Best Shopping for Small stuff online

This won't be a real long post... short, and to the point.  Oh... and maybe a first... NO photos!

AND... at the bottom, the down low on some of our American Craft Stores!

No photos are needed.  I just wanna give you the down low on one of the best online shopping places.  Let me give the DOWN side first.... very slow shipping - we are talking one to three months, very cheap - sometimes so cheap that it breaks!, and it is an import... opps, just lost some readers right there.  But, I am not a strictly American made person.  IF I can get three paintbrushes for less than $2, I am gonna do it.  Have you looked, most of our brushes are made in China anyway.  Enough of that though... I digress.   The UP side...  Free shipping on most everything - I have only purchased free shipping so far, because it takes so long to get here - you get a gift and forgot it was coming.  Ok... where is this place?    aliexpress.com     I have gotten ... nail brushes for my detailed painting on canvas or cermics, rolls of double sided tape for just pennies compared to the scrapbooking world prices, washi tape for .25 a roll, micron pens for just .50 each,...  I go on and look for the most inexpensive items in an area... usually art/craft.  I got a brush pen that leaked... emailed them a photo of the item leaking and they credited my account.  I never got my lace tape... emailed them at the end of the wait period... they re-shipped, free, and it was here and good.  You leave feedback just like on ebay, you pay with credit card, and there is a place to dispute things.  I keep a list of what was ordered, from what company, how many, what paid, when it should be in and keep track of everything.  One Summer, I go 15 little packages of scrapbooking sequins, stickers, tapes, ... and spent less than $6.   So... maybe it is something you might wanna look into.  Again, watch the shipping, look at the details.  Make sure it doesn't show ten and say that you get two... watch the details!   So... thoughts?

Another great place to shop.... we were on vacation last week and driving home through Austin I saw a statue of some comical painter dude and wanted a photo.  Hubby, being the greatness that he is, turned around and went back!  It was Jerry's Artarama!  I had shopped with them online, but never eve knew there was a storefront!  We went in and an hour later, we came out.  I got 20 panel canvas for $21.  They happened to be having a 30% off one item to VIP members.... I am now a VIP member, it is like a club card and totally free.  They do not run the 30% sale often, this was such a God thing!  You also get 10% off anything in the store that is not on sale, and that is anytime!  Get this... they also will give you the online discounted item price if you will just pull it up on your phone.  I got the Faber-Castell Polychromo Pencils with the 30% off coupon!  ok.... I lied, a couple of pictures!!!   http://www.jerrysartarama.com/?gclid=CKPdtNaA7s0CFVE0aQodi_QEiA   and No, they do not sponsor me, I just really like them.  Would be fun if they did sponsor, I would be loving that!

I also wanna plug my ladies group on facebook.  It is all ladies, and we use our pencils, pens, and such to color in our coloring books, Bibles and journals.  Tons of fun, and yes... ALL ladies!  You can find us at     https://www.facebook.com/groups/1655458821385078/

Last plug is for my new video channel on youtube..... having a lot of fun teaching about color blending with pencils and gel pens!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAmOEaOqYyrarqJi8YgfY1Q

Craft stores in the US... this is true for the stores in my area at the time of this publishing....
You can use a coupon from Hobby Lobby and JoAnns at Micheals (there are limits to the percent off ones).  You can use a coupon from Hobby Lobby and Michaels at JoAnns. You can NOT use a coupon from Michaels and JoAnns at Hobby Lobby.  Michaels and JoAnns give teacher discounts, just have some sort of ID ready to get it.... Michaels is each and every time, JoAnns will issue you a card.  Tuesday Morning got the old contract that Big Lots used to have.  Remember when Big Lots had a scrapbooking area?  Yep, that contract.  So, Tuesday Morning gets all the old clearance from some of our major craft stores now!!!

Ok... that's all I have for now!

How about those stacked plates that are used at parties for cookies, cup cakes, and cake balls!  They are so pretty and make up of the old plates that are out there.  First set of pictures are the supplies.

These old plates are not just for mosaic projects!!  The plates cost me around $8 for all of them.  I got the candle stick holders at my local Dollar Tree, can I say that I really love that place!  Lastly, there is a round bowl with a curvy top that I picked up at another flee market for $1.

This glue is found at your local craft store, WalMart, and at some hardware stores.  It is great for Glass and many other surfaces, and it dries clear!!

I use the most inexpensive rubbing alcohol that I can find and some paper towels to take stickers and tags off all the glassware.  Works great!! 

In the two pictures above, I want you to try and see where I put the glue on around top of the candle holder and the base of the bowl.  It doesn't have to be perfect, but it is a good idea to not let it drip down the sides and make a mess of your project.  After it is dry, this glue is there!

Glue all the holders to the bottom of each plate. Be SURE that you leave it set on a very level surface to dry.  Take a look at the next picture.  Do you see it...

See that shiny are to the left of the candle holder?  That is where the holder slid over because my table wasn't level.  Oh my, just grabbed it and slid it back over and put on a level surface.  It has that little shine on it now, but it is on the bottom, so I am not worried about it.

Here are all the plates drying.  Walk away.  Let me clarify this...WALK AWAY!!!!  It is so tempting to go ahead and put glue on the other ends of the candle holders and set them all together, DON'T!!!  You are just asking for something to slide or break!  Also, double check to make sure that your pieces are centered.  You can measure and mark with a dot before gluing, it is on the bottom and won't show.

We are almost finished.  This is a side view, and just make sure you are level.  Then look at it from the top down and make sure it looks like it is all centered.

Notice in the picture above, the bottom large plater plate is not even showing.  I think that is because of the distance between the bottom two plates.  And now, in the photo below is our finished project!

This is my first one, and I really like the way that it turned out.  I am now looking at Thrift Stores and Flee Markets for more plates that coordinate with each other to make some for gifts or to sell.  I want to do one in roses for my bedroom or powder room.  I will tell you that it is much easier to purchase all your plates at one time, they are much easier to match and not have to guess at the coloring.  I paid $1 for the smallest plate, and $2 for the larger platter plate, and then went ahead and paid $6 for the medium one just to know that it matched.  You have to decide if it is worth the extra or if you want to tote around glassware for the next few weeks.  

Well, that is all I have for you this week.  As it starts warming up outside, be sure to grab a friend and do some flee market shopping.  Be sure to take a lot of cash with you, as it is very addicting!!!  See you back here later, and please post under comments the deals that you are finding and what you are making!!!!