One of my favorite things to do is wander the aisles of Michaels to see what adorable, new craft supplies they have. It’s like an instant injection of happy for me, and I bet a lot of you feel the same way! With every trip, my cart ends up with lots of fun finds and I leave with many new project ideas in mind.
But truth be told, there are certain craft supplies that I do not purchase from Michaels because I can get them from Dollar Tree for less (in some cases for a lot less). Of course people have quality concerns about products from Dollar Tree, but I’ve personally tested all of these products time and again and can vouch for them! That’s why I’m spilling my secrets on the 10 craft supplies you should buy at Dollar Tree! Trust me – this list will save you money so you can buy more of those cute supplies at Michaels or Hobby Lobby! 
1. Glassware (Vases, Mason Jars, Candle holders)
The selection of glassware at Dollar Tree is ah-ma-zing. There are tons of shapes and sizes of vases, mason jars, candle holders – you name it! And it’s all a dollar! Comparable glassware at a craft store typically costs five times as much. 
I’ve used glassware from Dollar Tree to create my etched glass votive holders, funky pilgrim vases, and cozy sweater gift jars, among other things. I also use all different sizes of their vases for fresh flowers at parties. It is the best!
2. Twine (Jute, Bleached, and Baker’s Twine)
Jute twine adds a perfect rustic touch to any project, while bleached twine and baker’s twine can definitely add a cute and whimsical feel to a craft. Dollar Tree has every type of twine you could need or want!
Find three packs of twine in the automotive aisle, and multi-packs of colored baker’s twine in the craft aisle. 
I have used twine from Dollar Tree on my cozy sweater gift jars, printable glitter glue valentines, and moss bunny topiaries, among other things! 
3. Floral Foam
Oh my gosh. Floral foam is SO expensive when you buy it at the craft store. And I can’t figure out why. But at Dollar Tree it’s, yep, a dollar. And it comes in lots of shapes and sizes, too!
Now let me tell you I am not doing a lot of floral arranging over here, but floral foam is really great for building height in projects or stabilizing items within a container. I have used Dollar Tree’s floral foam in my moss bunny topiaries and patriotic paper straw centerpiece. It’s great.
4. Glitter
If you’re a crafter then you probably love glitter (until you have to clean it up). For something so tiny it can be kind of pricey though, you know? That’s why I like to purchase it at Dollar Tree. They typically have a lot of colors in their craft aisle, and they come in packages or containers that have enough to get the project done without leaving me with a ton left over. Their glitter glue is also awesome for projects for adults and kids alike! 
I have used Dollar Tree glitter or glitter glue on my glitter glue valentines and a guest post I did on another blog (that you’ll see later this year).
5. Contact Paper
Most of you probably don’t think of contact paper as a craft supply, but it is awesome for making stencils on an electronic cutting machine (like a Silhouette), or even by hand! And it is half the price at Dollar Tree than at the hardware store or a big box store! 
I have used Dollar Tree contact paper on projects like my child’s rocking chair, friendly stool makeover, and etched glass votive holders.
6. Clothespins
Clothespins are another product that might seem like a strange craft supply, but you see them ALL over the craft stores. And they are really versatile for crafting – from hanging banner pieces to making clips for signs or frames – they can be used in many ways. At Dollar Tree you get a pack of 36 for $1, and you can find them in the home improvement aisle. 
I have used Dollar Tree clothespins on my DIY Christmas card holder and my magnetic chip clip holder. And of course I have some of them on my drying rack in the laundry room.
7. Foam Board
If you have kids of school age then you know that foam board can be kind of expensive for what you’re getting. Hello, it’s a glorified poster board! That’s why it’s so great to purchase it at Dollar Tree. You will pay at least three times more at another store. 
I have used Dollar Tree foam board in my Mr. and Mrs. moss bunny topiaries, as well as other projects I have not blogged here. If you want to check out the queen of foam board projects, you need to visit 3 Little Greenwoods because Ashley can turn a foam board into just about anything. Search her site and you’ll see what I mean.
8. Tissue Paper
Of course tissue paper is great for wrapping gifts, but it’s also a good product for crafting. Dollar Tree sells 40 pieces of white tissue for $1, and smaller packs of colored tissue for the same price. It’s the same quality as tissue paper I’ve purchased elsewhere and is not overly flimsy.
I have used Dollar Tree tissue on my mini sombrero pinatas, and think it would be great for decoupage projects as well!
9. Popsicle Sticks
I know that popsicle sticks are generally more of a kids craft item, but I ALWAYS use them as paint stirrer sticks in my smaller chalky paint containers or as glue applicators. I keep them on hand at all times! I also used them in this “LOVE” popsicle stick craft that my daughter made a couple of years ago (pardon the photography; this was when I was still using my phone to shoot blog photos.). They’re dirt cheap at Dollar Tree and a smart thing to have on hand! 
