Do NOT go in that Michael's craft store

[kayell]

I feel dirty after even checking up on them. They are owned by the Wyly brothers of TX, some of *s earliest and largest supporters. Involved in smears of John McCain in 2000 and in the Swift Boat Liars this year. etc. etc. Big, dirty, nasty repukes of the most foul type imaginable. Ick.

Those stores always turned me off, now I know why. (Aside of course from the mass produced fake craftiness)

[NMDemDist2]

1. thanks for the info, I never did much with them anyway

cuz they were just "wrong" ya know?

[kayell]

2. My daughter shops there and requested I check them out

I've got to call her and break the news. I never understood the appeal of those stores. Mostly a lot of kit type, or partly manufactured stuff, very little raw materials, and expensive as hell.

The kind of "crafty" stuff that actually discourages real creativity. All designed to be used in approved ways.

[Lorien]

3. D'oh! I just stopped by there yesterday

I got a bag full of feathers to repair the cat toys my Maine Coon keeps destroying (a big bag of feathers cost less than one toy), and I bought some cheezy little frame ornements for my mom (they were on sale). You're right about them being overpriced; they had a "50% off baskets" sale, and those cheaply made baskets were priced at $25-$45!

Now that I know that they're repug owned, I'll never shop there again!

[K8-EEE]

4. Thank You!! I ALWAYS HATED THAT STORE!

I can't tell you how many times I've been in there and they have 10 of something I need 12 of, or they are out of red construction paper a week before Valentines day or whatever. I used to have to go there as a Girl Scout leader, because they offered a 10% discount to the Scouts but I always hated it.

If you don't have a good indie craft store around you I would suggest finding on on-line supplier, Michael's is crazy-making anyhow.

[Philostopher]

5. Jo-Ann stores is a good alternative!

The Rosskamm family (they're in Ohio -- these may be only Ohio or regional stores) has donated this cycle to Sherrod Brown and Eric Fingerhut, though they did also throw $250 to George Voinovich.

Yeah, I'll go throw it into Progressive Pages if it isn't there already!

On edit -- where should I put this one? There isn't a craft store subdivision under Retail, but I don't think it really falls under any of the existing categories.

[kayell]

6. I submitted Michaels to the overall Retail category since nothing else

seemed to fit. I figure that the powers that be will create a category if they see the need.

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. Fuckity fuck fuck.

That's one of the few places to get decent art supplies.

They used to be half and half with the MJDesigns people. Something like the couple that originated it was married, then they divorced. HE got one branch and she got another. Soemthing like that.

MJDesigns could not stay on stable financial footing and finally pulled the cord about 2 years ago.

I'll have to find something else. JoAnn's is OK for some stuff, but not everything.

FSC

[Lorien]

8. Catalogs like Jerry's Art-o-rama, Dick Blick

(they have stores also) and Daniel Smith art supplies have better prices than Michael's on most things. Of the three, I think Jerry's has the best deals.

[fudge stripe cookays]

10. Thanks!

I'll check into them!

FSC

[Cobalt Violet]

16. Curry's is Canadian and very cheap.

USA gets an additional 40% of. And free shipping.

One draw back is the time it takes to get an order.

Not sure if they have a crafts line though.

[LizW]

9. Shoot

No Michaels, no Hobby Lobby?

I like to shop locally, and those are the only places here to get craft supplies.

Oh, wait. There's WalMart. :eyes:

It's true, the "big boxes" have put everything else out of business.

[cally]

11. Sigh

I suspected it but I purposely didn't look into it. Michaels just opened very close to my house. We went to the opening and bought some paper and beads. I'll have to go to Joanne's now which is about 10 miles away.

[Pooka Fey]

12. You'll have to buy more gas, so big oil gets more $ if you drive further.

Plus you'll be causing more pollution. I'm onboard with economic activism, but always remember the big picture. Maybe you can find a mail-order source for your supplies. :-)

[cally]

13. It's a tradeoff

I'm not sure what I'll decide. Probably try to not make special trips for supplies. Only buy when I'm close by.

