Newbie woodworker questions

Now that gardening season is over, I'd like to start doing some woodworking, which I've always wanted to do. And now I have a house with a garage and basement, so I have the room.

But I'm nearly a complete newbie at this. I've knocked together some simple bookcases, done some furniture painting, put together simple furniture kits, but I want to get into the hard stuff! I have a hammer, a couple rubber mallets, some screwdrivers, and somewhere I might have a drill. I also have a Home Depot a mile to one side of me, and a Lowes a mile or two to the other side.

So my questions are: what tools/equipment should I buy first, as basic beginner's stuff? I can see where I may put some real money into this down the road, but I can't do it all at once. And what are some good beginner's projects?

Thanks for any help.