Must Have Tools - Beginner Bundles

What Do You Really Need to Start Scrapbooking?

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 tope of this blog.

TOOLS :

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

1. Trimmer -cost £23.00

 I took my Stampin' Up Trimmer - 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. You can also buy replacement blades from me. 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.

2. Die Cutting Machine - cost £112.00

I really needed mine for using my letters dies for titles and for cutting labels, and shapes. A crafting friend in Canada lent me hers while I was there. 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 dies cutting machine will soon have a magnetic plate which will mean your dies will line up exactly as you want them to when cutting matching images out and you won't need to use pieces of tape to hold them in place.

3. Take Your Pick Tool - cost £9.00 

Amazing! I use it constantly to pick things up, to make holes, to push out die cuts.

4. Tweezers 

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

5. A lead 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. Write Markers - 

Can be used to journal and to colour in. Pens have a brush and fine tip at each end.  I scribble onto a piece of plastic and pick up the ink and paint with a paint brush or a stamping up blender pen for lighter more watercolored look. See my Article HERE on over 12 things to do with Write Markers. (work in progress)

You can buy in sets of 10 pens in each colour family Brights, Subtles, Regals and Neutrals - Each pack of ten costs £27.50 and you can also buy all 41 in a useful storage box that has space to add more markers from the in-colour sets of 5. (includes 1 basic black marker as well)  £112.75

You can also buy a set of 5 in the in-colours for 2021-22 and 2020-21.£13.75

If you want to buy the big box of 40 option. I will send you a free pack of 5 in-colour markers separately (your choice of year).

7. Scissors - Stampin' Up Snips are £9.25

I sell a fabulous quality pair of sharp scissors called snips for ribbon and quick paper cuts and cutting around images. Keep them away from glue and if you want them to remain sharp for material and ribbon - get a second pair as they will dull over time if you are cutting paper with them all of the time.

8. Scrapbook and pages / page protectors. Cost for 1 album and one set of 12 inserts is £14.75.

 You can buy a 6x8 scrapbook from my shop at a very reasonable £9.25 with refill pages at £5.50 for a mixed pocket page look - although I do use this I also use 12 x 12 scrapbooks and I don't sell these, but they can be purchased from a craft retailer for approximately £20 to £30 with page refills at around £10.00 a pack.

 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.

9. Adhesive - Seal Plus £11.25

I like a tape runner that is fast to use and also puts down tiny amounts if I want them. The Stampin Up Seal plus is perfect and once you have it you can just buy easy to slot in refills that cost £7.50.

10. A nice bag with lots of pockets to put it all in!!! 

If you travel to scrapbook its really handy to have a big bag to carry it all there!!

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 by buying items that last. 

Better to have a few fabulous tools supplies 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