New to Cardmaking?

One of the first things every new card maker discovers is that the marketplace is huge – so much bigger than you ever imagined.  And the second thing (if you’ve watched YouTube videos)  is that you want it all!   The content creators make everything seem irresistible,  and the results easy to achieve.

For the sake of your bank account, hit pause,  and consider a few things.

Style:  What do you like creating?  Do you love intricate die cuts? Colouring with alcohol markers? Clean and simple design?   Each of these would lead in a different direction for purchases.

It’s easy to become enthused while watching the super-talented creators on the web,   but we don’t need every supply they use. For instance, I love to look at super intricate dies and the stunning results many achieve with them –  but I don’t actually enjoy creating cards with them.

Price Point:  What will your budget allow you to spend?  For getting started,  as well as for ongoing purchases?

Time:  How much practice will this product take to achieve the results that you want?  How much time are you able to devote to it?

 Supplies: There are countless wonderful options for card making,  with more being produced every year.  It’s so easy to become enthusiastic, and before you know it you’re overwhelmed with supplies and don’t know which way to turn in your space, or what to do next. For long-term enjoyment, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with a few basic tools before you dive any deeper into this art form.

The basics would be:

Ink: good quality inks are a game changer.  You may prefer dye, pigment, or distress –  but buy what you can afford in good quality.  It makes a huge difference.

Stamps:  good quality rubber or photopolymer makes ALL the difference to your stamping.  The way to be certain that you are going to be happy with your results is to buy from an established, reputable company.  It is tempting to purchase from an online, overseas company that offers amazing prices,  but all too often the quality is poor and the designs are pirated.

Paper:  I consider white and cream to be my two go-to colours.  All papers come in different weights:  you will find one that you like to use by experimenting with a few. You may discover that different brands and different weights take ink differently.

Keep in mind that rarely do different brands of white cardstock match in colour, so if you decide to switch you will have white scraps in a different tonality than your new choice.  Experimenting with a few before investing in a large quantity is a good idea.

Paper trimmer: These come in several styles and many, many brands.  I prefer a rotary trimmer for most of my work as there are no blades to replace.  I use a large guillotine paper trimmer to cut multiple pieces of paper at once into card bases.

Score Board/Bone Folder: this will give you clean, crisp fold lines without cracks appearing in your paper. A real necessity for a polished finished product.

Scissors: a good pair of snips (small, maneuverable and sharp right to the point) is necessary for cutting images out by hand (called “fussy cutting”).  

Stamp Positioner/Acrylic Blocks:  unless you are using wood-mounted stamps, one of these will be necessary to hold your stamps to ink them up and get a solid image on the paper. I use both,  but of the two, a Stamp Positioner (although initially more expensive)  will provide far more value for your dollar in the long run.

Die Cutting Machine:  my other favourite piece of equipment in my craft room.  I use this all.the.time.

Dies & Embossing Folders:  both used with the die-cutting machine,  and both offer endless variety to your work.   

Stencils:   one of my absolute favourite design tools because of the excellent price point and unlimited variety they offer.  Not a must-have for start up,  but these can be used to create fabulous backgrounds instead of buying patterned paper.

Foils, pastes, powders, sprays and more … all wonderful, and fun to work with.  It may be a good idea to leave these purchases until you’ve explored some of the options provided by the supplies mentioned above.