Scrapbooking - Top Tips on Tools

What Do You Really Need to Start Scrapbooking? (updated August 2024)

Well of course you need photographs and memorabilia and maybe some consumables such as patterned papers, cardstock - However here are some recommended items that you may need to set you up.

Below are some of my recommendations: Some of these you can buy in my Stampin' Up shop by clicking on the shop link in the menu at the top of this blog or on the item photo. Some you may already have at home. 

TOOLS :

I tested this out in 2020 on my trip to Canada and I had to be in 2 weeks quarantine with no craft room and I discovered which essentials I took with me that really worked.

1. Trimmer

A paper cutting device to cut straight edges. Years and years ago I did draw straight lines with a ruler and cut along them with scissors, but having a trimmer for photos and for paper and card is so much faster and the results are much cleaner.

I use a 12 x 12 stampin'up trimmer and a smaller chop type trimmer for photos and smaller bits. Sometimes a scrapbooking venue will have larger trimmers on hand for everyone to use. At the moment Stampin'Up do not offer a smaller chop type of trimmer, but I am hoping they will bring one back now that they are offering more scrapbooking items again.

The 12 x 12 Stampin' Up Trimmer - £27.00 perfect. for 12 x 12 papers and this Stampin Up trimmer has a side measure feature which also helps you to cut the middles out of a piece of paper. (This can be useful for some designs but also a good way of keeping paper that would normally be lost behind photographs known as 'gutting'). The trimmer extends out and takes a whole sheet of 12 x12 easily and there is also a handy scoring tool right next to the blade so you can either cut or score. You can also buy replacement blades £13.00 for 4.

2. Die Cutting Machine - Not essential but very desirable

I really needed mine for using my lettering dies for titles and for cutting labels, and shapes. A crafting friend in Canada lent me her machine while I was there. I just brought some plates in my suitcase and the lettering dies I thought I would use. I usually take mine to a workshop as I am always cutting letters for titles with my scrap bag of card but if you can buy alphabet stickers and cut your own alphabets or draw your titles as I did before I had a machine. Sometimes a workshop / Crop will have a shared one with some dies you can borrow (my workshops do). 

If you are going to invest then Stampin' Up have a fold away die cutting machine and some fabulous dies - see my article HERE on great dies for scrapbooking on my blog  24th October 2020. There is also a baby die cutting machine - also fold away! available  - this would be a better option for travelling or on a smaller desk! Both die cutting machines co-ordinate with other makes of dies. 

Stampin' Up cut and emboss machine is £121.00 and the small baby version is £62.00. They both come with various cutting plates to enable you to cut and emboss and also sell spare cutting plates for each machine. 

3. Take Your Pick Tool

Amazing! I use it constantly to pick things up, place things down, to make holes, to push out die cuts, it now comes with different tips to extend the way in which you can use it. £11.25. Extra crafter tips for the tool are £20.00. The extra brush tip with foam mats is for brushing little pieces out of complex dies making quick work of it and is £13.00.  You can also buy replacement putty tips 2 for £4.75. 

4. Tweezers 

Just use an old pair they are fab for picking and placing gluey bits and bobs.

5. A pencil 

You can't go without, so have a rubber and a sharpener available also - I use to trace around things, to measure up photos and mats and to write out my journalling before I go over in pen. 

6. Colouring / Journalling Pens 

Can be used to journal in different colours and to colour in, make little marks /decorate. 

Stampin' Up Write Markers are pens with a brush and fine tip at each end.  You can use the pens in many different ways.  See my Article HERE on over 12 things to do with Write Markers. (work in progress). I have had mine for over 10 years and they are still working well with the exception of Real Red which was overly used every Christmas! I no longer have a wide variety of ink pads and so I rely on my write markers and pencils to give me lots of variety when choosing colours.

You can buy write markers in sets of 10 pens in each colour family Brights, Subtles, Regals and Neutrals - Each pack of ten costs £35.00 and you can also buy all 4 sets for 10% discount for £126.00 for 40 markers.

You can also buy a set of 5 in the in-colours for 2023/4 and 2024/5 for .£17.50

(Special Offer for September 2024 - If you buy the big box of 40 option product code 163136 for £126.00 I will send you a free pack of 5 in-colour markers separately worth £17.50. (your choice of year). You will need to ensure you don't tick the 'no contact option' otherwise I won't be able to contact you to arrange this with you.)

7. Scissors

A pair of scissors for cutting out memorabilia and different shapes - I love cutting alphabets I have made myself out of background pieces of photographs. Also useful for ribbon etc - although you may want two pairs as cutting paper and card will blunt your scissors over time and they won't cut material or ribbon anymore.

Stampin' Up sell a fabulous quality pair of sharp scissors called snips - £11.75 -for ribbon and quick paper cuts and cutting around images. Keep them away from glue and the rest of your family they are grown up scissors and need to be hidden away!  They are sharp and come with blade protection. When I started out with classes I bought 6 pairs for customers to use and they are still going strong.

8. Scrapbook and pages / page protectors. 

 My preferred type of album is 12 x 12 but a smaller album is great for when you want to make an album for someone else or you want to cover a particular theme. 

Watch this space for 12 x 12 album information coming soon...... September 2024

Currently you can buy a 6x8 scrapbook from my shop at a very reasonable £10.75 with a variety pack of inserts for £6.00. The 6 x 8 inches size is perfect for gifting, for a beginner or making scrapbooks for others or for making special project scrapbooks such as a baby book, wedding book, amazing trip, alphabet book, or my home improvements book! It is also perfect for those who want to include decorative elements and memorabilia as the little pockets are great for this.

You can also make your own brag books and scrap books and I will feature ones I make on my You Tube channel and this blog. These are great if you like lots of lift up flaps and hidden pockets. I have made a few but I never end up putting my photos in them! 

9. Adhesive

I like a tape runner that is fast to use and also puts down tiny amounts if I want them.  However you can use PVA glue or little photocormers. The important thing is that the adhesive is acid free otherwise it will not preserve your photographs and will yellow in time. 

Stampin Up sell tear and tape adhesive, mini glue dots and liquid glue but y preference is the Stampin' Seal for £ 7.50 which also has refills £5.75.

10. A nice bag with lots of pockets to put it all in!!! - only required if you are travelling with your supplies to a workshop or a crop.

It is so much fun to go to a crop or workshop and scrapbook in company. If you don't know anyone you soon will! It is wonderful sharing your memories with others and what better way to get to know people. If you travel to scrapbook it's really handy to have a big bag to carry it all there!! I do manage to scrapbook and travel with only 1 bag with all of my tools, album pages and photos plus a large concertina folder which holds all of my scrap card. I usually have a pencil case within the bag to keep my smaller items.

Good quality products and 'less is more' are my biggest tips to you. You will enjoy the experience be invigorated with the challenge of using your stash and feel positively holy by not wasting your money or the Earth's resources. Buy items that last and that are refillable.

Better to have a few fabulous tools that you use all the time than cheap craft stash bargains dripping from every shelf that never ever get used - in the long run that is a waste - also a waste of storage solutions to put it all in!! 

 JoP x