Pam @ diy Design Fanatic is my special guest today and I am so happy that she agreed to fill in for me. She is a wife and mom to 2 beautiful daughters. Her home is stunning and she and Mr. Diy do such unbelievable diy projects. Her home is full of fabulous inspiration and she is always doing something that will definitely get your creative juices flowing. Her style and attention to detail make her home such a beautiful and inviting place, full of tons of eye-candy and warmth. Thank you so much Pam for filling in, I can't wait to see your post.
Must Haves For The DIYer
Hey everyone! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Pam from diy Design Fanatic and am thrilled to be filling in today for Marty while she is having a fabulous time on her Hawaiian vacation. It is such an honor for me to be here today! Thank you, Marty!
Since I'm truly a "do it yourself" at heart(hence my blog name), I thought I'd talk to everyone about some basic must haves for DIYer's, especially those of you who are new at this or have some hesitation to doing anything yourself.
If you've been doing some of your own DIY projects for awhile, I'm sure you'll agree with many on my must have list.
If you've been doing some of your own DIY projects for awhile, I'm sure you'll agree with many on my must have list.
My list includes basic tools for doing projects from simple crafts to checking things off your honey do list.
The first must have for the DIYer is an adventurous attitude and willingness to try something new.
I believe you can do more than you think you can...and there's either a neighbor, or someone at the hardware store or even someone in blogland, that can help you if you need it. I love seeing someone share their first attempt at a project and it comes out really fantastic. That is so exciting!
I believe you can do more than you think you can...and there's either a neighbor, or someone at the hardware store or even someone in blogland, that can help you if you need it. I love seeing someone share their first attempt at a project and it comes out really fantastic. That is so exciting!
The first tangible must have for the DIYer is a cordless screwdriver. I carry mine in the trunk of my car. A cordless drill is such a time saver when changing out cabinet hardware or putting outlet and light switch covers back on. My Skil cordless screwdriver is compact, lightweight and so convenient.(not that I'm partial to it or anything...lol!)
It's easy to carry anywhere in it's compact case.
The next must have on the list is your own DIY "toolbox". Mr. Fanatic gave me my own toolbox full of tools for Christmas many years ago. Don't worry, he gave me a girly gift that year, as well, ~ I have no idea what that gift was, but I still have and use the tools he gave me.
In that toolbox he gave me was a hammer that didn't weigh a ton, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, snips, a level, a six in one screwdriver, a box cutter and a fold out saw. You might not need the fold out saw, but definitely everything else. The best thing I like about having my own tools is that I keep the in my craft room and don't have to go searching in the garage to find them.
Of course you'll need a tape measure or two. Uh, I have a thing about having tape measures in several places around the house or in the car. It's always really handy to have a small one in your purse, too, so you'll know if that fabulous bench you just found at the Goodwill or HomeGoods is going to fit on the wall in your foyer.
As a DIYer, you'll definitely be doing some painting and you will be needing a good paint brush and painting supplies. You can do a lot of great projects with spray paint, but some makeovers need a good brush or two. My favorite brushes are made by Purdy. A good paint brush is worth the money and will last years if you take care of it.
One of my most used diy tools is my hot glue gun. Does yours look this bad, or is it just me?
And last, but not least, a sewing machine.
I can't imagine not having one (or two) of these, but then I've been sewing since I was 12 years old. My mom didn't know how to sew, so she had me take a class.
I know some of you use that fusing tape and are quite proficient at it, but I would encourage you to be brave and take a class and learn how to sew.
Seriously ladies(and gentlemen), I've seen some of the great projects you've done and I'm 100% certain you can do this:
Imagine the possibilities of just being able to sew a straight line! You don't have to spend a lot of money on a machine...the current one I'm using was about $100 and it sews great.
Below are just some of the projects I used my basic tools for:
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→Guest Post - DIY Design Fanatic
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