10. Decorative Tape (Washi Tape, Duct Tape)
Finally, decorative tapes like washi tape and patterned duct tape are a great thing to buy at Dollar Tree! $1 is so much less than you pay at the craft store!
I don’t have any blogged projects that use washi tape or duct tape, but I have purchased these items from Dollar Tree and can attest that they work just as well as others that I’ve purchased elsewhere.
11. BONUS UPDATE – Paint Brushes
{UPDATE as of September 2017): I was so pumped to find 8 packs of foam brushes and synthetic bristle paint brushes at Dollar Tree this week! The prices on these brushes is so much lower than you pay at the craft store or home improvement store! Get some!
Well now that you’ve seen my list of craft supplies that you should be buying at Dollar Tree, what do you think? Do you have any others to add? Let me know if there’s something I should be buying there, too!
-Bre
YOU MIGHT LIKE SOME OF THESE DOLLAR STORE PROJECTS, TOO!
Dollar Tree Laundry Hamper to Decorative Basket
Thanks so much for including me on this list! I love to buy foam core at The Dollar Store and turn it into all sorts of awesomesness!
And you DO! I can’t believe all the great things you’ve made with foam boards! 🙂 Thanks for your note!
I love the napkins from the dollar store for decoupage projects, and also the glass candle sticks, E6000 and the glass containers to make glam apothecary jars at a fraction of the cost elsewhere. Cool part is you can get decoupage medium, as well as the E6000 at the dollar store too. I just recently used some of the plastic place mats to change up the look of my vanity doors in a rental. Zebra never looked so good.
Yes! These are awesome suggestions! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing! Also, glad your project turned out so well!
Your Dollar Tree looks so organized compared to the one I go to! And I have never see. That much glitter at mine. Boo. And I have NEVER seen the twine (the colored or un-colored) before. Looks like I’m going hunting next time I go to the Dollar Tree!! (: Thanks for such a great post!
Thanks for your nice note, Kimberly! So I have three Dollar Trees in close proximity to my home. Two of them are great, one of them is a mess. They are definitely hit or miss! Maybe you can find another one that is more organized! Thanks again and happy crafting! 😉
Don’t forget that Dollar Trees have a catalog you can order from also. And if you ship to the store, there is no shipping.
That is so good to know! I didn’t know that shipping to the store was free. Thank you for that great tip!!
I feel like I need to make a trip to the Dollar Tree now. I am feeling extra crafty today because of your post! Thank you for the information!
Thank YOU, Taylor! Hope you made it over there and found some good stuff!
Yes! I’m so happy to see this! I’ve begun my crafty journey and I’m really excited to know I don’t have to go to Michael’s and spend an arm and leg on supplies 🙂
Oh my gosh, Brittani. I hear ya. I spend TOO much at Michaels! Hopefully you can find some good stuff at Dollar Tree! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I like to buy bling there for scrapbooking…. A sheet of little rhinestones would be $6 or greater at the local craft store but just $1.25 at Dollartree….
That is a great one!! I don’t see those all the time at my Dollar Tree, but you’re right about that being a great deal. They are super expensive at the craft store! Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE the dollar store. Great ideas but like a few others I’m going to have to find a bigger one!! More stuff!!!
YES! It’s totally worth it to find a good one! I agree that some can be less than stellar. Good luck in your quest! 🙂
Dollar Tree also carries metal wreath frames, small rolls of deco mesh, ribbon-seasonal and everyday; decrative birds and butterflies.. I shope there first for wreath making materials.
Good tips! Thank you so much!
Deco mesh can be bought ar the Dollar Store. They often have nice ribbon too!
Yes! I love their seasonal ribbon. It’s always hit or miss in my area, but you can definitely pick up sone good ribbon there!
I love saving $ at dollar tree too. I’ve found that they carry different items here as well so I just go to more than 1 location. I buy so many household items there too!
I like the rocks, glass beads, etc for vases, makes them pretty if I have flowers in them or not. Also stickers and scrap book paper, note cards for mailing out because I can get 8 to a pack and I like to mail cards.
Thanks for the post
Yes! I have three Dollar Trees in my area and I go to all of them because they are always carrying different things!! You have great tips on things to buy there. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
Dollar Tree also sells embellishments for cards/scrapbooking. I just add extra adhesive because the adhesive on them isn’t very good.
Agreed! Sometimes you do have to be careful and remember that you get what you pay for. But since that’s an easy problem to fix, it’s not that big of a deal. Thank you for stopping by!
they have sheets of metallic cardstoack that come in in 11 x 14 sheets 5 per pack in 5 colours! awesome!!
