These items are great to have around the house for whenever you get inspired. If, like me, you love a bargain, look for the items marked here with an asterisk at your local 99-cent store and get some bang for your crafty bucks.
Aluminum flashing: This comes in a roll in different widths. It’s great for the tin projects because it’s easy to cut and holds its shape when it’s bent. Also, it doesn’t rust!
*Ball point pins: These will help you hold tiny things in place. The long ones are especially handy.
Books, old and discarded: You can use the paper for all sorts of things. Cut up pages for découpage projects, mount artwork on a book-page background, use the covers for card stock—there are tons of possibilities.
*Buckets with lids: Great for storing large batches of papier-mâché and for keeping water and sponges nearby while you work.
*Buttons: Start collecting these now and always try to have tons around. Get them anywhere and glue them on anything. They are decorative, great for flower centers, and neat for mosaic projects.
*Clothespins, wood and plastic: Wooden clothespins are perfect for gluing around and on projects to give them a handmade feel, and the plastic ones are great little clamps for holding things together while they dry.
*Craft paper: You know, the brown stuff that looks like what they use to make paper bags out of. Perfect for patterns.
Decorative scissors: You can get these in so many different shapes at arts and crafts stores, and you will want them all. They give your paper projects beautiful borders. Fiskars makes a terrific selection of scissors that last and last.
Drill and drill bits: Get a good drill. Mine is from Skil, and it’s sturdy and strong. A nice selection of drill bits will last you forever, as long as you take care of them (Black & Decker make a great set). Stay away from cheap tools; they just don’t last! (Also see Dremel,)
(Elmer’s) glue: The basic white stuff is great for all craft projects, especially découpage.
(Elmer’s) wood glue: For small wood projects, where getting a small nail in place is almost impossible, this stuff will really keep your work together. It’s also great for securing pieces of furniture that might be wobbly. Just fill in the cracks, and you’ll see what a difference it makes! I use it all the time on old furniture.
*Extension cords: Let’s just say that sometimes your glue gun does not quite reach your worktable.
Fabric scraps: I save all of mine and eventually use every last one.
*Faux flowers and leaves: Stick them in vases, use them for jewelry, spruce up a headband…always have tons around, they will come in handy.
Felt: Just a great fabric that does not fray at the edges. Perfect for putting on the underside of your projects to protect your tabletops, and great for graphic fabric projects, such as pillows and tablecloths.
Fiskars cutting mat: This is a piece of plastic that you can use your craft knife on, over and over again, without harming it. It’s perfect for all of the precise cutting you do. It also has a 1-inch square grid for easy measuring.
Glitter glue: Michaels arts and crafts stores have a great selection of this stuff. Glitter glue is perfect for sprucing up any project. I love it and never leave the house without some in my backpack!
Glue sticks: What did we do without them? Perfect for greeting card and envelope projects. A nice clean way to use glue.
Google.com (image search feature): If you’re looking for a picture of a Union Jack to make a pillow pattern or need an image of Frieda Kahlo to transfer onto a pillow, just get on your computer and do an image search. It’s an easy way to find inspiration for your projects.
Goop glue: Goop has a huge selection of different glues that bond everything. The E-6000 is the best and sticks just about anything to anything.
Hammer: A must for every toolbox. Try a smaller craft hammer for tiny nails and projects.
*Hot glue gun: You can get these anywhere. Although I am not a huge fan of the hot glue gun, there are great things you can do with it, and as long as you use another adhesive along with it, it’s perfect for keeping something in place.
ICE Resin: Great for jewelry projects, this is a super product that’ll make your crafts last.
Jigsaw with different size blades: I use a Skil jigsaw with a scroll blade for many of my projects.
Level: This is a must in any home and for any craft project—from making tables to hanging pictures. You can pick up a level anywhere these days. Get a small one that is no more than 1 inch long.
Magazines: Old magazines are full of inspiring pictures and great ideas for new projects.
Metallic spray paints, gold and silver: As any southern girl will tell you, everything looks better sprayed silver and gold. Krylon’s Metallics are my favorite.
Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish: Hands down the best clear coat on the market.
Mod Podge: This is a great sealer that leaves a nice finish on your projects.
Needle-nose pliers: Super for picking up tiny things and bending small wires.
Newspapers: You need these to keep your work area clean, for papier-mâché, and for inspiration.
*Night-lights, plug-in: One of the easiest ways to light a project is to plug in a night-light to the end of an extension cord. It’s safe and gives off a very nice low-wattage glow.
OOK: What is an OOK, you ask? It’s a self-leveling sawtooth hanger made by a company called OOK, and it’s great for hanging your projects.
*Paintbrushes: Get them anywhere, in lots of sizes, and make sure you take care of them.
Paint chips: It’s always good to have color references around you, and paint chips allow you to see what colors work well together.
Paint thinner: This stuff is flammable, so be careful. It’s great for getting rid of all kinds of messes, and can even remove some gooey glue. Just dab a bit on a cotton swab, and you have a very useful item.
*Paper clips: In case you need a wire hook, these are handy to have around. Just unbend them and twist them into shape. They’re also great materials to use in your crafts—I always have gold, silver, and multicolor ones around.
