6 Best Hobby Lobby Buys (And 6 Things To Skip), According To Reviews

If you love decorating your home, crafting, and finding fun DIY projects, you're probably familiar with Hobby Lobby. With over 1,000 physical stores and a robust online catalog, Hobby Lobby is a popular stop for many people. By their own accounting, Hobby Lobby is one of the largest arts and crafts stores worldwide! They offer supplies like paint, glue, and yarn, but also tons of home decor items. You can find everything from lamps and tables to door knobs and soap, making it easy to decorate your entire home all in one store.

If you're looking for ideas and inspiration for your living room and find yourself wandering the aisles (physically or digitally), there are some great finds you should keep your eyes peeled for. Unfortunately, not every item is a hit, and there are also some things that are better left on the shelves. If you have trouble telling which is which, the online reviews are a great place to start. To steer you towards some great finds (and away from some less than stellar items), here's what the reviews say about these hits and misses from Hobby Lobby.

With the holidays coming up, tons of shoppers are on the hunt for a tree to decorate. If a regular tree isn't your style, check out this Whimsical Pre-lit Christmas Tree. You can get a 3-foot, 5-foot, or massive 7.5-foot tree, ready to decorate! The top is curved to give it a more fun shape than a traditional tree, and the reviews are great, with an overall star rating of 4.8. A review from Debbie says this is the "Cutest little tree ever!", and Mel says "I am so pleased with my whimsical tree."

On the other hand, the Brittany Pine Pre-lit Christmas Tree was a disappointment for many shoppers. With an overall star rating of 2 and a staggering $1199.98 price tag, this is one tree you should leave in the forest! Over half the reviews are 1 star. The reason? Faulty lights. A review from Joe says a quarter of the lights on his tree stopped working after a year, while half of Mara's lights didn't work out of the box. Reviewer Skm107 even bought a replacement tree, only to have the same problem: "So upsetting".

If your living room needs to smell like coffee, then the Kona Coffee Tin Candle is perfect for you. A review left by Hana says this is "Probably one of my favorite candles of all time!" and that it smells just like coffee. If you're the type who'd rather look at a candle than burn it, the candle is very cute. It's designed to look like a vintage can of coffee, with one anonymous reviewer saying "I love the retro vibe." It has an average rating of 4.8 and overwhelmingly positive reviews.

With an average star rating of 1.6, the Ridged Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser is a less appealing way to make your room smell good. The main complaint from reviewers is that the product simply doesn't work. One anonymous reviewer said it was a "Waste of money" and didn't work from the beginning, while another anonymous reviewer's diffuser "Broke within a week." Several reviewers claimed the diffuser didn't produce any mist, and only the light-up feature worked correctly. A review left by Mary summarizes the situation neatly: "No mist. No clear directions. No cleaning brush ... Terrible quality."

Add some rustic charm to your living room or bedroom with this Vintage Flowers Tapestry Canvas Wall Decor. It has an overall star rating of 4.9 with only 1 negative review (compared to the 41 5-star reviews). Reviewer KFen said it was "Just what I was looking for and a super price!" and according to Nita "The colors are so soothing, the wood at the top & bottom just make it!" The neutral colors match most room decor, so you'll likely be pleased no matter your aesthetic.

This doorknob looks beautiful, which makes the overwhelmingly negative reviews even more crushing. The Brown and Cream Flower Scroll Knob has a star rating of 1.8. The reviews say the knob just isn't sturdy enough. An anonymous review describes them as "Beautiful but useless", and another mentions that "These knobs are not sealed into the base and therefore, they slide off easily." Even one of the positive reviews, a 3-star review from an anonymous customer, mentions them breaking, saying "I always have to repair them or reinforce them with a super glue."

If you love DIY home decor projects, grab a few packs of Sculpey Premo Oven Bake Clay to use for your next project (maybe this DIY clay wall art?). FeatsofClayColorado said in their review that "It conditions quickly, is consistent, and strong when properly baked," while Linda H mentioned it's "Great colors, blendability, workability." It comes in a wide range of hues and has an overall rating of 4.7 out 5 stars with over 400 positive reviews! 

The Wood Bird Feeder Kit is a DIY project you may want to skip, though. Most reviews reference nails that are too easily bent and wood that splits easily. While the design of the feeder is cute, the 2.3 average star rating isn't. One anonymous reviewer laid the problems out plainly: "Bent hardware, split wood. Directions are backwards and make things more complicated. Save yourself the headache." Maybe skip this one and try this DIY birdfeeder made from a repurposed toilet paper roll instead.

This Shaggy Faux Fur Berber Throw Blanket is "Super soft and beautiful" according to reviewer KCK. If you want a cozy layer to relax under in your living room, this 5-star blanket looks to be a great choice. It comes in gray and white to match any aesthetic, and shoppers seem quite pleased with it. A reviewer named Amanda said "I am on my way now to go buy a few more of these," and she wasn't the only one. Multiple reviews mentions getting more of them for friends, family, or themselves.

The Burlap Merry Christmas Tree Garland is very cute, so why should you skip it? There are only five reviews, but every single one says the garland was misspelled — and each in a different way! Unless you want your banner to say Chrisstmas like Sklee921's, or Ihristmas like Patrice M.'s, you might want to get a different garland. Of course, with such a small number of reviews, it's certainly possible this was just one bad batch. If you decide to try your luck, keep the receipt and check the spelling first thing.

If you need something to spruce up your living room, this Velvet Round Pillow comes in five lovely colors that "add a pop of color as well as style," according to a review from Shelba. While a couple reviews do mention the central button coming loose, most people are satisfied with them and the average star rating sits at a nice 4.5. One anonymous reviewer reports that "They're great for back support they're beautiful, and stay fluffed with all the use," which sounds like everything you'd want in a pillow. 

A shadow box is the perfect place to display your treasured memories in a living room or bedroom, but the Wood Shadow Box may not be the best choice for your home. One anonymous reviewer reported that the box was fragile and frequently arrived already damaged or became damaged soon afterwards, stating that "The paint chips SO easily." Another anonymous shopper agreed, adding that "They're too deep to see what you put in them." Even one of the two 4-star reviews mentions receiving a box with cracks in it!