Craft Supplies

I am just wondering where you all get your craft supplies! Currently, I mostly pick up my stuff from the dollar store, or walmart if there is clearance. I have looked into OT but the shipping time is outrageous, so I mostly just take an idea and create my own version of it.

I remember when I assisted another homedaycare provider back in the day, she used to order from local craft bulk supplies, and often get discounts because she was a returning customer. But I cant seem to find anything along those lines here.

Where do you all get your supplies from?

What is OT?

I have the most ridiculous amount of crafts supplies lol but I pretty much always have everything in to throw any kind of craft together at a moments notice.

I go to Michaels for specialty items with the printable 40% off coupon from their website. If I need more than one item I download multiple coupons and put them through separate transactions but you have to pay with a different payment method each time so that's something to bear in mind.....so really 3 max...cash, debit and credit card.

I buy my paint and glue through amazon.com and have it shipped to US address. I only live about 20-25 minutes from the border. I have tried so many brands of washable paint and still can't find a product that comes close to beating out crayola washable paint. You can buy it in gallons in the States and it doesn't cost much more than a small 200ml bottle over here, and its not easy to get your hands on here. Some Walmarts carry it, some don't and its usually limited. Staples are the same way too. Elmers glue is also cheap. The saving is huge so its worth doing and US address is super cheap compared to UPS for a us address to have them mailed to.

I will also buy products from a company called "littlecraftybug " in the UK. I am careful when ordering to research if the item is cheaper here. I tend to order through this place because a lot of what they have is not available here and if so is cheaper even with shipping. I also have some friends who order at the same time and we can split the shipping so it only costs a couple of dollars each versus $10 or $15. If you subscribe to their newsletter they send regular deals and craft ideas to you. Even if I don't purchase frequently I get lots of good ideas from them.

Dollarstore, Wallmart occasionally too

If it's just for daily art than I get supplies from dollar stores, yard sales and clearance items at Target, Walmart and Micheals. I stock up on markers, crayons, glue whenever they go on sale. Usually Target in the States has the best clearance/sale prices at the end of summer. I have had a fair bit donated to me as well from friends and families.

If it's for a gift or the odd craft than I get items at Walmart, Micheals or whatever store carries what I need.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

What is OT?

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Oriental Trading

Scholar's choice.

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Originally Posted by Samantha33

Scholar's choice.

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I love scholars choice but the pricing is outrageous. I get their catalogue and then once my wishlist is made up I go on amazon.com. I got the Melissa and Doug fruit stand they had listed for 180 for 60 us plus tax

I'm just starting out, so I get most of my supplies from Dollarama. There's also a store in Ottawa that's good called All About Kids, I don't like their website, but they have a great warehouse.

Scholar's Choice is the best for paint. I love the tempura paint because it has vibrant colours and washes off easily from hands and clothes. The fingerpaint is also waaaaaaaay better than Crayola or other brands.

I also find the construction paper to be a great deal and the colours are nice and vibrant instead of washed out like you would get at other places.

DollarTree and Dollarama have great stuff like stickers, seasonal stuff

I try to go to Michaels for Tacky glue. The Alene Tacky glue tends to hold foam and pom poms way better. I totally stopped using white school glue.

Oh I will have to check out this tacky glue. The white school glue is great for little things but like you said, it doesn't hold foam or pom poms.

I buy stickers from the dollar stores too but I find the dollarama ones are horrible for coming off the pages nice. The kids have a hard time with them so I have to peel them off and even I have a tough time sometimes! lol

I agree 5LM the stickers from dollar store come off the page by the next morning.I will check out the Tacky glue as well. I like using pom poms but they don't stay on with regular school.

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

Oh I will have to check out this tacky glue. The white school glue is great for little things but like you said, it doesn't hold foam or pom poms.

I buy stickers from the dollar stores too but I find the dollarama ones are horrible for coming off the pages nice. The kids have a hard time with them so I have to peel them off and even I have a tough time sometimes! lol

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If you print off a 50% off one item coupon from the Michael's website then the bottle of tacky glue is about $1.25 which is perfect.

I had a lot of kids hold up crafts to show their parents at the end of the day and then end in tears because stuff would start falling off. I switched and now use Tacky glue for all crafts.

Samantha...I actually meant the stickers don't come off the page they come on but YES, you are right!! They fall off the page! I actually thought it was just because by the time the child has put it on the paper it has been handled so much that the stickiness has rubbed off lol but I think you are right!

I have found the foam stickers from the dollar store to be horrible too. They either don't stick or don't have any sticky on the back.