My bare bones, must haves for any class:
*Tonic red handled scissors aka Tim Holtz scissors
*fine tipped detail scissors
*Zip-Dry AND Fabri-Tac wet adhesives
*Scotch Permanent Dot Roller dry adhesive
*Pop dots
*Glue dots
*1" foam brush
*wide bristled paint brush
*narrow bristled paint brush
* nail file or some form of sandpaper
*bone folder
*ink blending tool
*a couple of clothespins
*mechanical pencil
*ballpoint pen
*12" trimmer
My personal additions that I have found I use in nearly every class I take:
*We R Memory Keepers brad setting tool-- I don't even use brads much but this little tool has many applications and is so worth it.
*Distress Ink-- Vintage Photo is my personal favorite neutral
*extra ink blender sponges
*extra adhesive for the roller
*distress tool-- I use this one, but there are a few on the market that are just as good, if not better
*craft mat
*tweezers-- I prefer the reverse squeeze ones
*Glossy Accents
*empty mini mister or mini spray bottle
*paper towels and/or handi-wipes
*an acrylic block-- the one I carry the most is about 2 1/2" x 3 1/4"
*black Staz-On ink pad
*self healing cutting mat
*black Sakura Glaze pen
*corner rounder
*1" circle punch-- there are a LOT of applications for this and it has come in handy so many times
*wire cutters-- there are a few things I simply will not cut with my Tonics and these are for those times
*rasp and file set-- such an odd little set of tools, but they have come in handy for tiny corners
*popsicle stick
*ruler-- I hardly ever actually pack this because 1) my craft mat has one and 2) I don't measure much
*craft knife-- most people would consider this a main staple but I don't use mine often enough to put it in that category, though I do try to remember to throw it in.
Finally, when I am packing for a class, I will look at the photos provided and I will add my special extras to my kit. These are pieces that I may be inspired to use to personalize what I am making. I will customize these items to the colors, materials, etc of the class and that is why while I will usually have some form of the item, the colors generally will greatly differ.
Extras:
*Stickles-- this is on occasion because Stickles, while fabulous, do take forever to dry so I don't add them unless I know I will have time for them to dry before having to move the project
*Inks-- I will generally have 2-3 extra colors with me beyond my Vintage Photo and what is suggested on the class list.
*Versamark clear ink pad
*small container of clear embossing powder
*heat tool-- I do not take these three items every time because unless it is a crop or a class that tells you to bring it, firing up the heat gun while the instructor is trying to teach is rude
*embellishments such as flowers, bling, ribbon, and buttons-- I generally have a handful of all the above in my kit and a few snippets of ribbon. Most often, these are items left over from other classes that I have tossed into the bottom of the toolbox, but sometimes I do pick them out specifically
*stapler-- I would suggest one of the cute ones you can get around back to school time as opposed to the desk stapler at home, but before I got my tiny one I was known to carry the monster around
*hole punch-- let me preface this with the fact that my hole punch actually comes in the form of my Big Bite, but a hole punch is always good to have
*border punch(es)
*paint daubers
*glimmer mist(s)
Last but certainly not least, and this comes purely from personal experience, figure a way to easily identify your tools. Labeling them with your name or initials is fine, but sometime it is difficult to see that in someone else's bag. Most scrappers use the same tools and it is purely accidental to grab an extra pair of scissors in the rush to clean up and leave. I have tied ribbon to the handles of my tools so I know at a glance they are mine and it also helps others recognize they are not theirs. This sounds a bit fanatical, but I even often label my Stickles and paints cause while they are inexpensive, that doesn't mean I want to keep having to replace them.
