Almost every day, people ask what are my “must haves”, you know like a “creative essentials” kit. Let me start by saying, when you create every day, your needs will be very different to someone who is just starting out. However, there will be some things that you use every single time you create! It doesn’t matter whether you are new to creating or a experience papercrafter, you will have the same basics in your kit.
Over the past few months, I’ve kept a tally of what I use each time I create. I’ve excluded stamps, ink, my big shot and other consumables such as card stock and embellishments. Using this tally, I’ve come up with my Top 10 Essentials.
Top 10 Creative Essentials
| 1.Paper Snips Scissors | |
 | Everyone needs a sharp pair of scissors. Each time you create, you’ll be either cutting cardstock, snipping ribbon or fussy cutting. Perhaps you’ll use the point to put your Stampin’ Jewels, (rhinestones & pearls) accents, glitter enamel dots or other accents in place if you don’t have your paper-piercing tool handy. These paper snips are solid investment… I bought my first pair in about 2008…They’ve been dropped, covered in glue and ink (don’t ask) and generally take an absolute hiding and they’re still cutting perfectly! Don’t waste your time or money with the cheap scissors from Target, Big W, or wherever else you buy cheap stationary – Take the plunge and invest in these right from the start. In the long run you will save money and you will thank me for it. |
| 2.Stampin’ Trimmer | |
 | Each time you create you will need to cut card stock or designer series paper to size or score a fold line. This tool makes it incredibly easy. Remember to have spare scoring and cutting blades on hand. |
| 3.Bone Folder | |
 | Use your bone folder to make pristine creases on your card or curl petals on a punched or die cut flower petals. Let’s face it, your acrylic nails are not designed to be used as folding tools. You can even use this tool to work the ink refill into your ink pad. No kit is complete without a bone folder! |
| 4.Stampin’ Dimensionals | |
 | 99% of your projects will need the added depth that dimensionals provide. Now there are mini dimensionals too. Make sure you have a second pack on hand in case of crafting emergencies. |
| 5.Stampin’ Pierce Mat | |
 | This mat is so much more than a mat to pierce holes on. If you are using photopolymer stamps, this little foam mat is the difference between a beautifully stamped crisp clear image and a blah image. Photopolymer stamps need a little “give” in the surface which makes this mat a perfect foundation for stamping on. Oh, I almost forgot you can use it for paper piercing too! |
| 6.Sponge Daubers | |
 | Most of my projects involve some sort of sponging as I like to ‘soften’ the harsh edges. I like the control that the sponge dauber gives. To be honest, I have at least sponge dauber for every ink pad I own. I admit, I alternate between sponge daubers and stampin’ sponges, but, during the tally period sponge daubers were the clear winner! The sponge dauber is also great for putting multipurpose glue on fiddly little cut outs too. |
| 7.SNAIL Permanent Adhesive | |
 | Every project needs adhesive. This easy to use, refillable tape runner is my “go to” for card making. It’s acid free too! Much easier and less messy than peeling the backing off double sided tape! Make sure your stock up on refills. If you are making boxes you may want to use fast fuse tape runner instead. |
| 8.Glue Dots | |
 | These handy little adhesive dots are perfect for adhering bows, ribbon and embellishments. I’ve know people to mend their hems with these little beauties. They are a great back up if you run out of your other adhesive. These are another essential item that you should always order two of. There’s nothing worse than ‘burning the midnight oil” (staying up late) working on a project only to find that you have run out of glue dots. |
| 9.Liquid Multipurpose Glue | |
 | Every project you make needs adhesive of some sort. There are times that you just need glue. This stuff is perfect for glitter and heavier embellishments. If you use this glue, I recommend you invest in a silicon craft sheet and some sponge daubers to make it even easier to use. We have a problem with humidity and static in south-east Queensland which impacts how well clear mount rubber stamps adhere the blocks. So I usually coat the back of clear mount rubber stamps with a thin film of this glue and let it dry completely. It becomes a repositionable film and helps stamps stick to the clear blocks. No more stamps dropping off your blocks. |
| 10.Stampin’ Mist | |
 | You invest a lot of money in your stamps so you need to care for them properly and clean and condition them after every use to ensure they have a long and happy life. Combine this mist with a Stampin’ Scrub for best results. |
Well that’s my Top 10 Creative Essentials!
Hope this helps you decide what you need in your basic stash to start creating. If you haven’t got all these items in your stash, you’d better head over to my online Stampin’ Up! store to order your missing items today. If you need more help getting started or want to know what else I recommend get in touch via the contact me form.
