Tucked anyway in an industrial area in Blackburn (opposite Bounce) is a great craft factory outlet where you can shop to your heart's content for as little as $1.
Generally only open to wholesale, they have opened a showroom to the side where members of the public may come in, collect a basket and shop away at reduced wholesale prices.
Whilst the range is quite varied, it is not an enormous warehouse, however if you love craft or would like cheap gifts for friends and family who like to make things this could be a cheap way to do your shopping.
Most of the items were $1 (the staff explained this just makes it easier).
There was a selection of millinery supplies to make your own unique hats and head pieces. Whilst I've never had a go at this, the supplies seemed to make it look very easy and inexpensive to try your hand at this unique craft.
There was a reasonable supply of jewellery making supplies, beads, tools and buttons.
For little fingers, they had packets of foam shapes, glitters, and stick on. Bottles of craft glue and a good selection of paints.
I teach a bit in schools and purchased some rather large bottles of glitter paints for $1 with handy dispensing nozzles and large size pots of acrylic paints.
For gifts for the girls I selected scrapbooking style card making sets with sweet little pieces to glue on the cards, I think there was everything you needed to make around 5 lovely cards in the pack for $1 and I thought they made rather sweet little arty gifts. These would be great as party favours for arty parties.
On the birthday party topic, there were also sets of boxes you could fold and make up as party favours. You could even give the kids some foam shapes, paint, glitter and glues and let them make their own party favour box to take home as a party activity.
I was rather taken with the metallic threads, they looked so sparkly and pretty.
Please call to check for stock and opening times
The craft factory direct outlet is located at Joseph St, Blackburn
Click
here for website
