Card Making Supplies

Basic Card Making Supplies

Card making is a fairly simple craft, so you don’t need a lot of supplies to get started. In fact, if you’ve ever experimented with scrapbooking or rubber stamping, you probably have most of what you need just sitting in your craft area!

Paper

When making handmade greeting cards, you can either purchase blank cards to decorate or cut your own cards from cardstock. Purchasing pre-made cards is certainly more convenient, but cutting your own cards is a good option if you already have a large stash of cardstock from other projects. Use a paper trimmer and a bone folder to ensure straight cuts and crisp creases.

Whether you decide to purchase pre-made cards or cut your own, you also may wish to add patterned paper, handmade paper, vellum, or other specialty papers to your stash of card making supplies. These papers can be cut and layered to create a variety of interesting effects for your handmade greeting cards.

Envelopes

Since envelopes aren’t really the focus of card making, many crafters decide to purchase pre-made envelopes for their projects. You can find envelopes in a variety of sizes at most craft stores. Envelopes are also available at discount retailers such as Wal-Mart and office supply stores such as Staples.

Of course, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can forgo pre-made envelopes and create your own. You can use a template or a tool such as the Kreate-a-lope to make your own envelopes. Just remember to use a strong adhesive so your envelope arrives intact!

Embellishments

Rubber stamps are quite useful card making supplies, especially if you’re interested in creating Christmas cards or other projects that involve using the same image multiple times. If you’re interested in card making, you’ll probably want a small collection of rubber stamps and ink pads in basic colors. Alphabet stamps, simple geometric shapes, and floral designs are typically the most versatile, although this is largely a matter of personal preference.

Other possible embellishments for card making include:

• Stickers
• Die cuts
• Brads
• Buttons
• Eyelets
• Pressed flowers
• Ribbon
• Metal charms
• Shaped paper clips
• Acrylic letters or shapes
• Chipboard letters or shapes

Shopping for Supplies

Crafting on a limited budget doesn’t have to be difficult! To get the most out of your money, remember the following tips as you’re shopping for card making supplies:

• Look for coupons and sale advertisements in your local newspaper. Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts, and Michaels typically place ads on a weekly basis and often include coupons offering discounts of 40% or 50% off an item of your choice.
• Ask around to see if you have a consultant for Stampin’ Up or Close to My Heart in your area. Both of these direct sales companies specialize in exclusive products for paper crafting and consultants often offer special promotions throughout the year.
• If you decide to cut your own cards, remember that buying cardstock in bulk is generally more economical than purchasing it by the sheet.
• Since your taste in embellishments is likely to change as you become more experienced in card making, don’t purchase a large stash of these products right away. Until you’ve had a chance to develop your own personal sense of style, buy only what you need for a particular project.