Or things to buy at the $1 store for your resin crafting needs.
Alright guys. So I’ve been really into resin crafting, and it’s been fun. One thing I ALSO like to do is hunt for a bargain. So I decided to try to compile a list of things you can find at the dollar store(Dollar Tree, 99 cent only store, etc....) I usually hit those two stores the most, since they’re really close to my place. However, you can always check out your local dollar shops. I am by no means an expert, but I hope what I post is useful. There are a ton of useful tutorial videos on youtube if you want to watch and get tips for working with resin.
1.Paper cups(aka dixie cups)
Roughly about 3oz. I get 36 in a package for $1. Why are these useful? Because they’re great for mixing resin in and they’re disposable. Especially if you’re doing projects that are multiple colors. Also, the instructions for Amazing Casting resin(the stuff that hardens in about 10 minutes) recommends pouring your two parts resin into a paper cup to mix together.
2. Tooth picks and tweezers
Why toothpicks? Because they’re disposable, and they’re great for moving things around in resin and pushing resin into smaller spots. Dollar stores sell boxes of like, 500 for $1. Tweezers are useful for dropping in small objects or picking out things you might not want in your resin(like a loose hair for example)
3. Popsicle sticks(aka craft sticks) and Coffee stirrers.
Usually found over in the craft section. They’re good for mixing resin and are disposable. An alternative to these are wooden coffee stirrers. So, whichever is more affordable for you. Both work just fine.
So why eyeshadow? Eyeshadow actually makes a decent pigment alternative for coloring resin. You can find cheap eyeshadow palettes for a buck. I usually pop it out of the palette into a tiny container and use it like a loose pigment. However, I found that eyeshadow can sometimes not mix completely, so you sometimes end up with tiny spots of undissolved eyeshadow in your resin. A better alternative on the cheap, is LOOSE eyeshadow pigment. They come in pots and are much finer consistency then palette eyeshadows. Not ever dollar store has them, however I often find them at the local swap meet.
5. Gloves. Latex gloves, kitchen gloves, etc.... Basically thin disposable gloves. Why? Because the chemicals in resin can be bad for your skin. It’s recommended you avoid getting it on your skin. So while working with resin, you should wear some type of protection on your hands.
6. Hand sanitizer/rubbing alcohol Alcohol in it is good for cleaning up wet resin. Hand sanatizer with a decent level of alcohol content is good for cleaning up wet resin AND it smells better then straight rubbing alcohol. I usually clean up any spilled wet resin with baby wipes and rubbing alcohol.
Resin peels off wax paper. I spread out a sheet of it on my work space(waxed side up) I can either just peel the resin off after it dries, or throw it away when I’m done.
8. cutting board/cookie sheet
This one seems a little odd, but I find this super useful when you have a limited amount of space. A cheap metal cookie sheet makes a portable work space. I can pour my pieces in their mold, then move the cookie sheet onto a shelf or out of the way to harden. lay a sheet of wax paper on top, for easy clean up. A small cutting board is good to when you have some smaller molded pieces that need to harden.
9. Silicon ice cube trays and baking cups
Sometimes you can find silicone goods at the dollar store, including ice cube trays. Why for resin? Because I found that usually resin works well in silicon molds for baking and making ice cubes. Especially around the holidays you can find neat shaped silicon molds. Remember, they need to be flexible molds made of silicone material. Hard ice cube trays just aren’t going to work.
Glitter, stickers, nail decals, rhinestones, even candy(hard candy is best), stones, etc.... All can work for decorative elements in resin pieces. If you check the section that sells nail polish and such, you often find nail kits that sell nail decals, glitter, etc.... all of that can work in resin. Also I’ve seen some pretty cute stickers at the dollar store, many name brand character ones, and just generic cute stickers. Also don’t forget to check the section that sells things like decorative sand, stones, etc.... A lot of those can be used to.
11. storage containers/ziploc bags
Dollar stores sell a variety of storage containers. My favorites to pick up at the very small ones. The ones that roughly hold about 1oz or 2. They’re REALLY good when you need to hold small items that came in bags that can’t be resealed(like some glitters, nail decals, etc...). Also I usually put my loose eyeshadow pigment in those, especially when I make custom colors. The ziploc bags are good for bigger things. Like buttons, charms, etc...... It’s useful for when you don’t have a nice container with organizational compartments.
Useful for when you need to sand down your pieces. If you do this though, you should sand your resin pieces with either a respirator or wet since resin dust can kick up while sanding and is bad for your lungs.
I have a feeling I might be forgetting somethings. I hope this helps out those who are interested in doing crafting with resin.
