9 Craft Bargains Under $20 for NZ Mid-Year Sale Hunters

Mid-year. Tax refunds landing. Kids on school holidays. A small budget for fun. Here are 9 craft picks under $20 NZ that punch above their weight. All in stock and shipping NZ-wide same-day before 11am.

A note from the shop floor — the best small purchase I add to our shop every quarter is a 1kg block of air-dry clay. It's the cheapest 'busy weekend' I can hand a parent — and it's number 3 below for a reason.

1. Mont Marte Signature Acrylic Paint 75ml — from $2.49

Pick any 4 colours. Build a custom palette for under $10 total. The most affordable way to start painting (or top up a classroom kit). Browse acrylic paint range.

2. Mont Marte 4-Piece Taklon Brush Set — $9.99

The starter set we recommend in our brush guide. Sizes 4, 6, 8, 10. One purchase covers most beginner painting needs.

3. Air-Dry Clay 1kg Block — $7.99

Enough for several school holiday projects (see our 14 Air-Dry Clay Projects guide). Mont Marte Air Hardening Clay is what we stock.

4. A4 Visual Diary 130gsm — $12.99

The single most-used surface for NZ art students. 130gsm handles dry media, light wet media, and ink without buckling.

5. Mont Marte Watercolour Cake Set 12pc — $19.99

Travel-sized solid pan watercolours. Great for kids, classrooms, or just keeping in a bag for sketching on the go.

6. Mont Marte Oil Pastels 24pc — $14.99

Vibrant, blendable, no mess. Works on paper, canvas, and even glass. See our forthcoming Oil Pastels Beginner's Guide (publishing 15 July).

7. Sketching Pencil Set 12pc — $11.99

Mont Marte 4H to 6B drawing pencils with sharpener. Covers the full range we recommend in our Pencil Grades Guide.

8. Mont Marte Canvas Pad 10-Sheet A4 — $14.99

Pre-stretched canvas board pages. Perfect for portfolio testing, classroom work, or getting through a bunch of small studies before committing to a stretched canvas.

9. Crafters' Mystery Box — under $20

Our pick: pair any 4 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: Sketching 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 the perfect 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. Same-day dispatch before 11am NZT, NZ Post + Aramex tracked delivery to anywhere in the country.

About the author — Namra Shah is the owner of Handy Mandy Craft Store in West Auckland. We stock Mont Marte across NZ with same-day dispatch before 11am NZT and free shipping over $75. Questions? Email info@handymandy.co.nz or DM us on Instagram @handy_mandy_stores_.