apple earbuds) by wrapping them in inexpensive embroidery floss, like we spotted on Pinterest.
(Images: as credited above)
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• DIY Kitchen Art from the Dollar Store
• Dollar Store Decor: Plastic Animal Bookends
• Create an Apothecary Jar for $2
• Repurpose Wine Corks Into Drawer Pulls
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i skinned the front of my brother in law's xbox360 with woodgrain contact paper for the heck of it when he wasn't looking. It is still on there and looking good years later.
To counteract all the people who love to comment about the types of articles that SHOULDN'T be on Apartment Therapy, I want to give you a major thumbs up for this one! This is the best kind of article- how to do cool things very cheaply. Very awesome!
Totally agree with wonkyone15. I am all about cheap crafts. Thanks for this.
The 99 cent store is fantastic for cheap DIY ideas and upgrades. It's amazing what can inspire you to create!
the laptop looks amazing!The other projects are great ideas as well.
I use the crispy skin of a turkey to wrap my hp desktop
I'm absolutely doing the bead thing for my niece's earbuds.
@shopman, Thanks a bunch. Hadn't had a really good chuckle all day. I need to get off the www now while I'm still smiling.
lol shopman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can also hold a magnifying glass in front of your camera as a macro lens. Same concept as the reading glasses, but you don't have to take it apart, and they have a handle for easy adjusting. I keep a small one in my camera case.