Paper cutter: Perfect for making straight edges and long cuts. It’s also great for cutting several sheets at once. Get one at Staples for a good price.
Paper shredder: I got mine on sale at Staples for 15 dollars. Great for making huge batches of paper strips for your papier-mâché projects.
Paper towels and old rags: The more messes I create, the more I’ll need them. You’ll need a lot of cleanup supplies on hand.
*Pencils: You can never have enough pencils. You’ll use them for marking measurements, tracing, sketching, outlining. . . .
Pinking shears: Shears with notched blades; used to finish edges of cloth with a zigzag cut for decoration or to prevent raveling or fraying. I love them! I have one pair for paper and one pair for fabric.
Plaid acrylic paints: Great colors, perfect for any craft project. Nice quality, too.
Plaster of Paris: Experiment and have fun with this stuff. I like to fill old plastic dolls with it and make them into sculptures.
Plywood, birch, ¼ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, and 1 inch thick: Great for all of your wood projects. Birch plywood has a nice finish and is a higher grade than other plywood.
*Popsicle sticks and wooden coffee stirrers: Use these and lots of Elmer’s wood glue to make sculptures, frames, trivets, what-have-you.
*Q-tips: Perfect for dabbing on small bits of glue or taking off a little drip of paint while you work.
Rebar tie: This bendable wire comes in handy when you want to create wire structures or hold things in place.
Recycled containers: C’mon, how many times do you need somewhere to store your brushes and pencils? Use what you have around the house.
Ribbon: Great for finishing edges on projects, hanging picture frames the old-fashioned way, and embellishing pretty much anything. Keep lots of different kinds on hand—satin, grosgrain, faille—and stock a variety of widths.
Rocks to use as paperweights: It’s always good to have some smooth rocks on hand to hold things down while you work. I work outside a lot, and I just gather some and keep them beautifully arranged in a corner somewhere. You will be surprised at how handy they are.
*Rulers: Have a few of these on hand at all times. You will need them for everything. Be sure to get a metal ruler for making cuts with your craft knives.
*Safety goggles or glasses: It doesn’t matter if you are only drilling or sawing or hammering for one second. You need to protect your eyes!
Sandpaper: I like to scrape smooth items before I add glue or paint to them. The rough surface will give the glue something to stick to, and a little sandpaper is perfect for scoring.
Scissors for paper and fabric: Invest in good fabric scissors (Fiskars and Gingher make great ones). For paper, it’s good to have several pairs, so you don’t have to waste your time sharpening.
Scraps of wood: Check out the scrap pile of a local woodworker to see if you can get a bag of scrap wood for a good price.
Screwdriver set: No home should be without a set of screwdrivers. Paint the tops of the Phillips-head screwdrivers one color so that you know what you are picking up from the toolbox. I swear, whenever I want a Phillips I get a flathead, and vice versa!
*Screws and nails: Small, long, fat, wood, metal, these will always be useful.
*Scrubbers: You know how messy you can be. Always have some small ones on hand.
Sewing machine: Need I say more?
(Sharpie) permanent markers: These will write on most any surface, so try to have them around. I like to use them on metal.
Snap-in socket-and-cord set with switch: These are great for all of your lamp projects. They use a candelabra bulb (a smaller bulb), and they are safe to use and don’t need wiring.
Spray adhesive: Elmer’s makes a wonderful spray adhesive. It’s a spray glue that gives a nice, even coat of glue on your projects. There are strong- and light-tack ones, and depending on the tack, you can reposition your work until it dries, which is very helpful when you’re découpaging images.
*Spray bottle: Next time you empty out a spray bottle of glass cleaner, save it and fill it with water for your workroom. Spraying water on your projects that use paint can produce wonderful effects. It can cloud ink and make spray paint gather and dry into terrific patterns.
Staple gun, heavy duty: JT21 is great for small upholstery projects, and the staples are easy to pull out if you make a mistake.
*Stapler: You’d be surprised how you can use your stapler for projects in ways other than stapling a pile of papers together.
Sticky felt: Great for adhering to the bottoms of your projects so that they don’t scratch the surfaces of your tables. Also great for appliqués so that you don’t have to use pins while you are sewing.
*Tape: Painter’s tape, masking tape, clear tape. You need them all! Have plenty around for your projects.
Tin snips: Hand shears for cutting sheet metal. There are so many beautiful projects in this book that use sheets of aluminum. You will want to have a nice pair of tin snips that make cuts with a serrated edge so that the edges are not sharp.
Turpentine: Great for cleaning oil-based paint off brushes.
*Twine: From tying up your recycled newspapers into bundles to wrapping a lampshade, twine is your friend, and now it comes in fantastic colors. Stock up and use it!
Wire cutters: Get a pair with spring action. They are much easier to work with. This way, you have more control when you are working on your projects.
*Wire, fine, medium, and heavy gauge: I’m constantly wiring things together and twisting wires into sculptures and other structures. Keep some around for everyday use and in case you get inspired.
Wood fill: Comes in a tube, great for cracks in your wood.
*Work gloves in cotton, canvas, leather, and rubber: Find a pair that fits so that you can really use your fingers.
*X-ACTO knife: You need tons of these. Use them for making clean cuts, scoring, and preserving as much detail as you can while cutting out images.