Nice! That is an awesome buy! I will have to keep my eyes open for those on my next trip. Thanks for stopping by!
I love to buy plain gift bags to decorate – you get specialty decorated bags for a lesser price. Also tea lights and candles. I am going to keep a lookout for some of these other items that have been mentioned above and also check out the online ordering, I didn’t know about that.
Oh my gosh, yes – those gift bags are such a great purchase! And you can’t go wrong with the candles either. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I use dollar tree for making many of my chocolate choirs/elves/Santa sleighs at Christmas. and I buy their felt and crafting foam, as the Dollar store no long has a steady/good supply of what I need. All in all, they are becoming my Go To store over the Dollar store, even though it’s harder for me to get their in my wheelchair
You can see some of my creations:
https://www.pinterest.com/cj_dodger/cadbury-easter-cream-egg-crafts/
https://www.pinterest.com/cj_dodger/christmas-crafts/
If you’re wondering, no I don’t sell my crafts, I make them to help fundraise for the Senior’s residence crafting program and because it helps me cope with pain and because it’s fun!! 🙂
CJ – that is AWESOME!!! I totally love that you’re using your wonderful talents to give joy to so many other people. You have inspired ME! Thank you!
Glue sticks! A pack of 20, way cheaper than craft stores. I have never had an issue using dollar tree glue sticks
Yes! Glue sticks are a great addition to the list! My kids use them all the time. Thanks for your suggestion!
I find they are really stringy when I use them.
Thanks for the great post. I am gearing up for a crafty Christmas so I am thankful for all of your insight! Even though my daughter lives out of state , she works at Dollar Tree and can maybe steer me toward even greater savings!
Hi Mary Ellen – that is awesome! I hope she can hook you up with a great discount! Also, have so much fun with your “crafty Christmas!”
Thank you for your post! Great information and so generous of you to share 🙂
Hi, Susan! Thank YOU for stopping by and leaving this nice note! I’m glad this post helped you. 🙂
I bought Super Glue Fix-All Adhesive a couple of days ago. I used it last night to assemble a sunburst mirror project. I was using skewers for th e sunburst so they were not heavy. The glue is perfect for this type project. And compared to the $6.00 I usually spend on the other stuff….DUH!!! Happy shopping and saving!
I rarely shop at Michael’s but visited last fall when I couldn’t find what I wanted elsewhere, six large foam balls to be decorated as Christmas tree ornaments and hung on our porch. Hey howdy, I found exactly what I needed at Michael’s: ONLY $18.99 EACH!!! I don’t think so, Mikey My Man. I was so irritated I handed over my 20% off coupon to another customer and left. I abandoned that project but perhaps Dollar Tree will make it happen this year. Thanks for the reminder.
Hahaha oh man . . . I hear you on their foam products. They are SO expensive!!! I’ve definitely seen foam balls at Dollar Tree, but I don’t think they’ll be as large as you need for that project. It’s worth a shot. Otherwise if you plan ahead, you might find them online at Save-on-Crafts or a similar site (maybe even Amazon). Good luck!!
I shop dollar tree for metal and foam wreath forms. But they can b hard to find close to the holidays. They sell out fast! Better to collect them throughout the year and save them up. Joy Pederson
Joy you are SO right!!! I find that they have them sporadically, but never when I actually need them! Really smart to get them when they have them and save them for later! 🙂
I use to work at Joann’s. lots of times I would tell my customers to go and get their crafts supplies at the dollar tree. It was always nice to see them come back to thank me for saving them money!
Ha! That’s awesome! Good thing your manager didn’t know you were giving away sales – lol. 🙂 I am sure your customers definitely appreciated it! Happy holidays!
The mixed rocks for floral arranging are awesome. I buy 4 packs and select the best 1/2 bag of that and put it in the rock tumblr and it’s pretty enough for jewelry when it comes out.
Oh wow, that is a cool idea! I actually have a bag of the rocks at home that I haven’t used yet! What a great item to add to the list – thanks!
Some of my favorites at the Dollar Tree:
*Mini hi-temp hot glue sticks (usually a much better price than the craft store, and they work just as well)
*Ribbon, all sorts. My store has a fairly wide selection of grosgrain and sheer ribbon, as well as wired and unwired burlap ribbon. So far, I haven’t had any quality issues, and it’s WAY cheaper than at the craft stores.
*Yarn! My store often has name-brand yarn in the craft aisle. A great way to try out novelty yarns without breaking the bank.
*Cheap baseball caps. These are great for Halloween, as you can trim the bill off and use the adjustable skullcap part as a base for your costume headpiece– makes sure that the crown/pirate headscarf/funny wig/etc. fits snugly to your kid’s (or your) head and doesn’t keep sliding over the face.
