What's your favorite unconventional "supply" stores

[raquelita_uno]

I had to run to Menards today to get stuff for a boat we're revamping. I LOVE home improvement stores! I could drop SOOO much money in that place on "supplies" for my craft room.

*Rolls of thin and GORGEOUS wood veneers that would look lovely run through my die cutter. I could even stain it with reinkers! Ohhhh, and they have veneer tape that is an inch or so wide. The possibilities!

*Foil aluminum duct tape. It's shiny, malleable, and adhesive. My embossing folders are calling.

*Forget expensive screw head brads, I bought some small screws, and used a side cutter to cut off the heads. Some dazzling diamonds adhesive and they looked great!

*Unfinished multipane wooden windows. Hello inexpensive wall decor!

Home improvement stores are AWESOME! I need to go without my husband sometime so I can peruse the aisles and think of ways to repurpose everything.

[SophieLaFontaine]

I don't have a side cutter - don't even know what that is!! But often I have wished for the screw brads to be thinner - to be more mail-friendly. I've also often wished that veneers (like for countertops or tabletops) would come in fun patterns or designs (like patterned paper!) instead of just boring wood patterns.

I can't think of any other unconventional stores, but also in the home improvement stores, I also like looking at their wallpaper and wallpaper borders and wondering how those designs would look on cards. And their brown (kraft-coloured?) paper, that comes in huge rolls that painters use to cover the floor... and string. I guess the paper and string would come in more handy for Christmas wrapping (another love of mine) more than for cards. And blue painters tape for masking - just stamp on the back and cut around it - it peels off paper soooo easily.

[lutheran]

My favorite is Container Store. They have an awesome selection of jars, glass ware, boxes, jumbo paper clips and other fun stuff to use in stamping. I used to live close to a Lowe's and got great tiles for magnets.
Mary Beth

[raquelita_uno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SophieLaFontaine

I don't have a side cutter - don't even know what that is!! Maybe it's officially called something else, but it's a pliers with cutting edges instead of gripping edges. Unlike a wire cutter, a side cutter lets you get right under the head of the screw so it's flatter. I pick screws that have a flat head (not one that tapers to the shank of the screw).

And blue painters tape for masking - just stamp on the back and cut around it - it peels off paper soooo easily.

This is genius! So much better than a post-it note since the whole thing would be sticky.

[Louisa May]

I like papermart.com and sciplus.com [American science and surplus].

[basketostamps]

True Value--local hardware store. Lots of things in there can be used in rubber stamping and crafting!

[lylacfey]

My second favorite stamping topic next to frugality. I love unconventional stores to find new crafting treasures.

My favorites-

Harbor Freight
Dollar Tree
Sally Beauty Supply

Office Supply Stores

My DH's work ! He is in construction. His boss and the contractors are always giving me new items to craft with.

[debwinters]

My Hubby is a carpenter and he gets so mad at me when I go in his workshop and take things HA HA But is amazed at what it becomes!!!!

[angelladcrockett]

I love the Target $1 Spot or the Dollar Tree to pick up cheapie frames or items to "upcycle" or turn into gifts!

[mouseyr61]

Harbor Freight has great and inexpensive storage containers and tools, I found a metal stamping alphabet set for $6 and a 12 piece hand file set for $5. I found perfect storage for yarn samples, brads, eyelets you name it. At Walmart, Meijer or other stores look at camping, fishing other non craft sections for storage containers.

[lindsaymay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louisa May

I like papermart.com and sciplus.com [American science and surplus].

enabler! I just went to paper mart, oh my, cheap rhinestones, glitter, cloth bags....oh no! TFS

[texasgal1939]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SophieLaFontaine

I don't have a side cutter - don't even know what that is!! But often I have wished for the screw brads to be thinner - to be more mail-friendly. I've also often wished that veneers (like for countertops or tabletops) would come in fun patterns or designs (like patterned paper!) instead of just boring wood patterns.

I can't think of any other unconventional stores, but also in the home improvement stores, I also like looking at their wallpaper and wallpaper borders and wondering how those designs would look on cards. And their brown (kraft-coloured?) paper, that comes in huge rolls that painters use to cover the floor... and string. I guess the paper and string would come in more handy for Christmas wrapping (another love of mine) more than for cards. And blue painters tape for masking - just stamp on the back and cut around it - it peels off paper soooo easily.

