So have you ever just read hundreds of blogs, thinking "hey! I wanna do that too", and then wonder how on earth you ever get started?
Well that's what I'm going to talk about today. Stuff you need to get started making cards. Let's get right to it! To keep this readable, I'll post a few at a time. Today's stuff you gotta have (And I don't even get to the stamps yet!):
1. A good paper trimmer. Not the cheapest one you can find, but you don't have to spend big bucks here. I used to like guillotine trimmers because I could lop off all the uneven layers on a card in one big chomp. Now I prefer a tool that I can measure well with and have even layers to begin with. The problem with guillotine trimmers? Well, for me, it was hard to consistently get even layers- I would measure, but the trimming process managed to miss the mark somehow. So I had to put finished cards in the trimmer and cut off all the unevenness. Yes, it was a user problem, not necessarily an equipment problem. But you know what? When I got my Stampin' Up trimmer, I suddenly started making much more even layers. No more chopping up finished cards.
2. Great card stock. Don't buy the cheap stuff at the store. It's 2017, use your internet and get great card stock. It makes a difference. There are lots of fantastic choices out there, from My Favorite Things to Simon Says Stamp to Stampin' Up. Why do I like Stampin' Up? Because I love that their inks and papers color coordinate (makes it easier for me to make a nice card) and their colored inks work fabulously on their Whisper White card stock. I mean really, really fabulously. No splotches, no fading, no bleeding. Several companies have coordinating card stock and inks, several companies have a white card stock that works well with their colored inks. Shop around, see what you like best.
3. Your favorite inks. Dye inks are great. They don't cost a lot, they come in hundreds of colors, and they often match your card stock. You don't need lots of pigment inks, unless you do tons of embossing. Versamark and white craft ink are the only pigment inks I use to emboss with. There are inks out there made for certain special effects. Just know that you can do most ink blending techniques with most dye inks. You don't necessarily need all five thousand different Tim Holtz inks (although I do have a few dozen!) and you don't necessarily need all fifty Stampin' Up! inks (although I do have them all). Here again, use your internet and get good inks, don't just stick with what's at the local hobby store.
Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad
$8.00
4. A few markers to color with. Don't think you have to spend big money here, either, but you will want to color in images for your cards. Water-based markers cost less than alcohol-based, but both have their place in the crafter's nook. I'd start with water-based because you can stamp with them, water color with them, and they often come in colors to match your inks. Those come in handy when you stamp imperfectly- you can touch up the image with the coordinating marker and Ta-daa! You've got a perfect image.
5. A computer. You will at some point, be stuck. Have a stamp set you have no idea what to do with. Want to see a new technique. Try to figure out where your great card went wrong. Thanks to the internet, you'll be able to find new inspiration, tutorials, and friends willing to provide feedback. And you can do it at 2:00 am.
Thanks for looking. I'll post more later.
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