This month I teamed up with Katie from Kater’s Acres to bring you a series on Making the Most of Your Polymer Clay Studio. We covered making the most of your studio, making room for a studio, productivity in the studio, and now for the final week I’m talking about thrifting in your polymer clay studio. I’ll give ideas, places you can go to find good materials, and what sorts of things to be on the lookout for.
I grew up in a very frugal household. My mother would squeeze the last bit of good from any package of anything and I very rarely received anything new as a child. When I was very little I just accepted it as the way things were. But as a teen I rebelled and resented the fact that all the other kids had new things. So when I got out on my own I took great pleasure in paying full price for things and tossing out bottles of shampoo when they were merely mostly empty. And I promptly got my little irresponsible self into debt.
As an adult I’ve had my fair share of financially flush and lean times both, and maybe this should be a tip of the hat to my parents, but there’s nothing quite so sweet as realizing that you have money left over at the end of the month. My early years of frugal training have served me very well over the years. So when it came time for me to build my own studio, it came at a time when our income level was, shall we say, microscopic. I just didn’t have the money to spend on it. And honestly, I still don’t. But I’ve never let the lack of money stand in the way of having functionality. You’d be amazed at what you can find out there for next to nothing. And that’s all thrifting is. Using thrifty sources to meet your needs while stretching your money much further.
Then there’s the whole subject of reclaim, reuse and recycle. Why buy something new when there are lots of things out there just waiting to find a new home in your studio? I cringe when I think of how much useful furniture, equipment, and supplies ends up in the waste stream when there are people who could use it and would be thrilled to have it.
Sources of Thrifted Materials
With the recent worldwide economic downturn and the growing awareness of recycling, there’s never been a better time to find sources of used, second-hand, and thrifted materials. Here in the US midwest, the number of flea markets and thrift stores has jumped exponentially. No matter where you are, there are generally ways to find inexpensive used materials and supplies. And every item that you buy for a cut-rate price is one less thing that you have to pay full price for. And it’s that much more money that you free up for the fun things like polymer clay and other supplies! Here are some of the ideas that we have here. You may have to get creative to find similar outlets in your area, but this will give you an idea of what to look for.
Building Supply Reclaim Stores
Here in the US we have this wonderful resource called the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I didn’t go there for years, assuming it had something to do with building houses for charity. I was very wrong.
People and companies donate their surplus new, used and spare building supplies and furniture, which ReStore then sells to the public. So you can find everything from sheetrock and flooring to lamps, couches, office furniture, doors, and nuts and bolts. Everything. It is my number one go-to source for anything our house needs. But that also means it’s a great source for ceramic tiles, glass work surfaces, mirrors, wood, picture frames, and even odd things like copper tubing. It’s also a prime source for old kitchen cabinets.
See…when people remodel their kitchen, they take the old cabinets to ReStore. Where YOU can buy them for your studio. Add some formica countertop and you have a perfect workbench! For cheap. One time I even found a salesman’s case of sample pieces of Corian countertop material. I have no idea what I’m going to do with them, but wow. Aren’t they neat?
Charity Shops
Goodwill, Salvation Army, Disabled American Veterans, and of course many churches and charities run thrift shops. Overseas you can find Oxfam and British Heart Foundation thrift shops, to name a couple that I’ve shopped in. (Yes, I shop in thrift shops when I’m in the UK as well.) These shops sell mostly clothes, but you can usually find picture frames, bowls, storage boxes, shelving units, baskets, and costume jewelry that you can take apart and re-use the beads. And all that clothing? It’s a great resource for silk and wool fiber once you know what you’re looking for.
Flea Markets and Junk Shops
These are usually for-profit and not run by charities, and sometimes that means the prices are a bit too steep. But it can also mean that they’ll have nicer quality items, depending on where they find their stock. These are a great source of old wooden boxes, printer’s trays, interesting photographic props, craft show booth accessories, and yes, furniture. And check out the used appliances, too.
Garage Sales and Car Boot Sales
In the US, they’re called garage or yard sales. Churches often have them and they’re called rummage sales. In the UK they’re called car boot sales (what a strange term to my American ears). It’s where people bring out their junk and have a sale. You can pick up anything, and I do mean anything at these places.
I have seen photographic equipment, high-end knitting needle sets, wool yarn, ceramic kilns, magnifying lamps, and enough bags, boxes, and shelves to fill a small stadium. Yes, I realize that most of these sales are filled with children’s clothing and old books. But keep looking. Trust me on this one. You really truly never know what you’ll find. And sometimes it’s jaw-dropping.
