What are your favorite frugal crafts?

Question

Money is really tight in my family, as I imagine it is in many families. I really don't want to give up arts and crafts time, but I'm finding it harder to buy supplies for some of the crafts I enjoy. Does anyone have suggestions for crafts that use supplies found in most homes? Any tips on how you continue to craft when your wallet is feeling pinched?

Answer 1

We use boxes out of the recycle bin to create buildings/things. My son made a planetarium, my daughter wanted me to make her a "camera" out of a small Nerds box.

It just takes a sharpie, and imagination.  I cut the door open on the planetarium for my son. He thought it was the greatest thing.. You'd think I'd invented sliced bread, by his reaction.

For the camera, just drew something that looked like a lens on one side, and a viewfinder on the other with stick figures that were smiling.  I taped the box together, and made a clicker out of the tape.  Again, they went nuts..

Have fun.

Answer 2

You can broaden your imagination by making a recycle crafts though you have a money problem for now if time comes that you need to buy a set of high quality art brushes, try to browse this site, they have the best supplies of art brushes and other art supply at reasonable prices.

Answer 3

I like to recycle things and create trash to treasure type items. My latest is using the Crystal Light canisters and decorating them with lovely paper and ric rac. You can also add some embellishments to them. I think they would make great little Christmas gift canisters to put goodies in.

Answer 4

One of my favorites is making beads out of scrap paper and junk mail. Here's an example of someone who made a business out of doing it.

http://www.junkmailgems.com/beads.html

Here are links to videos on how to make beads from old magazines, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...

Hope you enjoy!