If this isn’t free/cheap, DIY art & decor, I don’t know what is! Click the photo to find out how to make or buy these things. Thanks to Pinterest and Etsy for the awesome ideas. Here’s Broke & Healthy’s Pinterest board.
Also, if you’re taking several paint chip samples, especially if it’s from a small business, be polite and offer to pay for these samples. If we abuse the system, one day they won’t be free for anyone!
1. Framed art
2. Spiral Notepads
3. Moving Cards
4. Coasters
5. Ceiling Art
6. Placemats
7. Earrings
8. Greeting Cards
9. Gift Cards
10. Party Banner
11. Lamps
12. Mini Gift Bags
13. Rolodex/Recipe Separators
14. Valentine’s Day Cards
15. Bookmarks
16. Mobiles
17. “Wallpaper”
18. Necklaces
19. Business Card Holders
20. Hanging Art (Adult Mobiles?)
21. “Pixel Art”
22. Wallets
23. Greeting Cards
24. Origami
25. Magnets
26. Christmas Ornaments
27. Abstract Art
28. Bike Wheel Decor
29. Colored Calendar
30. Confetti
31. Target Wall Runners
32. Name Placecards
33. Stitched Cards
34. Embellished Shapes
35. Mini Flag Runners
36. Pinwheel Framed Art
37. Gift Boxes
38. Retail-Style Jewelry Cards
39. Wreaths
40. Color Orbs
41. Clocks
42. Garland
43. Pinned Art
44. Mini Notepads
45. Mini Scrap Book Covers
46. Glass Table Top
47. Kid’s Games
48. Geometric Collage
49. Stitched Greeting Card
50. Utensil Holder
November 21, 2016 at 10:10 pm
I also like to make dry erase calendars with paint chips. find a photo frame (with glass), and arrange the paint chips to form the squares for the days. It is a lot of fun. when you are done, just write and erase on the glass and change out colors whenever you feel like it!
November 15, 2016 at 7:51 pm
For those of you who don’t like the printed words appearing on the paint chips, they are easily erased with a regular white eraser.
In my experience, most places are happy to give you the chips if you ask for them.
Thanks for the post.
August 13, 2016 at 4:44 pm
[…] easy, and if you need 49 other things to do with paint chips, this blog has you […]
July 20, 2016 at 10:27 pm
Ande,
Always going to be Debbie-downers about ANYTHING on the Internet. I bet half of these complainers have never even held a paint brush or are crafters of any kind, yet they are worried about having to pay for paint samples. Have these people ever noticed the TON of paint samples at paint stores?? Better to re-purpose them than to see them all thrown in the dump!I LOVE your ideas and have a nice collection of samples myself.
You are awesome!
February 16, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Auch Situationen aus dem Alltag können mit entsprechendem Spielzeug nachgeahmt werden.
February 5, 2016 at 6:23 am
Its just unbelievable how paint chip samples can be useful not in one way or two but 50 uses. I really like the way you can use them to make ceiling art, earrings, lamps and even gift boxes. I really think that its time and money saving and i will definitely try your idea. The most credible primary data thesis writing services are offered to all clients, which also includes capstone, dissertations among other custom papers. Give our custom writing services a thought and rest assured of professional services.
January 22, 2016 at 11:49 pm
[…] easy, and if you need 49 other things to do with paint chips, this blog has you […]
January 22, 2016 at 1:02 pm
i thought 98% of these ideas were absolutely ridiculous
August 6, 2016 at 5:13 pm
That is because you are a non-creative, narrow-minded ass.
October 16, 2016 at 4:09 pm
Agreed.
January 18, 2016 at 10:19 pm
[…] Broke & Healthy […]
January 18, 2016 at 4:23 am
[…] Broke & Healthy gives us a simple idea for jazzing up the office but adding some pop of color as well. Use paint chips to divide your files, important papers and the like. […]
January 5, 2016 at 2:45 pm
I bought there old sample books for 10.00 at a paint store, love mine great article and ideas
January 1, 2016 at 6:49 am
[…] brokeandhealthy […]
November 29, 2015 at 2:18 am
[…] Image via: Broke and Healthy […]
November 11, 2015 at 4:05 am
[…] easy, and if you need 49 other things to do with paint chips, this blog has you […]
October 1, 2015 at 7:48 pm
[…] Imagens: 1 – 2 […]
September 7, 2015 at 11:24 am
[…] If you’ve completed or even just contemplated a painting project recently, you’ve probably amassed stacks of paint chips. No judgment here—you don’t even have to explain why you kept them, because we (well, some of us) understand: They’re so pretty! We have a hard time throwing them out too. Here are a few ways to get creative with those paint chips. Paint Card Necklace Address announcements Paint Coasters […]
August 12, 2015 at 3:29 am
Excellent article. Thank you. Glad to see someone out there who thinks like me.
