tool kit...

I probably should have shared my tool kit must haves at the beginning of this tutorial series, but forgot about it.  never mind im doing it now...

so first is my essentials:

1. paper trimmer (there are lots of different brands and sizes available and you can buy various cutting, scoring, perforating and decorative edge interchangeable blades depending on which trimmer you choose)
2. score board (shown is a wooden one, you can also buy plastic ones)
3. scissors (I have big scissors for general stuff, paper scissors, glue scissors and ribbon scissors)
4. pencil sharpener
5. pokey tool
6. ball tool (comes in different sizes used to score card, dry embossing etc)
7. bone folder (gives you a nice crisp crease when folding card)
8. pencil
9. craft knife
10. ruler
11. cutting mat

Then we have stuff for stamping:

1. SU! 'stampin scrub' (use with stampin mist to help get your stamps clean)
2. SU! stampin mist (stamp cleaner... other brands are available but I like this one!)
3. SU! stamp-a-ma-jig (helps line stamps up, very handy for sentiments and 2 step stamping)
4. clear blocks (to mount clear or photopolymer stamps)
5. versamark pen (used for embossing)
6. memento pen (can be used to fill in bits you missed when stamping or to draw your own images to colour with alcohol markers)
7. kraft sheet/ heat resistant mat (protects work surfaces from ink and heat but they are also good to blend on or use as a palette when painting)
8. archival ink pad - jet black (to be used for watercolouring etc)
9. memento ink pad - tuxedo black (to be used with alcohol markers eg copics/ promarkers)

black ink pads are basics, you can have as many colours as you like but you will always come back to the blacks. I should have included an embossing ink pad and heat tool too, but you do only need this if you are heat embossing!!

And finally some useful extras:

1. distress tool (used to create a distressed edge on paper or card)
2. tweezers (for picking up fiddly bits like embellishments)
3. pick up pencil (helps pick up small embellishments like gems or pearls)
4. quickie glue pen
5. sakura star dust (an easy and fast drying glitter, great for fine detail)
6. sakura clear glaze (the quickest drying gloss finish, great for fine detail)
7. white gel pen (for highlights)
8. sakura micron pen (for details like faux stitching)

I also like the keep some extra bit near my desk when im crafting 

1. tissue/kitchen roll (to wipe up spills, ink and when painting)
2. baby wipes (easy clean up and can also clean stamps)
3. a flannel/ small towel (wipes up any ink but last longer than tissue and you can also dry your hands to save your nice towels!!) 
4. a day light lamp (helps to see what your doing clearly and also shows the true colour of the cardstock/ pen you are using)
5. post it notes and scrap paper ( I like a pad or stack of paper to rest on when I am crafting as it helps to give a better impression when stamping and when colouring with alcohol markers. I also like to make notes and do little sketches when I get an idea for a card/ project)

Of course this is just the tools I like to have, if you are starting out you wont need all of these, but you can collect as you go and grow with each new technique you learn...

 

Mx