Well Sally, you can start by editing your user profile so someone can figure out what you do. Then go to the newbie forum and list every instrument and piece of gear you own. Tell us what kind of music you play, and what you intend to do with the recordings you make. Then spend *a lot* of time (I took 7 months) figuring out what equipment to buy, and don't buy anything until you've budgeted at least all of the basics. Tell us how much money you've got to throw at this at first, what kind of room you've got to work with (pictures help). And remember that your computer (if you own one) *is* part of the gear you already own, so list the hard drive size, the type of processor, RAM, and the sound card, if any, you currently own.
Be advised that this hobby/business is addictive, and while it can be done for thousands less than a few years ago, it isn't cheap. You will need at the very least, a microphone, a microphone preamplifier, an improved soundcard for your computer, a microphone boom stand, and a couple of high quality cables. You will also need some materials for improving the acoustics of your recording space, at least a bunch of moving carpets. You will need some good headphones to start, and as soon as possible, some specialized speakers called near field or reference monitors.
There, I've just spent a good $1000 of your money to record 1 thing at a time. For increasing flexibility, you will need a mixer and more mics, stands, cables, and preamps. Scary, isn't it? As the complexity increases, dedicated multi-effects units, racks to mount your goodies, and a dedicated compressor will become necessary. Expect to spend $1000-$1500 for a very basic setup, $5000-$10,000 for a really respectable project studio, $50,000 to start a very small commercial studio, and $250,000 for a solid pro commercial studio. This reality check has been brought to you by me. If you're not scared off, do what I said above, and everybody here will try to help you. Be prepared for the fact that there's more than one way to do this, and people will disagree about what equipment you need to start, so be prepared for that, because it can be confusing.-Richie