I’m having a cross-blog conversation with Jessica from Crafts for Kidlets. A few days ago, she asked me what my favorite crafting tools are. Then I asked her what craft projects have been successful with her sons (she has two, I have three!). Check out her answer about what crafts are great for boys. She then upped the ante by getting personal! Ha ha, not too personal. But kind of historical. She asked:
Crafts created from merchandise that you buy at the dollar store makes crafting affordable for everyone, and is a truly unique idea. What inspired you to start the Dollar Store Crafts blog?
I will admit to you that I wasn’t a regular dollar store shopper before I started Dollar Store Crafts. It’s hard to believe that now! Before the blog, I periodically shopped at a dollar store, maybe twice a year. The only time I intentionally stepped foot in a dollar store was around Christmas time because I knew I could get silly stocking stuffers there.
I remember the first time I stepped foot in a Dollar Tree. It was when I lived in Houston, Texas. It was a revelation. Dollar Tree was clean, bright, and well-stocked. Before that trip, nearly all the dollar stores I had ever gone to were small independent stores with unreliable inventory and unpleasant atmospheres. But that was a few years before I started DSC. Back to the question.
On one of my semi-yearly trips to the dollar store in 2008, I looked around the store and was inspired by all the cool stuff you could get for a dollar. A lot of it was begging to be transformed into other (cooler) stuff. The idea of a blog devoted to crafts made from dollar store stuff floated around in my head for awhile until one day I started this blog. It was on the wordpress.com site (no dedicated domain name). After about five posts, I noticed people were really responding to the idea. I got regular comments and people were linking to the site. At that point, I realized I had struck upon something so my husband encouraged me to get a domain name and self-host the blog.
So we did, and people kept responding to the site. I didn’t invent crafting with dollar store stuff–people have been doing that for quite awhile. I just created a site that showcases how great dollar store crafting can be.
I have had a lot of fun working on this site! It’s fun to spend a few dollars and make a product that looks a lot more expensive (or not, sometimes – ha ha!). It’s fun to find new crafts to feature, promote my friends’ projects, and make new friends.
Speaking of the things I like about my site, here’s my question for you, Jessica: What’s your favorite part of working on your blog? (Check for her answer soon at Crafts for Kidlets).
For everyone else, chime in here and tell me more about your own site and how it got started!
4 Comments
pam munro
You hdn’t been to a good Dollar Store? I agree Dollar Tree is great – & here in L.A. we hve the 99 Cent Stores – as well as lots of little independent stores – Hdn’t really thought about crafts vis a vis the dollar stores – altho I hve bought a lot of yarn there (last year there was a lot of fun fur – which usually costs $4+)
Since I have lked at yr blog – I have scoured the dollar store for other craft items & have found some jewelry beads I hope to use to fix some jewelry I have…
I hvn’t done it – but I think that the leis at the dollar store would look nice at the neck of a dress….
There are, of course, also needles & thread & fusing tape – at the 99 Cent Store – & scissors & such – And one can also find glue of various sorts –
I do enjoy your blog – Great idea!
Elisha
I love dollarstores! They’ve evolved over the years – the first chain dollarstore I’ve ever been to was called “A Buck or Two”. They were later replaced by Dollarama. Dollarama is awesome because their merchandice is usually left over stock from department stores old inventory or businesses that went under. I made a video of it just like a promised, (watercoloreddreams) I hope you got to see it!
I watch MANY movies and my favorite thing is to analyse them. I also love hearing other people’s thoughts about the same movie. It’s kind of like…a little bookclub but with movies instead!
I also post some personal stuff occationally but not much. There isn’t really a theme to my journal.
However I LOVE this blog – I’ve already planned some christmas gifts using some of these tutorials! Thank you so much!
YelliKelli
I teach a young girls creativity class, and we utilize the $$$stores for lots of crafting supplies! I also get all of our (in class) snacks there!
heather
@Elisha, I totally watched your video. I posted a comment and linked to the video on the Dollar Store Crafts facebook page. Dollarama seems amazing – I can’t wait to make a trip to Vancouver to see it! Thanks for the note!!