Friday, August 11, 2017

Thrifty Christmas Gift Idea - Art & Craft Supplies


Back-to-school sales mean supplies are at their lowest prices.  Check back about a week after school starts and they'll be marked down even lower on clearance.  With that in mind now is a great time to stock up on art and craft supplies, especially if you want to put together some thrifty Christmas gifts.


Kids that love to draw, color and make crafts will appreciate crayons, markers, glue or glue sticks, scissors and water colors.  Buy a brightly colored pencil box and fill it up or use a gift bag.  Add coloring books, construction or drawing paper.  Print off some origami and craft instructions from the internet to tuck inside for additional fun.


Adults and teens will love a new set of colored pencils or markers to use on their adult coloring books.  Amazon sells a ton of different adult coloring books too. Or you can just print your own off the internet onto copy paper.

Colored ink pens are fun!

Ball point pens or mechanical pencils paired with a couple composition notebooks are great for journaling or making lists for goals and planning.  Not everyone embraces technology and the simplicity of paper and pen is often appreciated.


I put school supplies in my girl's stockings too.  They love to get some fresh supplies to take back to school midway through the year.  One of my girls is obsessed with mechanical pencils while the other one loves to get pens.


And don't forget yourself.  Back to school time is also a great time to refill your office supplies.  Stock up on copy paper, acid free sheet protectors, paper and envelopes, extra glue, tape and staples.  Then you'll be ready to make Christmas cards, gift tags and anything else to go with the gifts you'll be giving this year.  Three ring binders and tabbed dividers are great for organizing important papers and making up your Christmas planner.


Remember too that paper lunch bags, brown or white, are perfect to decorate and make your own gift bags.  Insulated lunch bags and boxes also make nice gifts for kids and adults.  Check out plastic lunch containers, thermoses and water bottles too.  They aren't always available year round in the same selection as they are at back-to-school time so keep it in mind.  A new or  extra lunch box or set of containers for sandwiches and sides is a nice gift to receive.


Back-to-school sales aren't just great for school, they're great for Christmas too!



8 comments:

  1. I am stocked up on all things paper and pen related...but the lure of the back to school aisles is a siren call to me...so staying out of the stores until they are gone! what's not to love about new notebooks and pens...

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  2. Back to school ... ay yi yi. I'm still working on dorm supplies, more just thinking about it and trying to figure out what she'll actually really need. There are so many college freshman move-in lists out there and they are all a bit contradictory. One may say a printer is needed, another says no. Another says an alarm clock is needed, another says no - just use the one on your smart phone. We may just wait until she actually moves in until we buy anything more (we already have the bedding and towels).

    D.

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    1. Gets a bit overwhelming doesn't it? And nothing is worse than buying a bunch of stuff you end up not needing. Best of luck to you.

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  3. I've been thinking about this very idea for my grandkids this year. They have SO MANY toys! I've been looking at lap tray/tables on Amazon and have found one that I like. I was thinking of getting these and a box of art supplies for each child.

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    1. That is a great idea! I did that very thing for my girls one year and they loved it. Their grandparents got them the lap trays and they did their homework on them as well as drawing and coloring.

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  4. I have stocked up on my school supplies.. I need to start working on making my Christmas gifts..It will be here , before you know it. Have a great weekend.

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  5. Yes indeed Judy. It seems like once school starts, Boom! Here come the holidays!

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