Beginner Tools & Supplies
1.Stampin' Trimmer | |
this is an absolute must-have. I will admit that I have many cutting tools for cardstock, but this is the absolute best and here's why. It is extra-wide at 6 1/4". This gives you an extra 1 1/4" on the right-hand side making it easy for cutting smaller projects. An extendable ruler on the left side which brings your cutting area out to a whopping 14 1/2" which is great if you're scrapbooker and always using 12 x 12" card stock. It also has a scoring blade in addition to storage underneath for your extra blades. And let's face it, you can't make a card without cutting paper right? So don't waste your time or money buying a yucky one – this is the one you want. | |
2.Bone Folder | |
while this doesn't look like much, let me tell you this baby is a real winner. This helps you to score crisp folds on your card stock. Must have. | |
3.Paper Snips | |
whether you're cutting card stock or ribbon, opening a new box of goodies, you're going to need a good pair of scissors. What makes these great? Their small, their sharp, and have a pointy tip which makes it easy for cutting around embellishments. | |
4.2" (5.1 Cm) Circle Punch | |
punches are great way to add some dimension to your cards and circles are my favorite. Can't tell you why, they're just more appealing to my eyes over squares or flowers. I happen to think the 2" Circle Punch is the perfect size for most projects. | |
5.Big Shot | |
this bad boy is the mother of all tools. I find it very hard to make a card without using this handy machine. Now it's on the higher end of the tools but well worth the investment. Plus, if you buy from me – it comes with a three-year warranty as opposed to a big-box store which only has one year and will only send you replacement parts. My Big Shot broke at three years and one month. Just what? Stampin' Up! sent me a new one no questions asked. How's that for service? Oh yeah baby. So what is this bad boy do? This machine is designed to not only cut shapes from your die cuts but also to easily dry emboss your card stock. So when you see card stock that has raised images like flowers are polkadots or trees, that was created on this machine. A lot of times when you see treat box, jars or ice cream scoops cut out of paper, they were all created on the Big Shot. | |
6.Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock | |
all papers are the same, right Ang? Oh no my friend. Card stock is vastly different. You want to look for heavyweight card stock when making cards or scrapbooking. 80 – 100 pounds is a great weight for paper. Any less than that and you are looking at a card that will flop over when it gets put up on the mantle or the countertop for everyone to see. | |
7.Fast Fuse Adhesive | |
this one is tricky. Everyone has their favorites and there is a different adhesive for different projects. For example, Fast Fuse adhesive is a super strength adhesive that bonds instantly and neatly- making it perfect for heavier layers or small 3-D items. Snail adhesive is a great double-sided tape and really easy to apply and refill. Multipurpose liquid glue is a crafter's dream- it adhere's to glitter and other embellishments including cardstock. It has a narrow tip, a strong bond in dries clear. Then there are the Mini Glue dots in the Tear n' Tape adhesive. Mini glue dots are kind of like if you used a glue gun and had a little bit of glue to use to adhere something heavy. Tear n' Tape is also a strong adhesive it but it has a paper backing that you need to peel off. It's also perfect for boxes and 3D items. | |
8.Rhinestone Basic Jewels | |
anything that adds a little bit of interest to your card is the icing on the cake. There are rhinestone jewels, ribbon, paperclips, sequins, etc. whatever catches your eye! | |
9.Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad | |
this is my favorite ink!!! This is a permanent ink that has a rich deep black color. It works well with rubber stamps or photopolymer. | |
10.Uninked Stampin' Spots | |
when you are just starting out, you want to have as many colors as possible without spending a fortune, am I right? Plus you want all the colors right away! No patience! ha ha ha. The way to do it on a budget is to grab The Stampin ink refills. They are only $3.75 each. Typically you use these to refill your ink pads. BUT...you can use these with the little Uninked Stampin' Spots, which come 5 to a pack for only $9. PLUS, they also travel really well for those weekend craft retreats. |