I started this website in February of 2020. The intent was to feature crafts that could be used as party decorations. Hence the Crafty Fun Parties. However COVID hit and no one was having parties, so the site (AND I) turned our attention to various crafts. Stuck at home, I started playing with the things I had around the house, (pop bottles, milk jugs, pipe cleaners, paint, felt, mod podge, GLUE GUN etc.) Walmart and Dollar Tree were a couple of the few stores open in those first few months, both had inexpensive craft supplies that I could add to my crafts. Then I found a tutorial on how to make a simple sock gnome and I was obsessed. I still love coming up with different variations and keeping the materials affordable. Apparently the rest of the world was obsessed with gnomes too, because they were selling them EVERYWHERE but they were expensive. I realized I could show people how to make them at a fraction of the price. The Gnome Section is still one of our most popular sections. Yes I said "Our". It was at this point that my sister introduced me to the Cricut. I knew that the Cricut projects, sharing SVGs and ideas had to be a part of this site so I recruited her to help. Yes the initial investment for the Cricut itself is expensive but the projects themselves are not. AND there are several projects in that section that can be cut out with a scissors.

We were going full speed ahead with the site and our crafting when last year we both had some health issues and crafting took a back seat. We are both doing well now and are ready to jump back in (maybe at a slower pace). I wanted to change the name/url of the site to better reflect what it is actually about or at least what it has grown into.
"Bear" Budget Crafts are crafts that are affordable to make, things you have around your house or can easily pick up at Dollar Tree, Walmart or Amazon. I think that almost every crafter has gone out and bought a small fortune in craft supplies only to end up with something you are not particularly fond of. I've seen several people post on social media groups that they want to make something but are afraid to try ??? Everything I use is either stuff I have around the house or fairly inexpensive. So what's the worse that can happen ? Crafting is FUN. Even if your gnome turns out to be totally laughable (yep I've made those !) Isn't a good laugh worth some rice. stuffing and a sock ?