It’s common for people to get into a hobby, buy a large amount of equipment and supplies, then lose interest. Often they just want the stuff gone. So if you happen to be standing there when someone is selling off their entire polymer clay stash and rubber stamp collection, make sure you have a couple of $10 bills. Ask me how I know. 😀 Always, always stop at garage sales. Always.
Curb Picking
People take their unwanted items to the curb with their trash, to be picked up by the trash truck on trash day. Around here people will often set aside the still-usable items for others to take. It’s sort of common knowledge that if it’s at the curb then it’s up for grabs. Sometimes people will even post a “Free” sign on it. It’s a great way to find shelving, desks, small tables, and for some reason…wood. I’ve put lots of things out on my curb and within an hour someone has usually snapped it up.
Dumpster Diving
Okay, I’m not very good at this one. It just seems so…well…embarrassing. But I just need to get over it! If you see something in a dumpster that you want, why not take it? It’s destined for the landfill anyway, right? And no, not all dumpsters are the garbage-laden ones in alleys. Remember that anyone doing demolition, remodeling, or even just moving house often rents a large dumpster. Now I should mention, of course, that you need to be careful and look out for broken glass, nails, and anything hazardous. But still…have a look inside when you walk past one. You never know.
Auctions
I don’t know, is this common elsewhere, too? Around here it’s common to have an auction when they sell an old farm or when someone dies and leaves a house full of stuff. It’s often a full-day event to wait until the thing you want comes up to the auctioneer. But if you’re persistent and diligent you can find some truly amazing things. Like pottery kilns, tools, furniture, specialized equipment, and supplies.
Actual Examples of Thrifting in My Studio
My desk was curb picked. The cushion for my chair was from Goodwill. The corkboard came from a garage sale. My dad found my glass grinder at an auction and a different auction brought two 5-gallon buckets full of scrap stained glass. My cozy red chair came from Salvation Army (and it’s an IKEA chair). The lamps are from garage sales and a flea market. My glass work surface is from ReStore, as was a huge roll of Formica. ReStore also keeps me stocked with ceramic tiles. Then there’s my food processor from Salvation Army (great for chopping crumbly clay).
The list goes on and on. Rulers, a tripod, rolls of paper, mirror tiles, baking pans, an easel, artist’s supplies, and even this neat pen holder that my mom found at a garage sale recently.
Then there are the appliances! I’ve found toaster ovens, food processors, heating pads, an electric griddle (for working with wax). And if you see a Scumbuster or a child’s rock tumbler, they’re known for being exceedingly helpful with sanding your polymer clay. And yes, the holy grail of polymer clay thrifting…I’ve even found a pasta machine. (And can you believe that I didn’t buy it? Still kicking myself for that one.)
I hope this gets your juices flowing and makes you start thinking about finding alternative sources for materials and supplies that you use in your craft studio. I have found that it helps to make a list of the things I’m looking for. When you’re shopping in these places it’s easy to become visually overwhelmed with all that you see and it’s easy to forget why you’re there. Make sure you carry cash, too, because most places won’t take plastic. And mostly, have fun!
Thank You
A huge thanks to Katie for inviting me to join her in bringing you this studio series. She’s wonderful to work with, beyond a doubt. And it’s great that we’ve been able to introduce our readers to each other’s blogs. I hope you all have found it helpful. And an even bigger thanks to all of YOU. I’ve been thrilled with all the comments and sharing of fantastic ideas. I’ve learned a lot. As always, I find that our best inspiration is each other. Thank you for being part of that!
In case you missed it, here are the previous articles in our Making the Most of Your Polymer Clay Studio series. Enjoy!
- Week 1: Making the Most of Your Polymer Clay Studio, No Matter the Size
- Week 2: Make Room for Your Polymer Clay Studio
- Week 3: How to Be Productive in Your Polymer Clay Studio
- Week 4: Thrifting in Your Polymer Clay Studio (you are here!)
And don’t miss Katie’s version of today’s article where she talks about all the great things that she’s found and reclaimed for HER studio. That girl puts me to shame, I swear. Wow. Go see what I mean. Talk to you later!
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21 thoughts on “Thrifting in Your Polymer Clay Studio”
Thrifters unite! 🙂
I’ve found tons of stuff for my studio thrifting, from furniture to supplies, appliances, art supplies and items to repurpose into my art. Where I live we have a wealth of thrift stores (and most are not Goodwill), two thrifts here specialize specifically in oddball items for creative purposes (I never walk out of those stores empty handed). I’ll have to check out my local Habitat Restore, haven’t tried that one yet. Thanks for another great article!
