Thursday, August 6, 2009

What every DIY/Crafter needs...






Having picked up a cute toolbox on the cheap recently at the thrift store it got me to thinking about what every crafty diva should have in their own perverbial tool box.

So here is my must have list. It's by no means all inclusive, but it should certainly get you started if you don't know where to start.



1. A glue gun. I have both a low heat one (for when I do crafty stuff with the kids) and a molten lava hot one for when it's just me and I want something to stick forever.



2. Staple gun. I swear by my electric one. I've stapled many things and it's just a great tool to have on hand for reupholstering things or making budget friendly art work.



3. palm sander. You never know when you will need to sand something or get the yen to refinish a piece of furniture.



4. Tape measure. Great to tuck in your purse so that when you're out and about and come across that to die for piece of furniture you know whether or not it will fit your space



5. A hammer. You know, so you can hammer things.



6. X-Acto knife. A great tool for cutting picture mats and various other items.



7. A level. Preferably one that's a couple feet long, but I'm quite fond of my 12" one for hanging small items.




8. Phillip's head screw driver. So you can screw something when you need to. It's also nice to have a flathead one, but phillip's head screws seem to be more common.



9. A drill. It's make hanging things such as shelves and curtain hardware so much nicer.





10.Paint (spray paint and latex.) I always shop those mistints. You just never know when the perfect color will follow you home. Spray paint is nice to change the look of smaller items lickety split. It's fun to unify a group of mixmatched items by using color.





11. Flashlight. So you can see.




12. Sewing machine ( or at the very least a needle and thread). It's a skill everyone should know at least the basics. You'll be amazed at the amazing pillows and window treatments you can make without much skill under your belt.



13. Miter box. Great for making your own molding to embellish furniture or your walls.





14. Double sided adhesive mounting tape. To hang things to the wall without using nails or attach fabric to an item.




15. Blue painters tape. Great to tape off when painting or to use as a place marker to figure out where to hang pictures on the wall.

Hope this little list helps you on your DIY journey. Go forth and create something.

2 comments:

katie said...

This is a great list! I would add a graph paper notebook, my favorite type of sketchbook. It's where I make endless lists and sketch new projects! Just found your blog through Mothering, look forward to reading more!

The Original Wombman said...

I'm in awe of you. LoL . . . and re-realizing that I am most certainly not a DI/Crafter. i personally own one thing on that . . . a tape measure. LoL. But, theoretically, I could borrow the rest from the hubby. I'm a theoretical DIY/Crafter. :)