Finding bargain craft tools

Have you ever compared the price of a women’s disposable razor to the price of the same thing sold for men? Or been part of planning a wedding? If so you are aware that prices can vary widely based on who is buying the product. The rule of thumb is that the larger the market, the smaller the price.

When we apply that principle to craft tools we can find some bargains.

In the kitchen section

• Baking mats – Thick silicone mats, sometimes called silicone pastry mats, are similar to “water media mats”. My favorite is this one https://amzn.to/3nDdM0r
• Muffin tins – Handy for sorting small items, especially six-cup or mini-muffin tins. I like the individual silicone cups like these https://amzn.to/3nDdM0r
• Plate rack – Handy for holding vertical items like scoreboard, stamping tool, palettes, and similar small items that don’t stack neatly. I’m using this one https://amzn.to/3nDdM0r
• Dough scraper – Fabulous for applying paste across a stencil, and with an inexpensive multipack you can actually leave one in the kitchen for dough! https://amzn.to/3nDdM0r
• Lazy Susan (turntable) – So useful for storing items in a hard-to-reach corner, whether that’s inside a cabinet (as intended) or on the corner of your craft desk https://amzn.to/3nDdM0r

In the office section

• White board erasers – Use this instead of a specialty stamp pressure tool (to press on the cover of a stamping tool). I got a package of cute ones that are magnetic to boot https://amzn.to/42yAHcd
• Magazine holders and paper sorters – These are, after all, the same size as 8 1/2 x 11 craft paper so why not? Cardboard magazine holders are particularly inexpensive. For 12 x 12 paper, you can construct your own magazine holder with almost any corrugated box and some hot glue.
• Glue – When it comes to craft adhesive, the majority of the price is in the dispenser. If you are buying glue tubes or fine-tip bottles, you can save a ton by decanting Elmer’s Extra Strong or Aleene’s Tacky Glue into smaller bottles like these https://amzn.to/42yAHcd

In the makeup section

• Nail polish organizers – Perfect for 1-ounce bottles such as reinkers or drops, or the 1-ounce needle-nose bottles I use for glue.
• Make up brushes and sponges – Instead of craft blending brushes or pouncers, try the mass-marketed makeup versions. The ergonomic blending brushes (palm hold instead of handle) are usually called foundation brushes.