When you're a maker... tools are very exciting.

Remember the excitement we used to feel before term started, when we'd visit a stationary store and pick out a new pencil case, rubber & ruler.... or was that just me?

It's easy to be distracted by fancy, shiny equipment, but sometimes simplest is best.

I couldn't do what I do without a pencil and rubber.

Sketching out ideas before beginning a project is essential.

The process of carving a relief printing block is made easier by having sharp cutting tools and I've even had frames custom made to hold the sheet of lino. 

For dry point printing, we couldn't achieve any of it without the sheet of heavy acetate we inscribe into.

It's not thick , just a couple of mm, but that is our printing tool.

When using watercolour paints, I've found that having a ceramic palette for mixing the colours is really handy. I used to use the one provided with the paint set, but ceramic is so much easier & cleaner.

Oh, and while we're on watercolours - a decent brush is another game changer. They don't have to be expensive, just neat and carefully stored, allowing a fine tip when making your marks.

Whether it can be called a tool, I'm not sure, but, the sample cards I've created for the different colour recipes are so helpful for deciding on different colour combinations for a print.

I've also begun using little pots for storing excess ink... I do have a bit of inner conflict about how environmentally sound these are, as they are made from plastic.

But I do use them over and over.

Does that make it better?

I'm not sure.

Felt tip pens... say no more.

They never stop being exciting, and nowadays, the range of colours is insane.

Now we're getting into fancier bits of kit.

My old friend the Cricut Joy, is small and fits easily into a cupboard or on a shelf, I LOVE it.

It did cost over £100 so I wasn't sure if I had lost my mind a bit when I bought it. But I don't regret it. I honestly think it was money well spent. The creative opportunities for this wee gadget are endless.

Did I say , I love it?

The Cricut has allowed me to create bespoke motifs for the paper garlands rather than using shop bought ones.

Tweezers, toothpicks, glue sticks, foam & a steel shaping tool, are just some of the tools needed to make a flower garland.

Back to basics, I've found that using pre-cut sheets of acrylic to mix inks for printing is definitely the easiest way to do it. The printing supplier Handprinted in West Sussex is amazing for printing supplies.

There are loads of different ways to apply pressure when creating a print.

The tool pictured above is called a Baren. It's a little bit fancy and made from stainless steel. Those little circles are actually ball bearings. The tool is heavy, so you don't need to apply much pressure, the tool does it for you. Of course, you can use the back of a spoon or a roller, but I couldn't resist this tiny piece of beautiful engineering.

It was a treat to myself to celebrate a moment.

Some people buy shoes, I buy tools.

Rollers when printing - top tip, you can't have too many.

If you're printing lots of different colours, it's a tiny bit tedious to have to keep washing your roller in between prints.

And last but not least, where would we be without our hands?

The simplest tools are often the most powerful...

...although I'm still glad I bought the Cricut... just saying : )

I wonder if you have a favourite tool?

Let me know xxx