I recently went shopping for home decor at Marshall’s and found myself in a little teeny tiny craft section- that was PACKED full of good stuff! Want to see?
But… do you ever feel guilty after making a craft haul? I mean, yes, they were all good buys- but there were some things (like the mistable feathers, for instance- that I wouldn’t have purchased if they weren’t on sale. And then I stared to worry that I might just put things away and not use them in the foreseeable future.
So I challenged myself to MAKE SOMETHING NOW. Not just tuck it away for “just in case I might want to use it,” but really use it NOW.
Considering that I’m still on the Operation Write Home card-making binge, that’s just what did.
I cracked open that lovely paper stack and made the “Best Friends” cards using the paper stack, gel pens, stamps, Amy Tangerine stickers, Studio Calico feathers, and embossed with the Inkadinkado clear embossing powder. I even finished with a few accents using those gel pens. (On the one in the lower left I even used a few dots of the glow-in-the-dark paint like a pearl pen, but it didn’t show up well.)
For the Cupcake birthday cards, I only used the paper stack, embellished brads, and gel pens. Kind of lame as far as product usage goes, but I really like the cards.
Bottom line? I asked myself what good is a “haul” if you don’t USE it?? And then I did.
GO ME!
Do you buy things, only to tuck them away for something special and then forget about it? Share your story. I just might pick one comment to get a little package of crafty-leftover goodies if you do!
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Kitty says
I am a craft packrat…and my boxes and drawers are packed with wonderful treasures squirreled away to be used at that perfect moment. I recently moved and my brother came all the way from NC to help. As he toted box after box marked “Crafts” and “Craft Paper”, he grumbled “How much paper can one person need?” My ears perked up from a room away and I shouted back –“ALL of it!!!”. That got a laugh out of everyone helping….they may have thought I was kidding but I was totally serious!!!!
Kitty
Fancylooks says
Happy crafting! The cupcake cards are adorable! Congratulations on your great choice of material!!! Those brads are fantastic.
Charlotte Crowder says
Boy am I glad to hear I am not the only one. I have 15 year old material. I was going thorough it all trying to free up drawer space. I ironed it all and organized it. Of course, then it was all neat and pretty and I wanted to use it. so I began a project called ScrHappy Fall. I’ve made pillows and placements and ornaments so far. My next project is to organize all my scrap paper.
Claret says
Oh, how I can relate especially recently when our basement flooded and family members pitched in to help put articles back. However, our biggest joy is when we know of someone starting out in crafting and we release our loved “treasures”. They always ask us “are you sure?” and my daughter and I look at each each and smile because we know how much is still in our nooks and crannies.
Angel Chambers says
I wish we had a Marshalls where I live! I miss it! We do have a TJ Maxx though and they also carry craft stuff. 🙂 Nice HAUL! Looks to me that you got sine great deals!
Victoria H. says
Oh love your haul and the great prices!!!
I used to be a craft junkie — if it was a good prices but an save it for something. Sometimes I didn’t even know what it was and it would get tucked away for later. It might still be tuck away–LOL!
Now I’m better and try only buying what I know I’ll use and have a good idea of what I’m going to use it for and approximately when. This has been working out better but I don’t get that happy rush when I open a drawer and find a crafty wonder I forgotten I had bought!!
Jackie W says
I love finding crafty things at a great price! Great haul!
Redonna says
Oh my goodness, yes, I do that and then end up with stuff that never gets used because by the time I find it again I’m not really that interested in the project anymore!
Dale Rose Stream says
I LOVE craft hauls but do them very infrequently, living in a small town that is 1 hr plus away from Marshall’s, Big Lots, Joann, Hobby Lobby, etc… When I do go to Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Big Lots, etc I GO STRAIGHT to the craft sections after discovering them accidently while Christmas shopping for Wesley. YES, craft hauls are a guilty pleasure, but SAVE, SAVE, SAVE when we buy items we know we can use. Great score on the glow in the dark products just before halloween!
Rhiannon Metzger says
It should be considered a requirement to stash craft hauls to be considered a true crafter/scrapbooker! 🙂
JULI C says
Great haul!!! I love shopping at Marshalls… I’ve been lucky a few times with finding Thickers! 🙂 I do tend to buy crafty stuff on sale, then stash them away for later. But once I find them again, it makes me happy!
Tara F says
Your haul makes me want to go to Marshalls right now but I definitely am a crafty-hoarder. I keep thinking one day I will day X but not sure I will go through all my stash 🙂
Thanks!
Nancy S says
Awesome craft haul,you did great! I love finding great deals on my papercrafting supplies. Another place I love is Tuesday Morning,it is hit and miss but once in awhile they have amazing paper packs from well known companies such as Graphic 45 and Tim Holtz at less then half price.
Thanks for sharing,good to know there are so many people into the same addictions!
Kris says
Wow, can I relate! I do love stumbling on some precious goody I’ve purchased and forgotten. It’s almost like Christmas!!!
Denise Parcells says
I do kind of feel guilty (especially when we have so many things going wrong unexpectedly that keep costing us anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars, ugh) but for the price, I feel like it’s justifiable. Not everything gets used right away but when I first started scrapping, everything I did buy got used at some point. It’s been a while since I could honestly say that, but I have learned to buy mostly things that I will use or that are small enough to not be noticed if I don’t use them for a while. I actually did a swap with a friend and went to put paper away and couldn’t fit one more sheet…so I purged about 4 inches worth of paper including some papers from my Marshall’s The Pier buy that I knew I’d never use. Knowing what some people pay for products just because they need the latest and greatest helps make me feel better about spending half or less than that. I don’t pay full retail for much of anything and that helps curb the guilt A TON!
tiffani says
I am definitely a craft supply junkie! I buy them if I like them and I won’t use them if I don’t have the “perfect” project in mind. When the idea arises, I know exactly what I will use and where it’s stashed. My crafting partner (8-year-old son) now points out supplies and make suggestions for my stash when we’re at stores. He’s also started “shopping” from my stash to create his own set of supplies. It’s super cute and a little scary.