*Cotton clothesline (to crochet over for baskets, or to fill maxi piping)
*Disposable aluminum bakeware and cookie tins (cookie tins are usually in stock around Christmas).
*One year my store had a very large stock of 100% lambswool sweaters. Some were noticeably imperfect, but were fine for felting projects. Some were perfectly good sweaters. We were very cozy that year. 🙂
WHOA! I need to come to your dollar store!! I love mine, but yours sounds even better! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your list! 🙂
Just an FYI…
I f you are buying the foam core board, make sure to check it out. I once went to buy a piece and it was all beat up.
If you need masking tape, take a pass at the $ store. Don’t ever buy the cheapest type, even at a “regular” store.
Good tips!! Yes, you have to be careful with the foam board at any store, and I completely agree with the tape being bad, unless you happen to spot a name brand tape there. However, when I’ve purchased Scotch brand at Dollar Tree, for example, it is always such a small roll!
I buy deco mesh, pipe cleaners, floral wire and wire wreath frames as well! I LOVE Dollar Tree for craft supplies! You can make gorgeous mesh wreaths for under $10
Hi, Erica! Yes, those are great things to find at Dollar Tree! When I see them I always buy them up. My stores don’t seem to have the deco mesh or wire wreath frames consistently, so when I see them, it’s a good trip! 🙂
I travel to the Dollar Tree at least once a week. I buy frozen fruit for my bunny and then hit the craft aisle. I know what they have so when I see something to make I know what I can buy there at $1 a piece then lets me feel not so bad buying what they do not have at a bit more. It is so exciting to find uses for items.
You’re totally right! Man, I love Dollar Tree so much. 🙂
The Dollar Tree near my daughters home has smaller bottles of mod podge. I haven’t found any at the ones around my home. Thank for all the great tips from everyone about the great deals.
Karen – isn’t it crazy how some Dollar Trees get some things that others don’t? I feel a little crazy that I shop all four near my house just because they’re all different! 🙂
Dollar Tree also has a website so if your particular store runs out of something you like or something you saw you can go on their website and purchase it by the case and have it shipped to your store for free. They have a lot more stuff than your average store.
Kara that is such a fantastic tip!! Thank you!
Our Dollar Trees started carrying Comfort Colors Tshirts! Sometimes I have to shop around in my area but so worth it! I usually buy all in stock since my wholesale price is @$4 it’s worth it. Perfect for embroidery machine and vinyl! **note there is a reason they are in the dollar store so please make sure they do not have tiny holes or any stains. Most have wrong size tag so make sure to inspect carefully. (I do not have a business just personal embroidery for my family and friends and if embroidering a shirt for me to sleep in Lil holes don’t bother me 🙂
Ooooh I will have to start looking for those! Thanks for the great tip!! And for the tips on the holes or stains! 🙂
My latest Dollar Tree find is a 2 oz bottle of Mod Podge. A.C. Moore carries the 4 oz bottles for $3.49.
YES! I saw those there, too! That is a great price comparison; thanks for providing it!
I always try Dollar store first, however, I bought cute little travel size bottles for Shampoo, Conditioner, body wash, etc. so I wouldn’t have a bunch of large bottles in the shower, and the little ones all match. I found the same thing at Wal-Mart for 89c. Live and learn. PS Family Dollar is great, too, but everything is not a dollar. They only go up to about $4.95, though.
Oh yes!! That is definitely true that on the rare occasion you’ll pay more at Dollar Tree!
I’m addicted to Dollar Tree, lol! It’s my go to place for all my crafting needs!I love their flowers, although you need to have the time to carefully select them sometimes. But a recent example, I was making a Sunflower wreath and had priced them at Michael’s and Hobby Lobby. The cost would have been extreme! My DT actually had beautiful sunflowers, 3 different colors & 3 or more different sizes. I was thrilled! The variety is awesome and they end up looking just as gorgeous in my wreaths and projects!
I not only shop there for craft supplies, but also holiday supplies, ie., especially birthday party stuff. With 8 in our house, we go to DT for plates, napkins, plastic ware, cups, cards, wrapping paper, tablecloths, decorations, etc. Then if one of my 4 kiddo’s has a bday party, oh boy, watch out. Seems like I’m buying out the store!
And school supplies… and my little ones love doing their Xmas shopping there, too!
We also have seasonal dishes for 12 for most holidays from DT. I’m proud to be able to make my table look fantastic for any holiday with the help of DT and otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to afford.
Mary Beth your DT sounds fabulous! I want those sunflowers!!! I feel the same way about birthday parties! 🙂 Thanks for your comment and I hope you have a great day!