Dollar Store Crafting Items (Part One)

My husband always teases me that I alone keep the dollar store in business. I buy a lot of my supplies from Dollar Tree and Dollarama, however; my main dollar store is Dollar Tree.

In this post, I am going to include my favorite dollar store items, what I use them for, and which store they were purchased at. I labeled this as Part One because as I try out other items and discover new ideas, I will continue to share them. I have organized them into General Supplies and Cricut Specific items.

General Supplies

1. Modge Podge (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

This is a crafting staple. It can be used as an adhesive for various surfaces and sealer for a finished project. I keep a few on hand at all times for various crafts. Mainly, I use them to seal acrylic paint on canvases.

2. Paint Brush Holder (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

I saw this recommended online to use for your makeup brushes, but I thought it would be perfect for my Cricut pens, permanent markers, pencils, embossing tools, etc. It's honestly such a great purchase, it doesn't take up a lot of space on my work desk and holds so many tools.

3. Craft Funnels (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

These little funnels are perfect for glitter work, they are tiny about 2cm tall. The pack comes with two of them. I use them for filling my glitter containers and for my glittered Christmas ornaments.

4. Ribbon (Bought from Dollar Tree and Dollarama - $1.25 to $1.50CAD each)

Dollar stores always have great ribbon prints. Also, they do bring in seasonal styles such as the Christmas ones you see pictured. Right now, I am using my ribbon for embroidery crafts and Christmas ornaments. Tip: At Dollar Tree, always be sure to check for more types of ribbon in their Florals section.

5. Miniature Paint Rollers Kit (Dollarama - $4.00CAD)

This mini-paint roller kit is perfect for painting wood and canvases. I like to use these rollers to add a smooth top coat of paint to my projects. The tray is small and narrow and can be easily stored in a bin. Tip: At Dollarama, you can also purchase large sets of foam brushes and painters quality paint brush sets. They can be found in the Hardware/Tools section.

6. Canvases (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD each)

Anytime I need a canvas for a craft, Dollar Tree is always my first stop. They do not sell large canvases, but for anything smaller than an 8"x8" canvas, they are the place to go. They have regular Artists' canvases, aka stretched canvases, but they also sell flat canvases and mini easels. I am going to be using this stretched canvas to make a Christmas craft using my son's footprints (will share this craft later in December).

7. Glitters (Left: Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD each / Right: Dollarama - $1.50CAD each)

For those who use glitter, you know it's dang expensive! When it comes to glitter, I have to say that Dollarama is my top choice. The size of glitter tube you get for $1.50 is amazing, my only complaint is that in my experience sometimes the selection (based on my local store) can be very limited. But, as you can see the two shakers that I have from Dollarama are 80g for $1.50CAD compared to the Dollar Tree which is 15g for $1.25CAD. That is seriously 5X more glitter for an extra $0.25. But, if they don't have the color you are looking for and Dollar Tree does, the Crafter's Square glitter is still cheaper than Michaels.

8. Small Crafting Storage Containers (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD for a package of 6)

These little snap lid containers are perfect for storing any of your small crafting supplies such as glitter or beads. They come in a package of six. I use mine to house some of my glitters. Not all glitters come in containers but little plastic baggies, so these little containers are perfect for storing those types once they are opened.

9. Various Storage Bins and Baskets (Dollar Tree $1.25CAD each / Dollarama $2.00-$4.00 CAD each)

I have bought storage bins/baskets from both Dollar Tree and Dollarama. I will say that Dollar Tree is great for their universal price tag, but when buying storage options for that cheap, you do sacrifice a bit on the quality/sturdiness of your bins and baskets. Dollar Tree does have some great options, but always be sure to think of what you will be using the basket for. Dollarama's options range from roughly $2.00-$4.00CAD and have a wider selection. Tip: Before buying any storage, be sure to measure the dimensions of what you're hoping to put into it and, of course, the space it will be taking up. I got these great clear bins at Dollarama for $4.00 each. They are perfect for my shelf unit and I use them to store my completed projects and painting supplies.

10. Dishware (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD each)

Dollar Tree has a great selection of glasses, mugs, plates, bowls, etc. I like to buy my clear glasses from there for my crafting. They are perfect for glitter or vinyl crafting. These are also great for Cricut crafting. No matter what you're using them for, be sure to prewash them of course! Tip: If you're having trouble removing the price sticker, set the item in hot, soapy water for 20 minutes. After that, the sticker will slide right off.

Cricut Specific

1. Nail Polish Dispenser (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

This dispenser found in the Beauty section at Dollar Tree for rubbing alcohol. It can be filled as needed and is a great no-mess way to keep your rubbing alcohol accessible. I use it to wet my cotton pads to wipe project surfaces clean before applying adhesive vinyl. Be sure to label your alcohol and keep it out of reach of tiny hands.

2. Sauce Bottles (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD for a two-pack)

These are the bottles that I use to fill my tumblers with my water/glycerin mixtures. They are also great for filling snowglobes or any other crafts that require working with viscous materials.

3. Flavor Injector (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

This syringe was a part of a "Flavor Injector" that I found in the kitchen section of Dollar Tree, but I just wanted the larger syringe. It is perfect for my Polycrylic crafting and glitter work. If you are looking for a large syringe, this is perfect and super cheap. Tip: when working with an adhesive or sealer in your syringe, be sure to rinse it out right away and pull the stopper completely out and let dry in two separate pieces. This will prevent your syringe from getting stuck together.

4. Mini Scrapers (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

This four-pack of mini scrapers, found in the tool section, and are perfect for cleaning your Cricut mats when they are no longer sticky. I will share my Cricut mat cleaning routine soon! These are metal, so be sure to take extra care when using them as not to damage your mat.

5. Cotton Pads (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

These cotton pads are perfect for use with your rubbing alcohol to clean your project surfaces. You should always wipe down your surfaces before applying the vinyl to ensure the best result. My cotton pads are stored in a jar that I bought from Dollarama for $3.00CAD. I then labeled it myself with labels purchased from Dollar Tree for $1.25CAD. So altogether for this little container, it was $5.50CAD + tax.

6. Lint Roller (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

These lint rollers are perfecting for clearing vinyl off your work surface and catching your weeded pieces. When I'm weeding, I lay it on the side and use it to catch all my vinyl pieces, it works like a charm! Outside of Cricut crafting, it is always handy for needlework and sewing projects to catch thread pieces and lint.

7. Aluminum Foil (Dollar Tree - $1.25CAD)

Aluminum Foil can be used to keep your Cricut blades sharp. If you're having issues with your blade catching, ball up a piece of foil and stab it with your blade multiple times. This will sharpen your blade and get it back to making pristine cuts.

That's all I have for now! Check back for more dollar store crafting recommendations.

Also, be sure to follow along for Christmas Dollar Store crafts over the next few weeks such as Baby Footprint Mistle-toes and DIY Snowglobes!❄❄

Happy Crafting!