|
The
essential useful box
There's nothing worse than deciding on a particular activity and then being forced to renege when you realise you don't have one or more of the essential supplies. Every house with a crafty little person inside needs to have a useful box, and importantly, that useful box needs to be useful. Here are my tips for putting together a useful useful box. The truly useful box actually has two different components to it – craft supplies and paraphenalia. I have listed all the supplies that I would include in my perfect useful box (believe me, mine does not have everything on the list) and have asterisked those supplies which I believe are essential to contented crafting. So, if you're just starting on your useful box it's a good idea to focus on these items. Craft supplies These items can be bought from a good newsagent or stationery shop: Selection of coloured paper* Selection of coloured cardboard* Paste (eg, clag)* Kids pvc glue* Glue stick* Kiddie scissors* Textas* Crayons or pastels* Acrylic paint* Watercolour paint* Brushes and sponges* Glitter and/or glitter glue* Pipe cleaners* Beads - large ones with big holes are easier for little fingers to manage* Tissue paper* Cellophane* Sticky tape* String* Stickers - Get a good selection of them from your local discount shop.* Paper clips Paper punches - you can get fancy ones from scrapbooking supply shops Chalk Sequins Pencils Contact - I find that the clear variety is the most useful Straws Patty pans Cotton wool balls The following items can be found in good craft supply shops: Googley eyes Coloured feathers Styrofoam balls Coloured match sticks Coloured paddlepop sticks Pom poms - you can often buy a bag of mini pom poms Old fashioned wooden clothes pegs Felt squares Fancy scissors and hole punches Origami paper Fancy specialty paper with interesting textures or holograms Paraphenalia Stocking up on craft supplies can be quite expensive but the good thing about stocking up on paraphenalia is that you normally don't have to fork out a cent. Just keep your eyes peeled and before you throw anything away take a moment to consider if it could be an asset to your collection. Here are some examples of what I have in my collection: Wool scraps Fabic scraps Lace scraps Bits of ribbon Bits of rick-rack Collection of odd buttons Box of pictures cut from magazines Pieces of styrofoam Bubble wrap Egg cartons Cotton reels Cardboard rolls Small square boxes Wooden skewers Plastic bottles Bottle tops The box that our television came in This list is a work in progress – please get in touch and let us know if you have any additions or suggestions. |
 For
a regular dose of inspiring craft ideas and fun activities subscribe to
my free email newsletter. Please note that my privacy
policy ensures that your email address will not be given to
anyone, ever.
|
