I'm kinda stuck. I have a bunch of items and no idea where to use them. I'm debating looking up a guide, but part of me doesn't want to. part of the fun in these games is finding out what to do, so looking it up takes that fun away. I just can't think of what I'm missing, or what I need and don't have, or where my items should be going and I'm not thinking to put them there.

Try the site "UHS-Hints" (Universal Hint System). They have a spoiler-free hint guide for Toonstruck on there.
I'd post the link, but I don't think I have enough reputation here yet.