Welcome

Welcome to the crazy world of "Hey, I bet I could make that!". Chances are, you can. You may have any number of reasons for doing so - boredom, gift giving, inherited a bunch of crap you don't know what to do with, started hoarding buttons when you were 10 and now you need to do something with them. The important thing is, we're all in it together. My style and your style may be vastly different. That's okay. Change the colors, change the shape - go crazy with it. Crafting is a form of expression and it should suit you. My reasons for crafting are numerous - I LOVE old things and I love to bring them back to life. I prefer to give a homemade gift and a handmade card to show someone that I spent time thinking of them (although I am so not above grabbing a gift card when pushed for time). I love to preserve special moments from people's lives. And I HATE to spend money on new furniture and decor. Almost everything I own is second hand and I like it that way.

So, having said that, I'll share what I've done, and hopefully give you some fun ideas along the way. As far as I'm concerned you need very few tools. I'm a girl, so I pretty much feel if I can't do it with a hammer and a screwdriver, it doesn't need to be done. HOWEVER, if you're working with wood I highly recommend an orbital palm sander (seriously, like 12.00), a good cordless drill (you'll thank me after your wrist falls off if put in screws manually) and one of my most favorite things ever, a staple gun. And I'm really thinking I'm going to get a nail gun as soon as I get over my fear of shooting myself with it.

******DISCLAIMER******* If I tell you to use a saw and you cut off your fingers, not my fault. Same goes if you shoot yourself with a staple and or nail gun, burn yourself with a hot glue gun, glue a section of your hair together with a hot glue gun (there is a story there) or cut your arm open knocking glass out of window panes. I do recommend wearing long sleeves and elbow length leather gloves when working with glass, and I highly suggest investing in a few face masks for sanding wood and paint. I will list the supplies I use - if you're in the Boise area you have many Craft stores to choose from, however I will tell you that you will get the best assistance, recommendations, selection of products and guidance from experienced crafters at Craft WareHouse. I work there, so I am biased, but the reason I work there is because these people know what they're doing and everything you see on display was made by an employee - they know their stuff. So - happy crafting, good luck, and remember there are no failures, just learning experiences. (actually, there are HORRIBLE failures, but they're usually so funny that it makes it worth it.)