What are your essential craft items?

[SandCastles]

I'm having a sort out of my craft boxes but each one is looking very bare/sorry for itself, we have used up all our paints, A4 card, pompoms and glitter so will gladly order some more but wondered what are your essential craft items that you buy regularly or must haves that last ages are.

[blue bear]

Basics..
Red yellow blue black and white paint
Pva glue
Felt pens
Crayons
Pencils
Masking tape
Sellotape
Double sided tape
Glue sticks
Feathers
Lollipop sticks
Split pins
Scissors
Various stickers
Hole punch
Paint brushes
Glue spreaders
Stirrers from McDonald's or costa's
Pom poms
Felt
Googly eyes
Needles
Fabric pens
Porcelain pens
Ribbons
Card

These are the things I always have in

[Maza]

Great list bluebear!

In the £1 shop they sell 'glue dots' and mine are starting to prefer these to glue sticks. They are fab and come on a little roll like ring reinforcement thingys (you know, to stop paper ripping around the hole punched bits).

With glue I have discovered not to skimp. I bought a pack of glue sticks from the £1 shop and they were totally useless and so now I stick to Pritt Stick.
Mine like doing collage with buttons (got some cheap in craft section at Tesco, plus I save them from old clothes) and one at the moment loves the metallic gift bows (£1 shop).

Pipe cleaner and various beads. Random collage shapes when they are on sale at supermarkets or in he £1 shop.

[SandCastles]

Thanks Blue Bear, I have ordered a crafty crocodile brochure so let the buying commence .... is that the best place to buy from?

[smurfette]

Baker Ross have a sale on at mo

[blue bear]

I get my paint and glue from crafty crocodiles in five gallon containers, also bought the pumps. The children have free access and find because the pumps let out limited amounts at one time they make less mess than with bottles.

Tape I buy in poundlound, they go through loads of it.

I pick up bits when ever I think they are good value, places like wilko, b & m, local shop that sells odd bits, scrap store.

I pick up bits on Facebook from people giving up crafting, often get gifted material and wool.

[bunyip]

It was all cornflake boxes and sticky-backed plastic in my day.

I'm horrified by the thought of "ordering". The mail order catalogues are largely a rip-off. Find out if you have a local scrap store, play forum or community craft store which you can join. Or ask your children's centre if they have an arrangement through which you can buy materials from your county's educational supplies team.

[VeggieSausage]

I now only buy paint and glue and paper/card, felt tip pens.....the rest I use from junk - boxes, toilet rolls, packaging, egg boxes, bottle tops etc....its amazing what you can find....recycle I say!!