Monday and Tuesday always seem to be my hardest days for creativity. They’re my best days for housework and running errands, though. Anyway I promise by tomorrow I’ll be back in the swing of things, and come hell or high water I’ll have a project to show off.
But for now, I thought I’d share a quick list of tools and supplies that I absolutely can’t live without. Whether you’re a serious paper crafter, or a not-so serious supply collector, you should have these items in your craft room. This list shouldn’t be confused with my favorite things (you’ve all heard enough about my Copics and my Pazzles, I’m sure). Rather, they’re the miscellaneous little tools and gadgets that I find myself always reaching for.
The first two, I’ve discussed at length before, so I won’t bore you with further gushing. Suffice it to say, the Fiskars rotary trimmer and the Martha Stewart scoring board are both impossible not to own. Moving on…
Tiny Springy Scissors. Mine are from Elizabeth Craft Designs, and they’re made of equal parts magic and awesome. There is nothing better for cutting out fine details, especially because the blades are so narrow you can cut from the left or right and still see your lines. But the best part is the spring, which is a lifesaver, if you consider arthritis a life-threatening condition. You know that ache you get in your hand when you’ve been cutting for too long? It’s actually more from the effort of opening the scissors before every snip, but these do that for you. Winning.
Insanely Fine-Tipped Tweezers. I used to just buy cosmetic tweezers for my crafts. But then, my Pazzles tool kit came with the greatest tweezers the world has ever known. I’m pretty sure I can pick up individual flecks of glitter with these puppies. Your detail work will never be more detailed.
[True story: I taught a Glitter Ritz class on Sunday, and more than one student threatened to steal both my scissors and my tweezers. I had to watch them like a hawk]Copic Multiliners. You didn’t think I’d make it through a whole blog post without mentioning Copics, did you? These aren’t markers, though, they’re pens. The ink is waterproof and Copic marker-proof, so you can use them to touch up stamped images that don’t come out quite perfectly. They’re also glorious to write with.
A Metal Ruler. For all your measuring and straight-edge needs. I have them in 12- and 18-inch lengths.
A Box of Baby Wipes. The easiest way to clean your stamps, your non-stick craft mat, your hands, etc. Bonus: an excuse to walk through the baby section at Target when you don’t have a baby.
Quickie Glue Pen. I’m all about the fine details today. It looks like a gel pen, but it writes in glue instead of ink. Use it for glitter, use it for embossing, use it to glue funny shaped die cuts to your layouts. Use it to really make your husband angry when he asks for a pen.
Self Healing Cutting Mat. I use mine less for cutting and more for lining paper up along the grid lines so I can position ribbon/embellishments/other paper perfectly straight. Obsessive? Maybe.
A Compass and Protractor. Further proof that math is useful in the real world. Also used for obsessive measuring.
Brushes. I use a large cosmetic brush for glitter and embossing powders, and I’m always wishing I had more. I also have a basic set of small paint brushes with stiff nylon bristles for various painting techniques.
And, finally, A Herbert. Because nothing keeps the craft room floor cleaner than knowing that the second something is dropped it will get gobbled up by an iron-stomached pit bull who thinks she’s part goat. Also, there’s really nothing cuter than watching her crawl under my desk so she can rest her chin on my knee.
