Hardware Shopping by Steph Schirmer

How many of us are always looking for new places for finding stuff, well the hardware stores just aren’t for the guys anymore. Hardware stores are filled with an over abundance of useable items for artists. Think about this, isles and isles of useful things for us to use to create some beautiful pieces of art. For many of us cost is an issue and there are some great substitutes for the higher priced items out. Hardware stores call for a person to think outside their box, their comfort zone and look at items in a whole new light. I personally have several of the items I have listed below and after seeing what everyone sent, I need to make another trip for some different items. So when hubby says I am going to the hardware store stop and say wait I want to go too. Explore the possibilities everyone and enjoy.

Here we go:

Copper washers
Aluminum washers
Metal washers….all of these can be painted, tarnished larges ones can be frames
Big and mini ceramic tiles…. great for coaster, magnets
Carpet tape holds embellishments and works as good as double sided tape
Dry wall mesh tape great for backgrounds and stippling thru the wholes for background
Silver metallic paint for punching things out, edging books
Switch plates great for frames
Caulk for texture backgrounds, transfers
Textured wallpaper use metallic rub-ons for a great look
Sandpaper adds layers and distress to items
O rings for embellishments, frames, jewelry
Copper tubing a component for jewelry and an embellishment by adding fiber and beads
Mini soldering iron
Ball Peen Hammer adding texture
Rubber Mallet for flattening them
Cheese cloth for layering and texturing
Electrical tape comes in colors
8 by 8 red rubber plumbers gasket for shadow stamping
Clear plastic tubing embellishment
Formica chips
Paint chips
Cling vinyl great for holding unmounted stamps
Cabinet handles, pulls
Storage boxes galore to hold embellishments, gadgets
Wall paper sample books
Dremel
½ ton Arbor press…great for making impressions on metal and dry embossing
Small vice grip
Small alligator clips

Copper and Armature wire for doing all kinds of embellishments
Screen rub your toothbrush over it for a speckled, snowy backgrounds
WD 40 rejuvenates old stamps
Spray paints
Wooden dolls for mounting tiny stamps
Fretwork for small embellishments
Paint roller and trays for painting large sheets of paper
Faux finishes in paint department
Wood graining tools
Wall paper tools, troughs, sponges, sea sponges great for backgrounds and texture
Wallpaper paste to make paper paste but you need some plexiglass too
Screws
Awls
Yardsticks for book spines
HVAC tape great with alcohol inks
Painters tape for masking in shattered glass technique doesn’t stick to paper
Hinges
Metal numbers
Hemp string
Spackling compound
Rolling toolbox
Nuts
Needle nose pliers
Wire cutters
Cork
Locks
Keys

And finally Cindy T of Morristown TN said, “I just finished doing a swap with Cherry Pie stamps that required hardware. I had a torso stamp so I went to my hardware store and asked for “boobs”. They had them in assorted sizes and I have no idea what I bought but they were great for what I wanted. I wandered the store and found a wealth of craft things for future use”

So even if you don’t know what you are asking for go and look things have a way of coming to you as you look and if not ask. I hope everyone takes this list the next time they go and look up and down the isles and see what you can add to it. There are so many items out there explore your possibilities and search for the unusual.

As usual this column wouldn’t be here without the help of everyone so my thanks goes to

Stampersmall Design Team members:

Wendy Kerr, Jane (in San Diego), Betty McCommon and Barbara Albrecht

And My Tennessee Stamper Buddies

Jeanine DuBose, Boo Martin (StampBoo-Tique in Clarksville, TN), Roxi Phillips, Patty Gracey, Nelda Deakins, Meg Lowitzer and Connie McGinnis

If you have any ideas you would like to put out there please let me know.

Thanks everyone I did enjoy this one.

Steph Schirmer
Stampersmall Design Tips Leader
Sschirmer@stampersmall.com or redbaron1@charter.net