I did get several wallpaper books from my hardware store and have made some beautiful cards. I use the wallpaper for mostly backgrounds, but also love the beautiful tone on tone for cards. And the book of white paper with all sorts of designs is sooo beautiful. Sure gets your creative juices going.

[TLady]

I agree with you on the Hardware store! I don't have a "side cutter" either, maybe we do!?! I stay away from "the Tools!" BUT, my husband found me some Mason's Line---It's like Bakers' Twine only it's Black & White! The hardware for Stamp cleaner too! (Simple Green). The Art Supply store- for basic art supplies! Instead of buying from a Stamp company & you USUALLY get more! A fabric store or Walmart for Ribbons & lace & other accessories for your cards, from beads to copy paper & sharpie markers. Sometimes, SAMS' has goodies too! I look EVERYWHERE I go!!!!!!!

[pennydouph]

I love to use metal on my projects and I get it at the hardware store. You can get roof sheeting metal in rolls or pre-cut sheets. I can cut it with my tonic scissors and it goes through my Big Shot nicely with a shim.

[jeanne3579]

Subbing

[CardGoddess]

I have bought a surprising amount of supplies from the 99 cent store. They had that shiny duct tape, some great glue dots, and a huge roll of dimentional adhesive tape (they come off in little rectangles which are easily cut for smaller card layers). Big Lots (not sure if everyone has that store around... used to be called Pic N Save) is a really great place for craft stuff. Yard sales and swap meets also have great finds sometimes. Toy stores will sometimes have little craft sections (I got my stepdaughter a cute paper doll making kit that had little paper clips in the shape of hangers and she was nice enough to share some of those lol). Wallpaper swatches make really nice paper for cards. Oh... thrift stores too... it's amazing what you find when you look at things from a crafting perspective

[hookedonstampin]

I found 2 rubber stamps at sally anns' that were such a mess with inks, you could barely make out the image. They stamped like brand new and they cleaned up like a charm with simple green. They were only 99 cents each and I love them.

[quiltmum]

Don't forget the little brass washers and hinges in hardware store as well as porcelain drawer pulls in different sizes which cost you a bomb in a hobby store and aren't as well made...you can also find Weldbond glue which was the 'go to' glue for everything before specialty glues came onto the market .... I usually take longer in there than my hubby

[quiltmum]

fabric stores carry lots of beautiful one of a kind buttons, embroidery cotton hanks which come in every concievable colour, lots of trims and remnants all for good prices, especially if they have a spring or fall seasonal sale

[SophieLaFontaine]

Also at the hardware store, don't forget about the magnetic vent covers, which can be cut with scissors or a paper cutter, and then used to store Nestabilities, or for fridge magnets, etc.

[Maleina]

I just found a fun place to buy little people paper clips - it is JetPens.com. They are not cheap but they sure are cute - little men and little women.

[Phototaker]

We no longer have a Big Lots in our town, but I did get tons of stuff from there years ago, including decorative paper. Now I go to liquidator stores in other towns and can find a lot of things there. Remember the tape that had square holes? I bought what I think was called Hardware Tape (used for patching walls I think). It has adhesive on the back and can be colored with ink. Also found plastic gloves very cheap at places like Harbor Freight. And yes, I too found the metal stamps at Harbor Freight to mark my initials on my stamps when I stamp with friends. Thanks for the idea of using the painter's tape. I think the green comes off even better than the blue. Will try it and see. You can also buy doilies cheaply at the dollar stores. Envelopes from Office Max. Bic Mark It permanent markers from Walmart. A good substitute for Copics and not as expensive. My hubby made a press for me to use with the older large punches. Scrap metal and a piece of wood. Cork from Fleet Farm comes in a roll. Thin and stamps show up beautifully on it for a masculine card. Side cutters are available at hardware stores and not expensive. You can cut the backs off of buttons with it, which is why I bought it. Fish line for cards with fish on. Available at lots of places. Big spool for a little money. Also got round containers that screw together for eyelets, etc. at Fleet Farm--maybe in the fishing department? LOVE going to men's malls with hubby now that I can shop for MY stuff there!

[lbarnes]

Harbor freight is one of my favorites ! : )

[eboyd]

Have to say Lowes since that's all we have here but Walmart. Duct tape,called Duck tape in beautiful colors, magnetic sheets, metal flashing etc. Love to go and just look.

