Today, I want to lay the foundation for crafting DIY tutorials I'll be doing very soon, and show you what I will use and be referring to in my tutorials!
Creating accessories for decora can be fun, but even if you're spending little money out of your wallet, what you're really spending is your time. If you work all the time just to get by or you have disabilities which make it painful to spend your time up and crafting, you know just how small these windows are.
Using cheaper materials comes with a price-- that they are easily destroyed and you will have to invest more time in making them again and losing parts that may fall off. However, there are a few materials you can get that will ensure that your handmade accessories stick around for life.
1. Mod podge ($7-$9)
Mod podge is a sealer and finisher that, in my opinion, makes everything I've made pretty much indestructible. One thin layer can make it good for life, and especially good when used on glitter paper and acrylic clay. A small bottle will run you about $7-$9 depending on the store, my bottle was price marked at $7.89 from Jo-Ann Craft Store but I bought it for about $4 using coupon codes. Personally, I use a matte finish, as I don't personally feel like all things need to be shiny, but there's a variety of types that will fit for you! (When I use this, I now usually apply with a paint brush, however before I could afford to pay the few dollars for paint brushes, I used my finger! Don't worry about getting it on you, on skin the texture is like glue, it will peel right off!)
(pictured: Mod Podge Matte-Mat bottle)
2. Craft glue ($3-$6)
With just a little glue and applying pressure for a little bit of time, craft glue can really be a heaven sent item not only for plastic and acrylic crafts, but fabrics as well! Can't sew?Just apply pressure for a little longer and wam! You don't even have to be that careful since the stuff dries clear. I call this stuff miracle glue, it'll help especially when the decorations come off on the dollar store hair clips or even if you want to add a pocket or decoration to a piece of clothing! I swear by this certain brand of glue and would definitely recommend it!
(pictured: Elmer's Craft Bond Tacky Glue bottle)
3. Craft store coupon lists (completely free)
Most chain craft stores have email lists which not only tell you about new fabrics and sales that they are running, but they also send valuable coupons that you can pull up from your phone and scan at the counter! Frequently such chain stores as Michael's and Jo-Ann send coupons that will give you 50% of regular prices items and overall discount codes including those that can be used on sale items!
4. Plain ring bases (and other bases; $1-$7)
Things like plain ring bases and plain Barrett clips can easily become bases for look changing accessories, and if you order them on eBay you'll find lots of 50 - 100 pieces for extremely low prices! The reason for the wide prices range is the different lots that you'll find and the difference in shipping cost depending on where you live (most of these lots ship off from China). Also a definite purchase are bobby pins from the dollar store, you can buy these in bulk and later I'll be showing a tutorial on how to use these for practically everything.
These four things I'm going to be referencing a lot, along with another item I've left out because I know not everyone has access to it cheaply; I'm speaking about Acrylic Clay, which I buy a big amount of at Daiso Japan for $1.50 per package.
If you don't have access to this, that's okay! I'll be making separate tutorials on how to handle and use it to your advantage!
Also, I wouldn't feel pressured to buy this all at one time just for these tutorials, I definitely encourage you to try out what you have at home and substitute in freely!
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