Jo Ann - arts and crafts store
If you are like me and your hobby includes engaging in different arts and crafts activities, then you will love this store. Jo Ann offers everything you need to fulfill your creative needs. How did I find out about this store? I was quite bored one of the weekends last year, so I decided to go to a local shopping center and look around.
Most shopping centers in the United states of America are huge, and they offer stores and also a food court inside, and they are surrounded with smaller, independent stores and restaurants. And since I have been to that shopping center countless times before, I decided that I will check out some of the surrounding stores. And that is how my love for Jo Ann started
I am on my way!
Things you can buy there
This is your typical arts and crafts store… but more. Keep in mind that the things below are not everything that you can buy at Jo Ann - I just wrote about the ones that I frequently buy there.
Fabric
Have you always wanted to own fabric with cats printed on it? Or maybe Teletubbies? Star wars characters, or something even weirder? Regardless on your taste, Jo Ann has your back. They are offering an impressive selection of fabric, all at a reasonable cheap price. They are even selling fuzzy blanket material! The fabric is priced per square meter, and, like I said, it is quite cheap.
DIY kits
At Jo Ann, you can buy several different DIY kits for both kids and adults. Would you like to make your own pillow, but you do not feel like buying all the supplies separately? Well, you are in luck, because you can buy a kit at Jo Ann - all you need to do is make the pillow. Or, would you like to paint your own motives on Christmas ornaments? They are selling kits with glass colours and brushes, and all you need to do is decide what will you draw on that ornament.
If you have kids, or are a kid on the inside (Well, who isn’t?), you can buy bracelet making kits. I loved making those as a kid, and I was surprised how much they have evolved. Right now, the craze is all about the rubbery Loom bracelets, that are relatively easy to make, and once you master the process, they look beautiful.
Jo Ann also sells many supplies that will make your craft making process much easier.
Framed quotes
Besides the always - present ‘Live laugh love’ in cursive (which is also nowadays the most basic tattoo you can get), you can also find some better, less popular framed quotes, and some of them are even travel related. Or, you can buy the frame and the canvas and make the quotes by yourself.
Personally, I would much rather make my own quote. The price will be about the same because you have to keep in mind all the supplies that you have to get, but I would much rather decorate my home with something that I made by myself, rather with something that was already made.
I love the lettering style of this quote... and the quote itself. Oh, and the low price - this frame only costs five dollars!
Travel - themed stuff
Framed travel quotes? Check. Super cute travel journals? Check. Supplies for making your own travel posters? Check. Antique world maps? Check. As you can see, if you are a traveller, you can partly decorate your home with things that you bought on your travels, and partly with home decor from Jo Ann. I really love their travel collection, and I wish my house was bigger, so I could buy more stuff to decorate it!
Do you understand why I never leave Jo Ann without buying anything?
Scented candles
Who does not love good smelling stuff? Well, I know that I do, and I own much more scented candles than an average person. Just from the top of my head, I can think of seven Christmas and holiday scented candles and twelve summer and ocean style ones that I have. And almost whenever I visit Jo Ann, I end up going home with a new scented candle for my collection.
Before you start judging me, go there and smell their scented candles - if you decide you like none of their scents, you are officially weird. Just joking. I know some people do not like strong scents, but I love it when my home smells like something good.
Jo Ann also sells items that change depending on the season, for example, you will not find Christmas items year - round there. And they are not selling ready - to - go Christmas things. You will also find some do - it - yourself kits, including for Christmas ornaments, which I have already talked about.
Jo Ann’s art classes
For those of you who would like to level up your creativity game, I am happy to tell you that you can take personalized art classes at Jo Ann. I recently took crocheting class, and I loved it. The group was small - only five people, and there were two instructors, which was amazing. I cannot say that I am a pro crocheter after taking that class, but it definitely helped me in being more creative and engaging some more complicated motives into my crocheting art.
Another one of interesting classes at Jo Ann’s that I attended, is the watercolour cookie decoration, and it looks just as cool (and difficult) as it sounds. Basically, you will learn how to make your cookies look like the fresh paint just spilled on them. And not only do the cookies look beautiful, they also taste delicious.
The class that I just signed up for, is called Home decor class- make your own home decor pillow. I love making things that I can actually use at some points, and since my new couch is quite plain with no pillows on it, this class will be perfect for me. And I already know which fabric will I pick for the pillow - the one with cats on it, of course!
When I will make that cat fabric pillow, I will totally use some of the cat buttons with it!
Most of Jo Ann’s art classes last between two and three hours, and a session costs thirty five dollars. I think these classes are a great idea, because you will be improving your skills, and at the same time meeting people with similar interests than you. So if you are looking for something to do in your free time, these classes are definitely a great option to do something productive… and creative!
A few words for the end…
There is no shortage of DIY stores in the United states of America. But few of them are as good as Jo Ann. Amazing selection of items at low prices - what more could you possibly want? And sometimes, when I need some inspiration, I head over to Jo Ann’s and just look at things they are selling.
In most cases, just looking at the items there gives me plenty of new ideas for my upcoming DIY projects. And just another advice for the end - keep your receipt. There are coupons printed at the end of it, valid for any future purchase!
