Q & A - General
When you begin stamping you don’t need all the bells and whistles. Purchase the basics that will help you learn simple card-making and stamping techniques, then invest in products as you learn new techniques and as it fits your budget. Here are some suggestions of Stampin’ Up! products to get you started in making cards and gifts for your friends and family.
You can start creating with only five basic products – stamp, ink, paper, cutting tool and adhesive. I am adding a sixth optional product to the list – embellishment. Note, this list and information below is not exhaustive and is based on my personal stamping experiences.
1. Stamp
Choose a versatile stamp or stamp set that will suit multiple occasions and can be used for feminine and masculine cards. If you have a small budget, take a look at the à la carte individual stamps, which range from $14.50 to $17.50 (see pages 14-16 of the Idea Book & Catalogue). There are also a number of versatile stamp sets under $45 (see below).
2. Ink
A Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad is a really good ink pad to start with, it is also water-proof so won’t run if you are using techniques like water-colouring. Other good neutral colour choices are Early Espresso and Chocolate Chip. As you grow in your hobby, you can purchase more stamp pads to compliment the colours of your card stock and Designer Series Paper. See pages 120-124 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.
Another alternative is purchasing Classic Stampin’ Spots, which you buy as a collection of small ink pads (25 mm x 25 mm). They come in each of the core colour collections; Brights, Subtles, Regals and Neutrals, plus the Getting Started Collection. See page 118 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.
- Click HERE to see more information about the Getting Started Collection.
3. Paper
Select a pack of card stock or patterned paper in a colour or design that you like. Getting a pack of assorted card stock from one of the colour collections or the Getting Started Collection will give you a range of colours that complement each other. See pages 117-124 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.
- Click HERE to see more information about the Getting Started Collection.
4. Cutting Tool
You will always need a good pair of scissors, whether it is for cutting your paper, card or ribbon. If you use ribbon, reserve a pair of scissors for this and don’t use them on paper as it may dull the blades. For a professional look to your projects, you will want to invest in a good table top paper cutter. It’s a must for cutting out your basic card shapes and matting. See page 149 of the Idea Book & Catalogue for more cutting tool options.
Punches are also a fantastic alternative cutting tool. These are great for punching out stamped images. The Stampin’ Up! circle, square and tag punches all nest inside each other, plus the 1-3/8” Circle punch nests inside the 1-3/4” Scallop Circle punch. See pages 150-154 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.
5. Adhesive
You will of course need some type of adhesive. I mostly use SNAIL® Adhesive, Sticky Strip and double-sided tape. Glue is okay, just be aware you will need to allow drying-time and it can sometimes be a bit messy. If you are adding embellishments or want some type of dimension on your projects, you will want to have on hand some Stampin’ Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots). See page 144 of the Idea Book & Catalogue for more adhesive options.
6. Embellishment
Embellishments add pizzazz to your projects. Brads, buttons, glitter and Crystal Effects® can make a plain card pop. Neutral-coloured ribbon, or ribbon in a few colours of a favourite colour collection is a great asset. You may already have some ribbon and buttons on hand that you can use, however the benefit of using Stampin’ Up! embellishments is that they will co-ordinate with your other Stampin’ Up! supplies. Choose embellishments that you like using and purchase more as you can afford to, or perhaps for that special-occasion card or project. See pages 120-124 and 138-145 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.
Stampin' Up! also offers Simply Sent card sets with everything you need to stamp a pre-cut cards so make sure you check those out as a possibility. See pages 136-137 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.
These are just some suggestions to get you started. You have to decide what type of projects you enjoy creating and compliment that with the products you like using. A hobby should be something you enjoy and is fun, not something you stress about the cost of. Order what your budget allows you to over time.
- Click HERE for some suggested Stampin’ Up! start-up products (340 KB PDF).
These will get you started with stamping for under $100.