(Oh and… Ace Hardware has the paint samples that are peel off stickers).
July 22, 2015 at 4:47 am
Thank you for another magnificent article. Where
else could anybody get that kind of information in such an ideal means of writing?
I’ve a presentation next week, and I’m at the search for
such information.
July 20, 2015 at 7:53 pm
I think you are very clever. Really enjoyed looking at these.
June 12, 2015 at 10:51 am
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April 15, 2015 at 5:56 am
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February 26, 2015 at 9:55 am
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February 22, 2015 at 3:57 am
[…] afford to paint? You can usually get paint sample cards for free, and Broke and Healthy has a list of 50 fun ways to turn paint sample cards into home decorations. Hang them on your wall, […]
February 9, 2015 at 11:17 pm
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to generate a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole
lot and never seem to get anything done.
March 16, 2015 at 6:24 am
Yeah agreed! absolutely right… that was stunning piece of work
January 21, 2015 at 8:15 am
All of these are wonderful but has anyone thought about the fact that those paint samples are free but if people keep taking them with out the intent to buy their paint they will soon start to charge people for them!
February 18, 2015 at 11:26 pm
I asked my local paint store if I could have the paint chip samples when they are done with them and they were more than happy to give them to me. I gave them my phone # and they have called me 2x’s in the last 2 weeks with over 1000 chips:)
December 3, 2014 at 9:50 am
[…] – there are many examples on the web. (Quite a few have been gathered together here: https://www.brokeandhealthy.com/50-fun-things-to-do-with-paint-chip-samples#) But I’ve not been quite so inspired by this type, which is what I find in most stores, […]
September 30, 2014 at 1:03 pm
If you’re hanging pictures that aren’t a “set” and are different
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September 26, 2014 at 3:58 pm
Valuable info. Fortunate me I discovered your website
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did not happened in advance! I bookmarked it.
September 23, 2014 at 12:39 pm
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I
find this matter to be actually something which I think I would
never understand. It seems too complex and extremely broad for me.
I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
September 9, 2014 at 11:07 pm
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August 27, 2014 at 12:35 am
I am working on a course project to encourage single parents to use samples as crafting material to create Eco-friendly product to sell. I think the ideas you shared here are great.
August 18, 2014 at 10:57 am
[…] 50 fun projects to do with Paint Chip Samples. […]
June 24, 2014 at 7:47 am
[…] even know you need!). From jewellery and greetings cards to wallpaper and wallets, here are another 50 ways to decorate your home on a budget with […]
June 23, 2014 at 4:11 pm
Sooooooooooo cute
June 4, 2014 at 2:44 pm
If you have them lying around from selecting the colors in your home, then go to it and repurpose them, but count me in with the folks who see taking these for the sake of mass quantities of free crafting materials is stealing. That’s promotional material that costs the supplier money. Just because 1 store wants to see people’s paint chip projects doesn’t change that. Who made Lowe’s the supreme ruling authority of paint chip ethics?
July 8, 2014 at 9:59 pm
Hey Gael, thanks for commenting. Just wanted to note that I’ve asked people reading this article to offer to pay for the samples. If we abuse the system then they’ll start charging folks who really need samples for painting real things! I hear ya.
May 31, 2014 at 8:38 pm
The next time one of you complain about the high price of paint remember these crafts. Paint samples are not produced for free.
July 8, 2014 at 10:00 pm
Hey Kevin, thanks for commenting! I mentioned at the top of this article that we should definitely offer to pay for samples, otherwise, we’ll abuse the system.
February 6, 2014 at 11:33 am
[…] 1. Wreath, Style at Home | 2. Gift Tags, Etsy | 3. Wall Art, True Blue Me and You | 4. Dividers, Broke and Healthy | 5. Confetti, Disney Baby | 6. Bookmarks, Inhabitots | 7. Baby Mobile, Kirsty | 8. Party Garland, […]
September 25, 2013 at 1:15 pm
[…] via Broke & Healthy […]
January 25, 2013 at 5:11 am
I had no idea about colors combination but after read your blog I cleared everything. You teach me and provide me good list of colors. Thanks
November 13, 2012 at 1:06 am
Do you have instructions on some of these? I am interested mainly in the clock. I have lots of paint chips. When I go into Lowe’s, they tell me to help myself to whatever I need. The trick is not to be greedy about it. I make several trips and take a few at a time. Thank you.
November 15, 2012 at 10:11 am
I don’t have any instructions, personally. You’ll need to click through to the original websites and see if the original designers posted any directions. Sorry!
