Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Tips for inexpensive making supplies.

Tips for inexpensive making supplies:

-  In early January and July are the big clearances on kits at Hobby Lobby, AC Moore, JoAnn Fabric, Barnes and Noble, Target, Walmart, etc. 

- When you look at a kit, ignore how it's intended to be used and think about how the supplies could be used. 

- We found Wal Mart to have the lowest price on duct tape. They also have the largest selection.

- While at Wal Mart, electrical tape is cheapest in the automotive section and masking tape is cheapest in the hardware section.

- Walk through craft stores such as Hobby Lobby, AC Moore, and JoAnn Fabric checking out the variety of resources. They often have inexpensive starter kits, mostly at $1, as well as free idea flyers.

- Five Below and Ollies sometimes have materials that can be used in making and that aren't that expensive.

- Target's clearance is the best. To find their clearance end caps you need to walk the outer and center isles of the store (not the main isles). Often their clearance reaches 90% off, even their dollar bins. Again, look at how else the item could be used or repurposed. 

- The Dollar Tree is a good resource for foam board, poster board, clothes pins, sandpaper, pool noodles, and lots more. 

- Stick with name brand adhesives such as Duct tape, Elmers and Tacky Glue, Scotch double sided tape, regular Scotch tape, Modge Podge, etc. (Do not use off brands as most do not hold as well and are not as easy to work with.)

- With some materials such as markers, paints, you'll have a better experience if using name brands. Such as choosing Crayola over Rose Art. 

- AC Moore has small bottles of fabric paint for $1 each.  

- Lowes has a large of selection of PVC and connectors. Be sure to pick up a PVC cutting tool as well.

- Both Lowes and Home Depot collect scrap wood that they will give you if you ask for scrap wood. 

- Contact your local appliance delivery companies and ask them for cardboard.

- Sign stores sell sheets of coroplast (a plastic type cardboard) that is fun to work with and durable. 

- Save your parent's Amazon boxes.

- Before you toss an item, consider if it could be used for making or taking apart. 

- Save old T-shirts, especially your favorites. You can use them for T-shirt yarn, wall art, make bags with them, dog toys, and lots more.