My First Toolbox Tuesday! Everyday Go-to Tools for Design

My first Toolbox Tuesday is here! Grab some tea or pop (or whatever is your jam) and let’s meet here on the first and third Tuesday of every month to discuss tools, design workflow, equipment, resources and more. Can we? Circle the dates with a big pink highlighter.

I consider myself a student for life and enjoy learning about what does and doesn’t work for other people in this creative community, too. I’m often re-evaluating my processes and tools, and learning new things. Everything is an ongoing learning adventure. So I’m hoping this can be more of an exchange among creative friends. I really want to learn what you’re using and love, too (please feel free to share below)!

This week, I thought we’d dive into some of the basic tools I use most often in my design work. These are random, no particular order, but I do use these tools almost daily, along with a few other front runners, like my sewing machine (but I’ll save that one for a separate post).

My computer – About 9 years ago I converted to a Mac computer. When I play with my son’s PC, it feels kinda foreign to me now. But, I do remember when I first converted to Mac, from a PC, and how strange that felt, too. Do you have a favorite? There are wonderful features to both a PC and Mac, and I know so many that prefer a PC. It’s all really a matter of preference and what you’re most comfortable using. Both are widely used and software programs are often compatible with both, in most cases.

Pencil and paper – Everything starts with a pencil and paper, for me. I spend a good amount of time dreaming, drawing and creating first with a pencil and paper. This is where my ideas are planted and grown. I recently came across one of my sketchpads where I drew out ideas for Strawberry Biscuit and several quilt designs, which would later turn into many of the patterns in Pretty Playtime Quilts. I had this pad with me on the airplane to and from Spring Quilt Market 2015 and worked on ideas on the flights. A sketch pad or paper of some type is usually nearby me most of the time, along with a mix of pencils. I’ll plan to do a separate post on pencil and paper specifics because there are many wonderful options out there (and I’d love to hear about your favorites!).

Wacom tablet – A tablet provides an intuitive workflow, similar to a pencil and paper. Unlike the hand-eye coordination required using a mouse while looking at your computer screen, my tablet allows me to work with a stylus-type pen and tablet. This is a more natural workflow for me. Wacom has been making tablets for years and is the only brand I’ve used so far (I’ve had the same tablet for 12 years!), but there are many options and sizes available on the market today.

My phone – Gosh, I remember the days before cell phones, even pagers. Yep, haha. I grew up when phones had cords and you were stuck talking while slumped up against a wall or a nearby chair, if the cord would reach that far. Oy! Today, I use my phone for more than just talking on. It’s my go-to for Instagram and lots of other cool apps I use almost daily. Instagram, Google Calendar, Facebook and Dropbox are my daily go-to apps on my phone right now. Do you have your favorites? There are a number of other apps I love right now, and I’ll be sharing more of these in the coming weeks, too.

I’d love to hear what you’re using, what are your go-to tools most days and what you love about them. Please share on the comments below. Plus, if you have Toolbox Tuesday topic ideas – shoot me an email or leave me a note below. Happy Tuesday, friends! Elea