Many crafters swear by the Dollar Store for craft items.

For the junk journalist it is a place of low prices and also inspiration.

I’m going to show some of my recent finds from the Dollar Store, and how looking beyond the craft section can lead to some helpful finds.

We all know that if you want a book to up cycle, Dollar stores have lovely hard back books.  If you feel guilty about using a “perfectly good book” to make your new book, know that the books at the Dollar Stores next stop of the garbage bin.  Buying a copy of the second book in a Science Fiction series you have never heard of, that is also in Spanish, is not depleting the world of a masterpiece.

Next, how about the homeschooler/education section?  I found these nice texture making items.  You simply put it under your paper and rub with whatever maker you have on hand.  These work really well if the paper isn’t too thick. Card stock no, but anything less heavy and this works really well.  Also each package has THREE different textures.  So for $3 I have 9 textures to use.

Canvases.  I know my cat art isn’t the Mona Lisa.  Still sometimes I just want to put an image on a canvas instead of just in a book.  Dollar stores are now carrying all sizes of canvases.  I was lucky to find a 6 by 8 stretched canvas.  There are both stretched and flat canvases.  This means I can create some fun art to send people. The nice thing about a tiny stretch canvas is that you don’t have to frame it.  It just looks finished as it is.

Small books.  These small storybooks have illustrations that are vintage looking.  They are so beautiful, and at $1 each you can just cut out the illustrations and use them.  Not all children’s books at the Dollar Store are cartoon type illustrations.

So, venture out of the craft section and see what else can inspire your art.  The best part is that for just $1, it will fit in your budget.

Also a quick update on the wooden trim I’ve been messing about it.  Some of the trim pieces are receiving vintage ribbon edges.  Each piece is unique, as I’m enjoying just trying out EVERYTHING on these wood scraps.