Be Crafty and Save Money
by Marlene Alexander
I have never seen the point of paying big store prices for something that can be had so readily for a lot less. When it comes to pastimes, be it sketching, painting or scrapbooking, the smart money is on dollar stores for providing many of the basics needed for your favorite hobby.
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If you're into scrap booking, dollar stores have everything you need to complete a project, from paper to plastic protector sheets that fit into a standard 12" by 12" binder.
- Package of six pieces of themed scrapbook paper, $1.00
- Craft envelope for storage, $1.00
- Shape paper punches, $1.00 per package
- Scrapbook scissors, $1.00
- Sheet of 3-D stickers, $1.00
- A multi-purpose pouch for storing smaller items, $1.00
- Package of 12 plastic scrapbook binder sheets, $1.00
You can also get cutting tools, ribbon, varying sizes of stickers, handmade tags and so much more.
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If you like drawing, you can get a good quality sketchpad and a package of 12 sketch pencils for a dollar each. Artist brushes can be bought as singles, which I assume is the best quality, or in sets of 5, 10 or 12 for a dollar per package. The craft paint comes in generously sized bottles of 4 oz. for a dollar each and you can get varying sizes of blank artist's canvas, from packages of 3 4" by 6" to a 9" by 12" for a dollar each.
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This greeting card kit is a cool idea that appeals even to the likes of myself, decidedly craft-impaired, and it only costs a dollar. There are four openings that can be punched out where you then insert pictures, framing the openings with the paper trim provided. Then you embellish the card with the stickers included.
The craft aisle at your local dollar store has yarn, buttons, beads, sewing necessities, craft foam, wooden objects for painting, grapevine wreaths to decorate and so much more. In short, if you're in the mood to create, try the dollar store before heading to a large craft store. You'll surprised at how much money you can save.
Marlene Alexander is a writer living in Ontario, Canada. For more on dollar store shopping, visit her website at dollarstorestyle.com.
Take the Next Step
- Get to your local dollar store and see how much you might be able to save there.
- Explore some more great scrapbooking ideas and bargains at Two Peas in a Bucket
- Scrapbooking for Money - Instead of spending money on your hobbby, make money doing it.
- Scrappin' on a Shoestring - More ways to save on your hobby.
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