9 Craft Bargains Under $20 in NZ
School holidays, birthdays, Christmas stockings. A small budget for fun. Here are 9 craft picks under $20 NZ that punch above their weight. All dispatched NZ-wide in 1–3 working days.
Our pick for a cheap, busy weekend is a 500g block of air-dry clay. It's number 3 below.
1. Mont Marte Signature Acrylic Paint 75ml: $2.99
Pick any 4 colours. Build a custom palette for under $12 total. The most affordable way to start painting (or top up a classroom kit). Browse the Signature acrylic range.
2. Mont Marte Premium Taklon Acrylic Brushes 4pc: $8.99
The 4-piece starter set we suggest in our brush buyer's guide. One purchase covers most beginner painting.
3. Air Hardening Clay 500g: $5.99
Enough for several school holiday projects (see our 14 Air-Dry Clay Projects guide). Mont Marte Air Hardening Clay, white 500g.
4. A4 Visual Art Diary 110gsm: $12.99
A go-to for NZ art students. The 110gsm paper suits pencil, charcoal, pastels and markers. Heavy washes will make it ripple.
5. Mont Marte Discovery Watercolour Cake Set 38pc: $13.49
Travel-sized solid pan watercolours. Great for kids, classrooms, or keeping in a bag for sketching on the go. See the set.
6. Mont Marte Oil Pastels 24pc: $10.49
Soft and easy to blend, on paper and card. See our Oil Pastels Beginner's Guide, or go straight to the 24-colour set.
7. Signature Charcoal Pencils 12pc: $7.99
Twelve charcoal pencils for shading and tonal drawing. Choosing graphite pencils too? Our Pencil Grades Guide explains the range.
8. Mont Marte Canvas Pad 10-Sheet A4: $8.99
Ten sheets of primed canvas in a pad. Good for portfolio testing, classroom work, or getting through a bunch of small studies before committing to a stretched canvas.
9. Build your own gift box: under $20
Our pick: pair a few of the items above to build a custom craft kit gift box for a Kiwi crafter. Free NZ shipping kicks in over $75 if you bundle.
Bundle ideas
- "Painting starter": under $25: 4 acrylic colours + 4-piece brush set
- "Drawing starter": under $25: Charcoal pencil set + A4 visual diary
- "Kid-busy starter": under $20: Air-dry clay + acrylic colours for decorating
- "Travel sketcher": under $35: Watercolour cake set + A4 visual diary
Why under $20?
It's the gift threshold for Kiwi crafters: a treat that doesn't break the bank. It's also a handy classroom budget for teachers buying for a single student. And it's the threshold where "should I?" becomes "yes."
Free shipping over $75
Stack up a few items and you'll qualify for free NZ shipping. Dispatched in 1–3 working days by tracked courier to anywhere in the country.
About the author: Namra Shah is the owner of Handy Mandy Craft Store in Morningside, Auckland. We stock Mont Marte and ship NZ-wide in 1–3 working days, free over $75. Questions? Email info@handymandy.co.nz or DM us on Instagram @handy_mandy_stores_.