[craftydscreations]

We have a hardware store called Mac's that I just love going to for washers of all kinds. They have some really thin ones plus some with sprockets that are really awesome plus I've gotten some screen there too. The other day I bought screws and nuts to make jewelry with too. Can't wait to have time to play.

[eboyd]

I got Plumber's Gaskets for shims at mine the other day. Lot less expensive than some others.

[creatingisfun]

papermart as well

[binx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louisa May

I like papermart.com and sciplus.com [American science and surplus].

intriguing. What do you get @ the science store? Do enable!

[TLady]

I AGREE with binx!!!!! DO TELL?????

[Louisa May]

Quote:

Originally Posted by binx

intriguing. What do you get @ the science store? Do enable!

Check out their hobby section, hardware and school supplies. I've ordered too much from them to list here! That box of different sized springs in hardware is great for altered projects. In hobby and crafts there are inexpensive dental tools I use on complicated die cuts.

Lindsaymay: Check back often, they have new and different merchandise coming in frequently. It is addictive!

[TLady]

THANK YOU Louisa May!!!!!!!!! Sounds like a Treasure Trove of goodies!!!!!!!!

[binx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louisa May

Check out their hobby section, hardware and school supplies. I've ordered too much from them to list here! That box of different sized springs in hardware is great for altered projects. In hobby and crafts there are inexpensive dental tools I use on complicated die cuts.

Lindsaymay: Check back often, they have new and different merchandise coming in frequently. It is addictive!

Thx. I'll check it out; always enjoy a new place to shop.

[lylacfey]

O'reilly's
Auto Zone
Pep Boys

[toodme]

Louisa May,

You are such an enabler. I read this thread last week and wound up placing an order with American sci and surplus. It arrived yesterday. Everthing was as promised. Here is some of what I bought:

-spill proof paint cups ( I plan to use when I mix my own colors/shades of paints). 10 for $4.50- I wish I had purchased more.
-some drawstring top nylon bags. I travel frequently and like to have my little gadgets compartmentalized in my carry on bags. I had been checking these out in places like the container store and Tuesday morning and they were $8-10 each. I think I got 3 for $1.50 at American sci and surplus
-3000 post it flags for $1.50. I recently purchased a bundle of older somerset magazines at a yard sale and I use the flags to mark ideas and projects I want to return to.
-cake stamps. I plan to use these to stamp into modeling paste in my journal pages. 75 cents for 5 or 6.
-Fabric dyes in assorted colors- 5 for $3
- a bag of large bottle droppers. ( Think tops of Ranger ink refills) These were actually larger than I was expecting. There are about 8-10 in the bag for $2.50

They have a lot of other fun stuff on the site.

[Louisa May]

I know! You have to be very careful looking at that site. I've spent a lot of money there! On their home page they show new things that came off the truck that day or the day before. It seems like they post new things almost daily, although these days I don't allow myself to look more than monthly. Often you have to grab what you want because some things they carry infrequently --or only once.

[Phantom]

Fabulous ideas ~ I can't wait to check out some of these at Menards, etc.

You all would LOVE this ... this week or next I'm going to visit a TrueValue hardware store in a small town, that actually has a great Stamp section!! No kidding - I get their email and she makes samples, and orders the latest and greatest products. I'll have to take some photos... talk about the best of both worlds .

(In case anyone visiting this thread lives in western Michigan, here's the link:

Haveman Hardware Inc. > Home )

[Phantom]

Okay, the American Science & Surplus site is incredible!! Dental tools! Who doesn't need dental tools now and then?!? :mrgreen:

thanks for sharing the site with us!

[StampinMeCrazy]

I like to go to Lowe's or the Depot for paint chips that I run through my diecutter ... all FREE! Also, I have used their gasket material and plexiglass instead of buying expensive cutting pads.

[Tigger68]

I actually bought my Cricut at Menards! They even carry the cartridges every so often. I think I bought a few the day after Thanksgiving last year. I make sure to check their ad every week - what a pleasant surprise when I find them there.

And paint chips! I scout that section of any store that carries paint.

[gobarb26]

I get laminate samples to use on my cards, from Home Depot. Here is an example of what I have done with them...

What's Hoppinin' ? by gobarb26 - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers