When it comes to crafting having a few of the basics on hand at all time is a really great time saver. So I stared into my crafting closet for a few minutes and tried to decide what my "essentials" were. This is what I came up with! I swear by these things and they make all of my projects so much easier. Also, you can find all of these items available at Let's Create's Amazon store.
Paint brushes, various sizes
Four or five brushes that are safe for acrylics and craft paints, as well as two or three that are reserved specifically for varnish and Modge Podge(which will need a foam brush). You can find these pretty cheap, but this is one of those items that spending $1 more really can make a big difference.
FolkArt acrylic paints
FolkArt is my favorite brand, and the artist pigment paints (they have gold caps) are great because the paint is thick and covers in less coats. There are lots of beautiful colors available, but you can always be brave and mix colors yourself! If you can't find FolkArt or don't like it, Delta is my next choice. Avoid Apple Barrel.
Baby food jars or Rubbermaid 1/2 cup food storage
This small, airtight storage will be perfect for your paints. You can pour paint in, mix it if you want, and if you aren't done with it you can close it up! You will never waste paint again. My art-major roommate taught me that junior year of college. Thanks Katie!
Black paint pen
Always. It's simple and you will use it. I promise. Perfect for writing the dates on the back of your projects.
Hot glue gun and LOTS of glue sticks
I don't know if I really need to explain this one... I didn't spend big bucks on mine. The exact glue gun that I have is listed in the store. There are so many projects you can do with these it's not even funny. I just love mine!
Craft glue
You will need something other than hot glue to use on things that can't be exposed to heat, like some plastics, and when you are doing paper projects.
Mod Podge
This is a great sealer, and adhesive. It comes in glossy and matte (which I prefer), and specialties made for mimicing brushstrokes and to use outdoors. There is also one that you can use to add a 3-D effect to projects. I suggest always keeping a small tub of regular (glossy or matte) mod podge because you can use it to seal and protect projects as well as using it for decoupage. It's generally not expensive, about $5-10 depending on the size you buy. And a little bit goes a long way, so it will last you a while!
Spray paint (not pictured)
Always spray paint! Keep it on hand because spray paint is often the key thing for transforming something you have around the house (like toilet paper rolls) into beautiful pieces of art! It's simple and very effective. I suggest keeping at least two good colors on hand (right now I have a dark purple and a sage green), and then you can buy anything else on an as-needed basis. I like Krylon, but if it's just for indoor use you can really use just about anything.
Ruler
It's always good to have a straight edge and, of course, something for quick measurements.
Scissors (not pictured)
Yup. You need crafting scissors. Don't mix them with your kitchen scissors, or office scissors. You need something you are willing to get dirty and clean up, maybe get stained or painted. If you do fabric crafts I would also get a pair for those. I have a pair of Singer scissors (that match my sewing machine) that were pretty cheap that I use for my sewing scissors, and just a good old pair of the orange Fiskars for my craft scissors.
A very sharp crafting knife (not pictured)
I have a large, heavy duty X-acto type knife that I swear by. I think it 's Artist's Advantage. It's red and big and amazing.
Freezer paper (not pictured)
This is new for me. I have only recently discovered it. If you iron it onto cloth with the plastic side down, it creates a very light, very temporary adhesion. You can then paint on it and peel the freezer paper back. BAM. Perfection.
ArtBin (too big to picture!)
Last, but not least, you need a place to organize most of this. As long as you have a place to hold all of your paints and brushes (you can throw your glue and craft knife in too) you are set. Being organized is important, and once you spend money on all these things you don't want to mess them up because they weren't properly stored.
