Beginning Stamper? No Worries, I've Got you Covered

 

Hi Everyone,

I remember when I went to my very first Stampin' Up! party over 25 years ago. I was excited about all the wonderful products in the catalog that was shared and when the demonstrator shared some projects, I simply ordered everything she shared. Well needless to say, when I go my order, I really didn't know what to do with the things I purchased. I didn't have basic supplies to help me either. Fast forward 25 years later, and I have great suggestions on how to begin a successful crafting area, so you can have quick and easy success with cardmaking. 

There are four things that you need to get started and be able to create many wonderful cards for all occasions. Let's take a look at these four "must haves".

• Stamps (with a clear block too)
• Ink 
• Paper
• Adhesive

Stamps: 

If you start to explore stamps, you will become overwhelmed quickly. Remember, you want to be able to stamp easily and spend little money, but get a lot for what you spend. I would suggest looking for stamp sets that are all occasions, so you will get images and sentiments that can be used for a variety of occasions.

The Circle Sayings Bundle would be a fabulous beginning stamp set with a Circle Punch to add a bit more variety to the projects you create. This stamp set includes many sentiments that cover lots of occasions too. 

With all stamps, you will need a clear acrylic block. For the Circle Sayings Bundle, the "B", "C", and "D" blocks will work for all of your stamping. If you just want to purchase one clear block, you should order "D". This block will fit the largest image in the Circle Sayings Bundle and will then work for any of the others in the set. 

Inks:

There are so many types of inks, so it's important to get the right ink to support the stamps you purchase. The majority of the stamps in the Circle Sayings Bundle can be stamped with Memento Black ink. You can then add color with color pencils or markers you may already have on hand. If not, I would suggest a set of Stampin' Up! Watercolor Pencils. They are so nice and you can color smoothly with them. 

If you like a bit more color, you can also purchase a collection of Stampin' Spots. These are small ink cubes in a variety of colors. This is a great way to get a taste of colors and create projects quickly without taking time to color. These are cost saving and don't take up much room.

Paper: 

One of the wonderful things about Stampin' Up! is that they have such perfect color coordination. You can get colored cardstock that matches the ink and matches the accessories and embellishments. To start your cardmaking, you many want to purchase the Cards & Envelope packs. These come in Basic White or Vanilla. These packages have 20 precut and scored card bases and envelopes. This is perfect for a beginning stamper. You don't have to have a paper cutter or storage for all sorts of color cardstock. If you want a little more color to add to add to your notecards & envelopes, you can purchase one package of a cardstock variety pack or a package of designer series paper if you want. 

Adhesives:

Just like the other products I've taked about, there are many adhesives to decide on. If you begin with the note cards & Envelopes, you won't need any adhesive to create great cards. If you want to add a layer onto the note card or punch out your image to add to the card, you will want adhesive. I would suggest the Mulit-Purpose Liquid glue to start with. You might want to also add a package of Stampin' Dimensionals to add a bit of interest and pop up an image. 

I hope that my suggestions have made it easy for you to get started in cardmaking and having success. I've listed the products below for easy shopping. Be sure to reach out if you have any questions or would like some card ideas for your purchase. 

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café