[NuttyFluffers]

18. no matter what you do big oil will get its money...

so might as well make Michael's suffer in the process.

worry not about the monster you cannot fight, worry about the one you can. otherwise you'll be overwhelmed and paralyzed.

(besides, 10 miles isn't all that much, it's not like you are commuting to craft stores on a daily basis.)

[tilsammans]

14. Thanks for the info!

Michael's is very big in this area.

I'll avoid them from now on.

[Cobalt Violet]

15. Glad to know that.

I supplement my art supply stash from my local Micheal's when I don't have time to go to a real art supply store for just that one color I need. Or when they have a 40% of coupon I can get an expensive tube for cheaper. But I can stop doing this. I have other options.

I'm wondering now about A.C. Moore., because I've been doing the same with their coupons. A 50% coupon is like a $20.00 bill to me when buying a 30" x 40" canvas. But again I have other options. And I would rather stop giving any of my $$ to a GOP business.

I can alway go to real art supply stores but it involve more planning which I am able to do and have always done. These craft store were just a way for me to extend the time in between trips.(Its not worth it if it funds repukes.)

[Lugnut]

21. I wondered about A.C. Moore as well

I usually go to a Ben Franklin's in the local mall because it's only three miles away. A.C. Moore is about 20 miles away so I only go there when I'm in that area.

[vinessa4freedom]

17. help!

Is there a good online blue craft supply place? Haven't had much time for crafts lately, but I now have a month off, and hoped to do crafting while I have the time. It would be good to not only avoid red, but buy blue. Any suggestions?

[NuttyFluffers]

19. What about Aaron Brothers?

they actually have high quality art supplies, but I don't know their politics.

meh, if all else fails go buy from the local community college or public university. almost all of them offer art classes and therefore sell art supplies to their prospective students. schools are seriously hurting all over the USA, so think of the extra cost of art supplies as a "scholastic donation with benefits." they may not have everything, depends on the school and their classes, but you can always casually make small talk with the art department. they'd be sure to know some of the best resources to get supplies (and most won't say Michael's, i can almost guarantee that).

[crispini]

20. Asel Art Supply?

Depends on what you need, it's mostly paint and paper, not so much on the crafty stuff. I couldn't find ANY donating history on them, either way.

http://www.aselart.com/

of course i also couldn't get their webpage to open today?! :shrug:

[fudge stripe cookays]

24. I didn't even know they were still around.

Are there any of those in town still?

FSC

[DemBones DemBones]

22. What about Hobby Lobby? Dick Blick Art Supply?

:shrug:

Creative minds need to know!

[crispini]

23. Hobby Lobby = Red.

CEO contributed $8,000 in the last cycle to a Republican senatorial candidate. No soft money listed.

There wasn't any soft money for Dick Blick, and only one employee:

METZENBERG, HOWARD L
EVANSTON,IL 60201
DICK BLICK ART MATERIALS/INTERNET W
8/11/2004
$1,000
Kerry, John

Looks like the webmaster? Interestingly enough, he's got the same last name as one of the founders. I'd say they're blue, or at least blue enough! :)

[DemBones DemBones]

25. Only supported a GOP senatorial candidate? That's not too bad,

in comparison to many others. There's a Michaels in town (except it's called Craft World or something, but my friend said it's owned by the same people) and a Hobby Lobby thirty something miles away but it's more like fifty miles to Dick Blick. I order online a lot anyway. Too bad I can't grocery shop online! All the stores here are red.

[crispini]

26. Well, there's one other thing about Hobby Lobby...

They have a very definite pro-Christian bent:

http://www.hobbylobby.com/site3/ministry/ministry.htm

Now, honestly, I don't know enough about their associated companies to say whether that's a right-winger fundie type of Christian bent or not.

Maybe they're fine, I have no problem with pro-Christian per se, just the right-winger fundie variety, but if I were gonna set out to do a lot of shopping there, I'd want to check them out a little more. :shrug:

They're also HQ'ed in Oklahoma, FWIW...