Just remember that dumpster diving and digging in peoples trash is illegal in some places. It’s considered stealing and invasion of privacy. Other than that, go for it. I have on many occasions since my hubby is in construction. 🙂 Another great place to look is in thrift store alleys. Sometimes they throw out stuff they consider unsaleable, but that you can upcycle. Another great job. Thanks, Ginger.
I suppose in some places it is. Gee…one man’s trash and all that, though! I guess where we live it’s just so common for people to put their unwanted items to the curb that I forget in other areas it’s not so simple. Gee…if someone else can use it, then it seems we’d be glad to lighten the load into the landfills! Just last week we put some old lawn mowers out and they were gone within a couple hours. Junk for us, but it made someone’s day.
I am really enjoying reading your blog posts! Thank you for sharing your fantastic tips!
We are fortunate to have something called Kijiji here which is an online garage sale, basically. I just got my pasta machine via this and saved about $30 versus a new one! Happy Dance!
Oh!!! I forgot to mention the fabulous sewing table that was ready to be thrown in a dumpster outside my fabric store. It is the EXACT measurements I was looking for…not to narrow and not too wide, with room enough to handle some storage bins, my sewing machine AND my serger.
Peggy
I’m in with you! I love finding great deals! I found a professional paper cutter at a thrift shop a few weeks ago for $3.00. The only thing wrong with it is a chipped piece off the top ruler, but I never cut anything that large anyway.
Just what I need…someone to encourage me on. :o(
Thanks…Peggy
My first polymer purchase was a $3 Atlas pasta machine at a garage sale. I had resisted polymer until then, and when I bought it, I knew I was a gonner. I fell hard. It’s still my best pasta machine, and I have two others that are very good $$. Love to hear the stories. Hugs, Boni
Oh, so that was your downfall, eh? And see what a wonderful path it set you down!
Thanks. Got my convection oven at the neighborhood Good Will. Works great!
Excellent news! I might have to try using one.
Since I am death to pasta machines every charity shop I go in I am on the look out for my next spare it paid off last weekend when the knob broke off the one I was using and I had another waiting in the wings
Ah, so you’re the one who always get to the shop ahead of me, eh? I’ve only seen ONE in all these years. But I see enough food processors to make up for it, I guess. 🙂
You forgot to mention Craigslist as an amazing resource! I bought two large toaster ovens on Craigslist for my studio and use them all the time. One had a plastic bag melted on the top so I picked it up for $20 and the other was used once to bake a turkey and was $25. I also bought a PMC kiln for $300 on Craigslist.
I found an Atlas pasta machine in a Goodwill, studio chairs at Arc and I always look at the kitchen utensils for unique cutters and textures. I also like the old Tupperware for clay storage & transport. At a yard sale I purchased a 2 barrel Lortone for $15 dollars. I love being thrifty and getting more for my hard earned money!
Oooh, you’re right! I always forget to check Craigslist. But then it also depends on where you are. (The one here is rather…well…seedy.) But it’s a very good point! You got a Lortone tumbler for $15? Whoa…I think you win. Wow!!
I’ve really enjoyed doing this with you as well Ginger! What a great article and great sources of reclaimed stuff. I too have a studio stocked full of reclaimed items … I LOVE a good bargain!
We’re just going to have to think of new things to collaborate on, then. And your bargain article…well…I humbly bow to your thrifting greatness. You’ve got it going on!!
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Wonderful! I’ve furnished houses…literally, at car boot sales and charity shops. We were in a cottage that had no table, chairs, linens… I bought everything I needed for the equivalent of about $50… everything we needed, table, chairs, baking dishes, teapots, china, linens, (and some yarn and stuff to keep me occupied) My studio now has a hot pot for pickle and one for patina from Goodwill, the workbench from a garage sale, swivel chair from curbside, tiles from ReStore, as well as a bench. One time I went to Restore and they had a whole wall sectional that was white and absolutely beautiful, I walked around the store and someone else bought it… arrrrrgh!
Oh yes, I relate completely. We mostly furnished this house the same way. And my husband’s workshop. And I had the same thing happen at ReStore. They had these wonderful shelving units and we ran home real quick to measure…when we got back they were sold. Ugh. Gotta move fast on those things!
Well ar the Habitat Restore here I found a rock tumbler just like the one I currently use for my wire jewelry for half of what I purchased mine for. Looks almost new and works great. Excited!
See! This is what I’m saying. You just never know what you’re going to find in these places. Just keep your nose down and keep looking. One day we ran into a garage sale where there was a divorce and the wife was selling all the husband’s power tools for $10 each. $100 later we had a fully stocked workshop. I could fill a whole page with all the stories of things I’ve seen, bought, and passed up on while thrifting.
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