Learn to Stamp and Scrap with Lynn Larson

Beginner Stamping Supplies

Are you interested in rubber stamping and want to know what supplies you will need to get started?  I get asked this question a lot, especially from beginners attending my workshops so I thought that I would address this issue in today's post. 

Ask anyone and the very basic necessities are obviously stamps, ink and paper.  The best way to decide on the stamp set and colors of ink and cardstock is to decide what projects you would like to create.  Are you looking for an all-purpose general stamp set that you can use on a regular basis that would work for multiple occasions?  Do you want to create a wedding album or baby announcements?  Once you know what it is you would like to do with your stamps, you can go on to picking the right stamp set to serve your needs.  

The next question is what type of stamping appeals to you?  Do you like to ink up the stamp and stamp it on the paper and be done with it or do you like an outline image that you can color in or watercolor?  Depending on your answer or the look you would like to achieve on your project, you can browse the catalog to see what types of stamps will fit the bill. 

The next step in chosing your supplies is to pick the colors of inks and cardstock you will need for your project.  What type of stamp set did you choose?  If you like watercoloring, you probably chose an outline image and will need an ink pad to stamp your outlines.  What colors will you need to use to color in your stamped image?  What medium will you use to color your stamped image in?  Do you like colored pencils, watercolor crayons, ink pads or markers?  What will you need to apply those items to your image?  Now that you have your stamps and inks picked out, what color cardstock do you need to coordinate with your project?  Most finished items look the best with one neutral and two colors of cardstock. 

Some other supplies that I suggest are a paper cutter, SNAIL adhesive and a refill, bone folder, white gel pen, Paper Snips, Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist.  Some people might not think that a gel pen is a necessity for a beginner, but it is a staple in my stamping tote and bring it everywhere.  It is good for adding faux stitching, dots or other accents to take your projects to the next step without getting too advanced.

Another nice thing to start out with is a Stampin' Around Wheel, Handle and Ink Cartridge to be able to make your own backgrounds or add accents to your projects.  They are also great for rolling images onto gift bags or wrapping paper for a special event.  Many beginners chose wheels because of their versatility and ease of use.

If you would like to order any supplies, I would be happy to help you get started.  You could also host a workshop to be able to use the products in person and see the different styles of stamps available to you.  When you hosting a workshop you will be eligible to receive a FREE hostess stamp set and also free products.  You can contact me to set up a time for your workshop by email (lynn@learntostampandscrap.com) or by calling me at 802-380-0222. 

Happy stamping,

Lynn

Basic Card Making Supplies for Beginners

One question I am asked frequently from people just starting out in card making is "What are the basic supplies I need to get started?".  I always answer by saying that they should start out by taking a "SIP" which stands for 'stamps, ink and paper'.  In order to chose what would work best for each person, I ask beginners the following questions:

1.  What types of cards are you looking to make?  Is there a specific theme in mind like birthdays, weddings or baby cards OR are you just looking for a versatile stamp set to create cards for different occasions?

2,  Do you like to watercolor or color in your images OR would prefer to ink up an image, stamp it on your card and being done with it?  This question will determine the type of stamp set you should purchase.  If you like coloring in your images a "coloring book" or outline stamp set is your best choice.  If you like just stamping your image a bold stamp set is for you.

3.  What are your favorite colors or favorite color family?  This is a great place to start to look for cardstock and inks.  I usually recommend people chose an assortment of cardstock in that color family and 3-4 coordinating ink pads or markers that match that color family.  If you chose a coloring book type stamp set, then you are usually better off getting a black stamp pad for the outline of your image and then choosing something like markers, colored pencils, watercolor crayons or pastels to color in your images.  If a bold stamp set is for you, you might chose a couple different color ink pads or an assortment of markers for you to color your image and stamp on your cards.

4.  Once you have chosen your style stamp set, picked out your inks and assorted package of cardstock to match your favorite color family, it is time to decide which neutral cardstockto use to accent and layer your cards with.  Most often people go with either Whisper White or Very Vanilla cardstock.  Other nice choices are Naturals White and Confetti White that have some light specks of color adding to the interest of the paper and are great for things like watercoloring.

5.  Envelopes - It is best to chose envelopes that match your neutral cardstock.  For example, if you chose Whisper White Cardstock you should have Whisper White Envelopes on hand for your finished cards.

Once you have answered all of the questions above, there are some other things that you might consider for your card making needs.  These items would be:

• Stampin' Scrub - used to clean ink off of your stamps
• Stampin' Mist - used to spray on your Stampin' Scrub to clean and preserve the rubber on your stamps
• Adhesive - SNAIL is a great adhesive to use for card making - it is also safe for scrapbooking
• Adhesive refill - I always keep a SNAIL refill on hand in case I run out!
• Paper Scissors - Paper Snips are some of the best paper scissors I have owned.  They are really sharp and come with a protective cover over the blades.
• Paper Cutter and scoring blade - this is a must have for cutting your cardstock and making layers for your cards
• Bone Folder - I love to have nice, crisp folds on my cards and bone folders work very well in giving you that nice, clean fold line.

Stay tuned for more card making tips and ideas in future articles!  If you have not already done so, please subscribe to this blog's feed so you can be updated when I have a new post on my blog.  That way you won't miss anything!

If you have any questions you would like answered on card making or paper crafting, please leave a comment on this post.  I will answer your questions either by email or in an upcoming post.