Knowing what tools to use and which ones work well every time is one of the first steps in being a successful crafter or DIYer. There are so many products out there. Trying to choose what you should use to create your project can be overwhelming.
Whether you are new to crafting or you have been a maker your whole life, I find it is always helpful to know what other people in my field are using and loving. Below. you can find all my top resources and tools I use when I am creating.
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General Crafting
Paper Trimmer – I have been using the same Fiskars paper trimmer for years. It works well and I just change out the blade when it gets dull. You can also purchase a scoring blade for this trimmer as well. I pull out the paper trimmer almost every time I craft. There are guides to help you cut your paper at the correct location.
I use this trimmer even when I am not crafting if I need to trim anything in a straight line.
Note: They no longer sell the paper trimmer I use, but I linked up to the newer version of the one I use.
Adhesive – Almost all craft projects require some kind of adhesive. And different projects call for different types of adhesives. Navigating which types to use can be confusing.
- Paper crafting – adhesive tape runner
- Detailed designs – adhesive pen
- General crafting –
- Jewelry making – Beacon Power-Tac (this is my new replacement for E-6000)
Scissors – This is a must have item for almost all crafting projects. I have lots of different varieties of scissors. You can get a basic pair or even fancy gold handled scissors. Regardless of the type, this is a must-have item in your crafting tool kit.
Carrying Tote – I have a craft room, but often I craft on my kitchen table where I can spread out and get the best light. For a long time, this would be how my projects would go: I would start a craft project, realize I needed an additional supply and then go back to my craft room to find it. Then, move back to the kitchen table to repeat the process. Now, I have all the items listed above in my tote bag. It makes it easy for me to craft on the go. And it contains all the items I use most frequently.
Specialty Crafting
Cricut Explore – I use this tool on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. Mine is blue-tooth enabled so I can use it without hooking up any wires to my laptop or computer. I have cut fabric, paper, vellum, sticker paper, and so much more with this machine. It can cut letters or numbers using the fonts you have loaded on your computer. It can cut very intricate designs.
Banner Punch Board – This tool from We R Memory Keepers is amazing! I don’t always want to design something on my Cricut when creating a simple banner for an event. I can easily make a banner in minutes with this tool. You can cut flag, pennant, or crest shapes with the punch board.
Read more about how to use this tool in my 12 Months of Banners Series.
Circle Cutter – This tool is amazing for cutting out a lot of perfect circles in a little amount of time. You can cut circles up to 6 inches. The center is clear so you can position it anywhere on your paper. This is especially helpful when cutting out a particular part of the design on patterned paper.
DIY
Power Tools – We are huge fans of Ryobi tools at our house. If you are new to DIY, purchasing a kit that contains the basic tools you need to create projects with ease.
The lithium ion batteries hold a charge for a long time and can be interchanged on all the tools. You can even use your new batteries on your old tools.
Air Compressor with Staple Gun and Brad Nail Gun – We have used this tool on more projects that I can count. The brad nail gun was a life saver when re-installing our baseboards after installing our new floors. The staple gun was the perfect tool to use to attach the chicken wire to our chicken coop.
Our compressor is small enough that I can move it when needed but large enough to deliver enough power to my projects.
Other Helpful Tools
Printer – My husband bought me the HP Envy printer for Christmas last year. It is wonderful. I print out a ton of stuff all the time – planner stickers, home management binder sheets, pages for my planner and more. It is important to me that I can test out my free printables before I share them with all of you. Needless to say, this printer is a workhorse.
You can use it to print regular pages and photos. You can use it to scan or fax documents. It is wireless so I can use it from my laptop, my phone, and my tablet – all without a cord. It has a feature to automatically print on both sides of the paper, so no more unloading the paper and reloading it into the tray.
Plus, if you sign up for HP Instant Ink, you will never run out of ink again. This has to be my favorite feature of the new HP printers. You pay a monthly subscription fee based on the number of pages you print. When your ink is running low, HP automatically sends you a new cartridge. I have only had to replace my cartridge once since Christmas and I have printed over 800 pages.
If you have any additional questions about specific products please email me.