Five dollar stores finds for summer

Today I went to the dollar store to get another suet cake for my backyard bird friends. While there, a few other things beckoned to me from hooks and shelves. Among them was a package of freezer pops which are a favorite summertime treat of kids everywhere. You get 16 small freezer pops for a buck. Another was a metal wind chime. I liked the butterfly but they come in other shapes, as well.

Here's a cool idea, literally. It's an ice cube tray with a cover on it to help prevent your ice cubes from shrinkage until you're ready to use them. Why didn't somebody think of this before?

I thought this set of four miniature salt and pepper shakers would be perfect for picnic season. They're plastic with a rubber cork that's as wide as the base so they're easy to clean and fill. They come in a variety of colors, too.

I rarely buy jewelry at the dollar store, but liked these wooden bead bracelets. You get two different bracelets for $1 and they are, in my opinion, really nice looking pieces. Hey, for a buck, how can you go wrong?

Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and dollar store diva. She writes about free decorating tips and ideas using only items from the dollar store.