October 11, 2012 at 4:06 am
[…] brokeandhealthy.com via Reincarnations on […]
August 30, 2012 at 4:20 pm
[…] hundreds of things you can do and you can look just about anywhere to find crafts and ideas to use paint chips for. Bookmarks, art, framing, coasters, earrings, etc…etc…etc! My favorite reasons, […]
August 30, 2012 at 9:52 am
[…] on my facebook page. Have fun!!PS I found some great resources you might be interested in…50 Fun Things to do with Paint Chip Samples Paint Chips – Are You Stealing? Spread the Love! Tweet COMMENT BELOW!Posted on […]
August 2, 2012 at 10:06 am
I really want to do the paint chips on a desk top, just like the table above. But how would I go about securing the plexiglass to the surface once the paint chips are laid down????
August 2, 2012 at 11:54 am
Rachael, my guess is, if you use a glass table-top instead of plexiglass, the weight of the glass would be heavy enough to secure itself. Plexiglass seems a bit too light to me. However, if you DO use plexiglass, maybe screwing it down directly into the 4 corners of the table would hold it down?
September 14, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Just be careful when screwing plexiglass down. You will need to drill a hole in it first, or it will break.
July 31, 2012 at 4:03 am
i used to collect paint chips(wierd obsession i know)and i found them a couple days ago thinking “what in the world am i gonna do with these”but i found this site and now have used nearly all of my cards!(there was about 150 i think…..maybe less idk)i also had the idea of making a treasure hunt with them for my nieces(i hid clue cards made out of the chips everywhere telling a clue to where the next one would be and the final clue said where to find the mega prize)(that was two big eggs)
July 30, 2012 at 10:59 am
Omg!!! This is so cool! I have so many paint chips and didn’t know what to do with them and now I do!!! Thank you so much for posting this!!!!! I will definetly use the staple idea!! 🙂 :-). 🙂 :-). 🙂 :-). 🙂 :-). 🙂
July 20, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Pretty soon paint chips will NOT be free in stores…..for this exact reason. 🙁
August 7, 2012 at 11:57 pm
Not necessarily- Lowe’s is running a contest on the best ideas using paint chips- the bicycle shown here is on their website.
July 9, 2015 at 6:15 pm
Well if you call and ask the store for leftover paint chips they have about 1000 leftover paint chips a week. This will help prevent stores from charging for paint chips or making you ask.
July 15, 2012 at 5:18 pm
These are great! Thanks so much.
I have a bunch of paint chips that I want to make wall paper out of. How do you recommend I keep them on the wall? I can’t paint in my apartment and holes have to be kept at a minimum. I’m afraid tape won’t hold. Any suggestions? Thanks!
July 26, 2012 at 2:52 pm
just looking througfh these projects but,
i have an idea for : Felicia (July 15, 2012 at 5:18 pm)
glue the paint chips to either poster boards , a roll of paper -either brown packing paper or try to find a roll of plain white art paper… or maybe even contact paper (but it would be more expensive and may even pull paint off walls – so I would test a small spot near floor or in closet first.
then use the ‘command strips’ that stick to the wall and ur hanging and kind of “velcro” together to hold it up… or even poster sticky putty may work. Depending on what you use, i would glue the chips before hanging since it may bleed through thinner papers.
Good luck, sounds like a fun project!
June 5, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Thank you so much for posting my Paint Sample Wallet and for such inspiring ideas! This is awesome!
May 2, 2012 at 8:33 am
This is a great collection of paint chip ideas Ande! I’ve seen some of these ideas on Pinterest too, but there are some lovely fresh ones here that I hadn’t yet discovered. What a great idea for a post – thanks for curating all the great ideas for displaying here. I’m repinning so that I can have reference to it in future 🙂
April 9, 2012 at 2:18 pm
[…] be crafty without being crafty. If you fit underneath any of these, then you should invest in some paint chip samples. By invest, I mean that you need to drive to your local hardware store and grab some. You can do so […]
April 4, 2012 at 10:11 am
Awesome ideas! The glass tabletop, pixel art, and placemats are so fun and crafty!
August 2, 2012 at 10:07 am
Do you have an idea as to how to secure the glass/plexiglass onto the surface of the table, once the paint chips are laid down?
March 29, 2012 at 12:04 pm
all these are to hard paint
March 28, 2012 at 8:45 pm
[…] 50 Fun Things to do with Paint Chip Samples « Diy Decorating « Home Life « Broke & Healthy Browse Archived Articles by Ande Truman Ande has made mistakes in the kitchen since she could reach the countertop. […]
March 28, 2012 at 12:07 pm
TY so much…can;t wait to use the scrapbook cover idea for our Kid’s Chorus…we also run a Lobby craft “Hands on” craft time follow up to our singing sessions… these are such fun! Now
we will have some fantastic new ideas because of you! Hugs!
March 26, 2012 at 8:55 pm
how do you hang r glue all of those to a wall? I would love to do this since i am a renter, but do not want to damage the walls
March 10, 2012 at 10:11 am
50 things to do with paint chips is fantastic. Thanks so much for posting it. I’m always amazed by the creativity of people. I can’t wait to share it with my stamping art friends.
