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!

Straw Holder Re-purposed!!!

I have seen the old glass straw holders used for colored pencils and thought...wow! I would love one of those!  You can get the glass ones with Coke Cola on them at different places, but they are not inexpensive.  Then, I got  to thinking about it getting broken if I ever took it to a class with me.  So, as usual, I kept my eyes and mind open to different options.  Low and behold, I found the holders in plastic!!!!  Ok, there are gonna be several pictures with reasons why you should get one of these and not the other.

This is the first one that I got, and took it back!!!  It is from Target for $3.99 plus tax.  But, can you see that there is space around the base of the inside and the outside?  Stuff that you put in the container will get caught in there and you have to pull it all apart to get the loose item out.  Really gets old quick, not much fun!

Next, here is the one from Hobby Lobby, where you can use a coupon!!! and it is also $3.99 plus tax.  This one is snug, no extra wiggle room at all!  I do think that these are a seasonal item, so you better get out to the store pretty soon or they will all be gone.  

Now, there is one other place that I found the plastic straw holder.  I was so blown away by the price that I really can't tell you if it was snug or not.  JoAnn's Fabrics has one in stock for $14.99  lol.  Needless to say that I didn't get that one!!!  Even with a coupon...not gonna happen!!!

Want to see some more pictures of how this works??  Well, you know I am gonna show you anyway.

This is holding 65 of the Prisma brand colored pencils.  Now Sarah, when you read this...I didn't leave them in there, just used it for the photo.  They are back in your room in the case that you keep them in.  But if you want one of these holder you need to let me know ASAP so I can get you one.  For those of you that don't know me, Sarah is my 23 year old daughter that is teaching English in South Korea for a year.  She is very artistic and very inspirational!!!

Can you see how snug the base of the container is?  There in no room for anything to slip through.  I am going to show you a series of pictures that really show you how it works.

I really like how there is no lip at the top of the container for stuff to catch on!  Ok, so I really love, Love, LOVE this little container!!!  So, here is the question...How many of you are now looking for an opportunity to go purchase one of these and what are you gonna use it for??  Please post a comment and let me know!  See ya back here in a couple of weeks.