Favorite Craft Supplies and Tools

I often get questions about the creative supplies and tools I use to make my art and DIY projects.  While I have a pile of found and saved items in a corner waiting to be transformed, and will use whatever is handy to complete my projects, I do have some favorite craft supplies and tools I reach for first.  I’m happy to share my tried and tested list in hopes you’ll find them helpful in your own creative projects!

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Basic Crafting and DIY Supplies for Most Projects:

Glue– If your project is meant to last, invest in good glue.  Spending hours on a special project is wasted time if the embellishments are falling off in a few weeks. Beacon Adhesives are my go‐to choices for attaching things to other things.  They have a glue for nearly everything.  My most used glues are:

• Zip Dry Paper Glue
• Fabri‐Tac (great for more than just fabric!)
• Tombow tape runner for the rare occasions I need a dry adhesive

Scissors– I probably have 20 pairs of scissors (not an exaggeration) I’ve collected over the years of working in the creative industry.  If I had to choose 3 pairs to be stranded on a crafty deserted island with, they would be:

• Westcott Titanium Non‐Stick for sticky projects
• 3″ micro‐tip for precision cuts
• Tonic Serrated Snips for chipboard and heavier materials

Paper Trimmer– I use a Tonic 12″ guillotine‐style trimmer.  It’s been going strong for 9 years and makes even the thinnest cuts with precision.

Adhesive Remover–This little square gizmo is inexpensive and can save a project from disaster.  Despite it’s humble appearance, this square is fantastic at removing adhesive that has seeped or strung, or has been placed in the wrong spot by a stray thumb.

Acrylic Paint Brushes

Favorite Craft Supplies for Specialty Projects:

Acrylic Paint‐- I love to paint my projects.  For great coverage and colors, I use Americana Acrylics.  They have a good variety of indoor and outdoor options, as well as finishes.

Brushes– Having nice quality brushes will save a lot of frustration and repainting.   Brushes with stray bristles poking out in every direction do not make for a happy crafter.  No need to break the bank, however a moderate splurge in this area is worth it.  This is one of the supplies where I don’t have a brand preference.  I prefer softer, flexible, bristle brushes to the sponge variety though, because the sponge brushes soak up a lot of paint that gets wasted.

Crop‐a‐dile Punch–This single hole punch will go through nearly anything.  I’ve used it on felt, paper, wood, acetate, baked clay, and lots of other materials.  I have both the regular and the big version, but the regular gets more use.  I don’t even bother putting it away any more.

Electric Cutting Machine–I use a Cricut Explore Air to cut out my own designs for paper and DIY projects, as well as cut stencils for my art.  It also cuts a mean science fair project title 🙂  Everything I’ve tested has been cut beautifully.

Ultra‐White Card Stock–I love a smooth, thick, bright cardstock for printables and stamping. While I always have a stack of the cheap stuff around for testing, I love Neenah Paper for all my finished work.

Favorite Supplies for Coloring and Lettering

Thanks for stopping by and checking out some of my favorite craft supplies. Leave a comment and let me know what your favorites are. Enjoy your crafty projects and try some new things today!

Until next time:
Carla