February 23, 2012 at 1:08 pm
[…] Source: Paint Ball, Boxes […]
February 20, 2012 at 5:34 am
[…] the images below are from brokeandhealthy (click the title link to see more fantastic DIY […]
February 12, 2012 at 3:21 pm
cool ideas! tfs
February 4, 2012 at 7:27 pm
[…] free and easy way to add color to your breakfast table from brokeandhealthy.com Posted in roost « Morning Eye Opener – Coffee […]
February 2, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Very pretty and original but while these cards are free to YOU, they’re not FREE to the stores that have to pay for them. So it’s a little like ‘stealing’ isn’t it? Can’t imagine what a store would say if they noticed someone taking a whole pile of those color cards….any comments or experiences? Somehow I doubt they’d say ‘oh sure…help yourself to several hundred…we don’t mind’
February 15, 2013 at 12:45 pm
As Long as you dont take to many at a time, there fine with it at home depot. Lowes enjoys seeing what you do with them. So yeah.
January 15, 2012 at 4:24 am
Great, thanks for sharing this article. Awesome.
January 11, 2012 at 5:01 am
[…] via Blair on Pinterest Source: kerryspapercrafts.com via Lindsay on Pinterest Source: brokeandhealthy.com via Keri on Pinterest Source: realsimple.com via Brianna on […]
December 22, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Just grabbed a boodle of paint chips today 🙂 Now I have TONS of ideas for what to do with them! THANK YOU!!!
December 29, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Woohoo, you’re welcome!
March 30, 2012 at 7:46 am
aw jess! i miss you. please come visit us soon. you are wemloce here any time day or night!! and our life is far from perfect, but we are very very happy with how things are im very thankful for it and really am just trying to focus on that more and more rather than being distracted by craziness that seems to take over!
November 13, 2011 at 1:26 am
Thanks for including a Word for Word Greetings collage as #48.
Visit our etsy shop for paint chip greeting cards, ready to hang wall art, paint chip poem magnets, buttons & more: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WordForWordGreetings
November 10, 2011 at 12:04 pm
How did you make the ceiling art? I would love to do that!
October 30, 2011 at 9:10 am
[…] Bron en meer ideën : https://www.brokeandhealthy.com/50-fun-things-to-do-with-paint-chip-samples […]
October 27, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Love all these creative ideas – looking at paint chips in a new light!
October 27, 2011 at 9:26 am
This is awesome! Trina, I love the idea for scrapbooking. Thanks for the eraser advice! 🙂
October 26, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Good Ideas!….I use paint chips for scrapbooking, they are great for matting photos. Also a little tip….you can use a white eraser, on the writing/numbers that is on the paint chips, takes it right off, without any marks. *:*
October 24, 2011 at 11:03 am
A girl after my own heart!!!! You’ve been bookmarked in my system for.ev.er!
I did a pennant project back in July ( link below) and I’ll be doing a similar one this week on my What I Made Wednesday post! Hope you stop by and check it out!
http://feellovdeveryday.blogspot.com/2011/07/red-white-and-blue-paint-chips-pennant.html
October 24, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Very cool, Lilly!! Thanks for stopping by!
October 24, 2011 at 9:17 am
[…] a paint sample art kind of girl. Speaking of paint sample art–here’s a post with 50 fun things to do with paint chips. Last time I went into my local Sherwin Williams, they even had paint sample art displayed around the […]
August 24, 2011 at 6:40 pm
In the first necklace picture, what are those metal circles that go around the hole punch called?
August 29, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Yikes, I have no idea what the name of those are, Caitlyn… but if you go to just about any beading store, you’ll find everything you need to put this together.
October 24, 2011 at 11:04 am
Caitlyn,
Hi, over here at feel LOVD everyday. Just way your comment and I think you are referring to the “jump rings”.
March 24, 2012 at 10:02 pm
I’ve heard them called ‘eyelets’ in the scrapbook section. They’re cool to use for lots of different things like that.
October 26, 2011 at 2:10 pm
grommets… they sell them in the scrapbooking section in a bunch of different colors…. 🙂
February 8, 2012 at 10:35 am
Caitiyn,
Those little things are called grommets.
Kathy
March 26, 2012 at 11:13 pm
If you are talking about the one that holds the chip to the chain..it’s an eyelet or grommet, and you can also buy jump rings in the jewellery section of any craft store that sells beads etc.
Hope this helps! Happy crafting!
August 14, 2011 at 3:29 pm
awesome stuff here! thank you so much for including our paint chip Christmas ornaments. I get discontinued stacks of them from paint companies that would have gone in the trash and love coming up with fun ways to use them
August 11, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Awesome Ande….Very creative.