There’s a question that I’m sure all craft bloggers have
been asked.
Maybe once or twice,
maybe countless times.
A question that we, as readers
of craft blogs may well have asked, too!
"Where did you get your supplies?"
If I had a pound for every time someone asked me that
question (in its various shapes and forms) I’d...have spent it on craft
materials!
But where? you might
ask.
In answer, here are my
Top Ten crafting supply sources!
(Note: This is NOT a sponsored post)
Admittedly, I’ve only
been here twice. The first time I bought feathers, the second time I bought
some little charms (supposedly for card-making/scrapbooking; I used them in
sewing and jewellery projects). If you have one of these vast shops near you,
they do sell products for pretty much every craft and hobby (hence the name!)
If I could get to my nearest branch more easily, I’d be a lot poorer!
A short walk from
Brighton station, this is a great place for jewellery-making staples, as they
sell selected beads in bulk. I’ve found this a great place for buying plainer
beads. They also sell fymo!
Home of spray paint,
frames and faux flowers. :)
Good for painting and
card-making supplies! I haven’t been for a while since my most accessible
branch was closed down. Boooo. They also sell books, gift wrap and random other
bits and pieces, all for wonderfully discounted prices.
6. Family members
In my case, the
source of ribbons from chocolate boxes, old buttons and broken jewellery!
5. Charity shops
Now, charity shops
appear to be selling
less actual
craft items (though branches of Cancer Research seem to sell more than others)
but charity shops are good places to
pick up fabrics (in the form of scarves, sheets, curtains etc), beads
(jewellery) and various pieces that only need looking at in a different light
to become a fabulous craft!
(Check out my post on
charity shopping for some tips!)
This is my sewing
mecca! What you find here depends on the season, but the prices are always very
competitive and you’ll find a huge variety of haberdashery alongside the
fabrics. Though they have a website, it’s definitely worth taking a stroll
around one of their shops if there are any in your area.
Beyond the jute
string, PVA glue, paper (including specialist printer papers!) and card-making
supplies there are plenty of things that can be bought for alternative
uses--that pool noodle can be chopped up to make a wreath form, pillowcases
become bags/shirts/skirts...
Usually I leave the
99p Store and Poundland with less money and more projects in mind than I went
in with!
2. Big Bead Boutique, Brighton
I fell
in love with this shop the
very first time I went in!
This is an awesome place
for jewellery-making supplies. Here you’ll find lots of interesting beads,
charms, findings in variety of colours (not just plain old gold or silver!) and
premade jewellery, among other things.
The owner really has her finger on the pulse with what is trendy, whether it’s
amongst fashionistas or the alternative crowd. The shop also hosts workshops for all ages, birthday parties and hen parties.
And now, my #1 source for crafting supplies?
(drumroll)
Seriously. It lacks
the excitement of nosing through shelves, but if you’re after something,
chances are eBay will have it. You’ll probably also find lots of other cool
things in the process! Even though buying from eBay might mean having to pay postage, that postage is cheaper than a bus fare into my nearest town to search for what I'm after! With eBay, I can avoid the cost and stress of shopping in a real shop and have far more choices than I might have on the high street.
So there we go, my crafting supply list! Hope this is useful
to some people--a lot of the local shops have web shops too, if you’re not in
the area!
I’m a total cheapskate at heart and dislike spending a lot
of money if I can spend less, or make something for less than it would cost to
buy similar!
Once again, this is NOT a sponsored post. I want to tell you about shops and products I truly love :)
