Unexpected Tools you (now) can't live without?

[OutBriefCandle]

I can't live without my box of plain wood toothpicks. Pushing things in glue, stirring paints, used them to give my 1/4 crew their mani-pedis...very useful.

[TasiaChiba]

Ooo, I hadn't thought of the paperclips. I found this at the dollar store and thought it would be handy,



It's no spool holder, but it'll probably get some use.

I absolutely cannot help it, but the very first thing that came to my mind was pin cushion!! /o\

I also love my manicure sticks. I use them for almost all of the above reasons mentioned, but they have invaluable use in doubling as sculpting sticks. They get used for the actual sculpting tool to being the wooden armature dowels. Simply cannot do without them!

[OkamiKodomo]

Seconding the toothpicks. Also, styofoam blocks!

The really strange one, those little 3oz sauce cup lids. They make PERFECT little disposable paint palettes when you're working with small amounts of colors, and don't have enough space to get out a full size palette. And if you use the inside of the lid, you can slap the bottom half of the cup onto it, and keep the paint from drying out too quickly, if you, say, need to get up and use the bathroom really quick!

[Hiroku]

For threading elastic I find pinning a safety pin through the end and then threading it through fabric for waists and such is very helpful.

[maywong]

Apoxie sculpt.

[Kattriella]

Not something I made, but I've found the wig brush I originally bought during my BJD collecting days is an invaluable tool for untangling messy Barbie/fashion doll hair. I used to use combs, which are still my go-to for fixing individual curls, but to brush the whole head in one swoop, the wish brush is a godsend. I have one girl whose hair refused to be tamed with any sort of comb, doll brush, regular brush, etc. She always had flyaways. Then I was cleaning out a drawer and stabbed my finger on something . . . The wig brush I thought was long gone. A couple of quick swipes and a super tiny child's hair clip and her hair is prettier than it has been since she came out of her box.