Supplies you regret purchasing?

I have also thought about a cropodile…

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My wood burning kit. I was so excited to get it, then when I did, I was scared of it. I can’t use it in the house because my cats put their noses to everything and I am scared of burning them. I am also scared of burning my house down. I tend to be klutzy and can envision something getting burnt besides the wood.

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Dang you! I’d never heard of this, googled, spent ten minutes reading amazon reviews…

I think I have a cropodile. I asked for it for xmas because of you lot, lol. Never taken out of package :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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The cropadile comments are timely, I just took mine out of the package to use it for the first time this morning :joy:

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Let’s see, I have a lot of I love this yarn from hobby lobby in colors I won’t use, a lot of brush pens since I’ve gotten out of brush lettering, and I have a lot of random craft kits I impulsively bought as a result of shopping when I’m bored at home.

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OMG! I got a Crop-o-dile Big Bite last year with a gift card and a coupon and I freakin love that thing! I don’t use it all the time, but it is just the thing when I do use it!

I think I can say that I kind of regret a few strings of beads I picked up at Michael’s or JoAnn on clearance thinking I would do something with them and then didn’t. It’s been years and I think a few I might never use - their moment has passed. BUT I am using ONE bead from one of those strings for the project I’m doing for the Take A Bite Out of You Stash Challenge. :upside_down_face:

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Just jumping on to say YES to a Crop-a-dile Big Bite. It has a 6-inch reach which is great for bookmakers. I did get mine with a 40% off coupon way back when and it is worth it. And it’s useful and fun to set grommets quickly.

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Absolutely. When you need it, you need it. An excellent tool to have on hand!

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I have one of those that’s the ‘Vintaj’ Jewelry version. Exact same machine, exact same plates, but in tan. I picked it up at 80% or 90% off, at Michael’s. (A friend saw a stack of them and called me. LOL) Since then I’ve picked up the etching plates and embossing folders, either on clearance, or with 40 or 50% off coupons, as I find them. I think I have most of the designs. I find I go on a kick of using a particular tool or medium, and this is totally in that vein. I’ll make a ton of embossed or etched brass pieces over one or two days, then put it away for a year (or 3) at a time. Maybe you could try looking for alternate uses for your Big Shot (like making jewelry components), to help you feel better about it?

I guess I don’t regret much of my craft purchasing over the years. I’ve ended up with some fabrics from when I was making a ton of Renn faire costumes, that I don’t use anymore, and some corresponding patterns. But since I worked in theatrical costuming, I just donated stuff to universities and theatres I worked at. (Which is fair, since I totally used some of their supplies from time to time.)

I might not use my wood burner, or my Silhouette, or my paper/altered art supplies consistently, but I’m also really glad I have them when inspiration strikes for some totally random project. I haven’t been using my drawing pens, watercolor pencils & paints much since I stopped costuming, but my husband (who has never been into art before), has started teaching himself to draw, and has gotten great use out of my supplies. That being said, I do try to limit just how much of any one thing I accumulate. I try not to buy yarn or fabric just because they’re pretty, but rather for specific projects. (Except my yarn of the month subscription from DGY.) My paper all lives in one organizer. My fabric takes up just 5 cubbies of a 9 cubby shelf, and yarn takes up 3 more.

And all of that being said, I’m beyond fortunate, because I have a whole room in the house as my craft space, with dedicated areas for sewing, and jewelry making. My husband and child are going to have a whole lot of craft supplies to pass on when I die. Maybe I should appoint one of my crafty LC friends as the distributor of all my supplies in my will. Set aside some money for shipping costs, and let one of you guys hand things out to good homes. :wink:

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Photojenn, I work at the Chicago Public Library and am trying to start a papercrafting program. If there is anything you might want to donate maybe you can consider donating to our branch too? Thanks very much.

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This is an interesting thread and it’s made me realise, again, how lucky I am to have a big studio to myself, with a little annex. I have lots of supplies, I pick stuff up whenever I’m enthused by a particular craft. I’ll use it for a while but then I’ll put it away. I will usually circle back to it at some point in the future. But in the meantime it’s stored out of my way and carefully labelled.

For me having an abundance of supplies (I’m looking at you fabric shelves) is a security blanket, it comes from having cheap ass markers, crayons and crappy thin paper, as a child. Once I could afford to start getting supplies, I never passed up a bargain.

But also we have nothing like the craft/fabric shops here, like Joanne’s in the US or spotlight in Aus, so when I travel and get access to those places, I indulge, but it means I have to have a ginormous stash, because I can’t just run out and get something. That is my excuse and I’m sticking to it even if getting supplies now is much easier, with online shopping.

So basically as my friend sings in the video below…

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