A dream starter clay kit for my Mom

Hi All,

As I've mentioned previously, my mother has recently taken an interest in clay. She's asked me to purchase a starter kit on her behalf that will allow her to make many, many, beautiful Bottles of Hope. But, because she's played in my play room, she wants the bells and whistles as well. So, here's what I've ordered through my favourite on-line clay site: http://www.shadesofclay.com/


What I consider essentials
- Starter pack of all 17 colours of Kato clay (Mom has worked with Kato already)
- 180 mm Makin's clay machine with teflon rollers (I'm no longer a fan of the Atlas now that they've gone away from steel rollers)
- Acrylic roller
- Small bottle of Kato liquid clay
- Kemper tissue blades - these are my new favourites and I keep meaning to write about them
- Two different sizes of Kemper basic cutter sets (she wants to do Bottles of Hope and these will allow her to embellish)
- Two different sets of Amaco texture plates

Extras
- Perfect Pearls powders, metallics and jewels
- Silver and gold metal leaf
- Donna Kato's books, all three of them
- Donna Kato's new DVDs
- Mini scalpel (Marg doesn't list these but does offer them for sale if you ask)
- Lisa Pavelka's Jones Tones type foils

I think that covers it, there might be some things that I added, but I'm not sure. Cost was in the neighbourhood of $300. I've generally told people that they can get started for about $100 if they're wise with their Michael's coupons and I still think all you really need to start is a pasta machine (if you're using Kato), a roller, a blade, and some clay.

Interestingly enough, when I was discussing the list with my claying friends, two of them thought that I should have included some sort of needle tool. I probably use mine once every ten times when I play with clay because I tend to use the blades more for everything and my pointed exacto knife fills the bill most of the time. But a couple of others say it's one of their most common tools. Now that I'm thinking of it though, it's because I use the needles from the bead roller kit for piercing and a drill set for drilling. So I probably should have given her a needle tool. But it's probably not necessary for Bottles of Hope.

Other tools that Mom will need, of course, are a work surface, an oven, and something to store all of it together. She's got many suitcases and I think those work just as well as the tool boxes sometimes. And I use my knitting needle a lot.

Thought you'd like to see what a good starter kit is. I'd be interested in other people's opinions on things they can't live without.

Cheers,

Sandy