Jengd says
I tend to be a bit of a hoarder but I’m trying to use more and I’ve done 3 decently-sized purges in the past 2yrs. I think you just convinced me that I need to run into Winston-Salem, treat myself to a Krispy Kreme breakfast, do a bit of Trader Joes shopping and maybe just swing by Marshall’s. I mean, they’re all in the same shopping area so it would just be wrong not to, right? 🙂 Oh! And I’m overdue getting the non-curbside recycling over to Whole Foods which is right down the street from those… definitely an errand I need to put on my to-do list! 😉
MaryBeth Isaac says
last week and yesterday I went to Marshall’s (And TJ Maxx) and bought a few of the same things that you did – the washi fabric tages, the mistable feathers, beaded brads and embossing powder. I also found at my local stores, stamps, different paper, including 6×6 pads, studio calico wood embellishments and a TON of thickers. The prices are at least 50% lower than at other retail stores so who can resist? Tuesday Morning is also another great place to score a buy!
Kim P. says
I also buy crafts and forget to use them. A few years later, I remember and decided to use them. Great looking cards and it shows you don’t have to use expensive items to make cards. Thanks for the ideas.
Carla Hundley says
Yes, I’m a craft horder!
I buy things with an idea
of how I want to use it,
but then I don’t get around
to it! Oh well, it’s still
pretty sitting there.
Carla from Utah
Rebecca Ednie says
I forget stuff I’ve bought all the time! But, I do have the advantage of being able to find great ‘new’ things in my own stash while I’m looking for something else or even just browsing to see what I want to create with next!
Patti S. says
You got some really nice things. II buy craft stuff all the time. It is nice knowing I have a little stash. I just started to scrapbook and make cards, and sometimes, I really think I am addicted to buying craft supplies. Oh well, I guess it isn’t as bad as some things could be. Love your videos and ideas!
Kathy says
I love to scrapbook and make cards so I’m always on the lookout for bargain bins and great places to shop for bargains. Big Lots used to have an aisle that I could not resist. I used some of the items but still have a large supply left. One of our local scrapbooking stores has sales where you can take you leftover products, sell them and buy brand new products from them. It’s a great way to recycle. We had our carpeting replaced and when I had to unload my craft room into another space I was shocked by all the supplies I have. Needless to say it might be time for me to recycle some of my treasured must haves.
Erin says
I DO! I FEEL GUILTY!!!
I am glad you brought this up, we ALL DO THIS! I totaly buy sooo much of: Wow that’s cool, Oh isn’t that cute, and Boy is that stuff pretty! I have visions dancing in my head of the great things it will become…. but that may take 15 years or so to get those peices to come to life. BUT I DON’T CARE 🙂 ! I love lots of stuff, I love OPTIONS, we need LOTS of things for INSPERATION. There really is no time in my life I have said “ok I will go to the store and get exactly this list of things and make specifically this peice of art.
THANK YOU for bringing this issue to light, for you have brought me peace, I feel less guilt after thinking this over, I hope others read this post and realize that this is how we are supposed to be, this is how it is done. I LOVE MY CRAFTY STUFF! Like I said those that call us hoarders or pack rats are not artists/crafters because they have ZERO cool, cute and pretty stuff to make anything with. So next time someone starts calling names call them on it, ask them, “well how do you keep art and craft supplies?” When they say that they have none that they are not a artist or a crafter, they may get it right there, but some need more help understanding, would they advise a Rocket Scientist on building rockets? NO, not unless they were a Rocket Scientist! So don’t listen to non artists/crafters, they have no idea what they are talking about!
Don’t feel bad! This IS how we are SUPPOSED to be!
Thanks so much,
I love CTD! Another place for getting inspiring ideas!
Erin
Gourdgeousgourdsstudio
Erin says
Ps… I also love the rediscovery of craft supplies I may have forgoten about, noticed many have pointed this out in their responses.
Thanks again!
Erin
Gourdgeousgourdsstudio
Alice C. says
Packing away is my forte. I have plastic shoe boxes stuffed with after-Christmas craft clearance items that I plan to utilize during the next year, only to be distracted by new Valentine/Easter/summer crafting projects. It’s great fun to *find* the crafty stash and have new stuff to add to it, as the years roll by and the plastic boxes stack up like promises of future joy.
(Btw,TJ Maxx is another great place to find oddball hauls of paper-crafting goodies. All to be stashed away, of course.)
Nadine S. says
I have enough scrapbooking supplies to open my own craft store !!! I can’t resist a good sale.I must admit I do more shopping for supplies than crafting. I think I’m a craft collector !!! LOL
marie sierra says
ya did good! love the cards and how you used so much from your Marshall’s haul! off and running to find the nearest Marshalls..who knew they had anything crafty-related!!
marie
Kim T says
Great haul! Who knew … Marshalls!!! Thanks for sharing,
miriam says
i’m finally realizing that the vast majority of my endless mess is reading materials and craft supplies. im also starting to accept my total inability to resist buying new crafty goodies, even when im utterly penniless & lacking justification