Whether you’re new to scrapbooking or finally cleaning out you craft area here’s my suggestion of the essentials all serious scrapbookers need. I have been scrapbooking for 10 years now and I have quite the collection, but there are a handful of items I always use when I do a page.
1. Paper
You can’t scrapbook without paper! And remember, when you’re cutting keep the scraps that are large enough to repurpose, it’s called SCRAPbooking for a reason. Walmart is a great place to get a pack of textured scrapping paper and it’s only $5 for the large 12 x 12. I recommend the single sheets from Michael’s and Joanne’s as there paper packs can run to be $20, which is too much. However, they almost always have coupons that run from 40-60% off so never enter a craft store without your coupons in hand. Around the holidays Michael’s sells great packs for $5, I stock up on those.
2. Prints
You need to print your pictures, obviously. Unless you’re doing the digital thing, which isn’t my style. I’ve tried just about everywhere to print photos and the best quality and price is Shutterfly. If you’re like me, you want your pictures ready when you’re going to craft, my best advice is start an album of photos you want to print while you’re on vacation or during the work week and order them online so you have them by the weekend. It’s not worth spending money on prints if you don’t even like the quality.
3. Memorabilia
Keep tickets, show programs, letters, maps, and other items to add to your scrapbooks. It adds texture, dimensions, and detail. My Rome two page spread was almost made entirely out of the actual map we used in Rome and it’s covered in notes that the hotel and locals gave us. It’s nice to remember those thing when the memory starts to forget them.
4. Paper Trimmer
A paper trimmer is a must. I have two, a small one and a large one. The small one is really all you need, I use this so much I have to replace the blade yearly. It cuts a straight line smoothy and you can also get an attachment that will make the perfect score in your paper for making cards.
5. Adhesive
You need something to stick all those images, memorabilia, and embellishments with. I use the roller, glue dots, and a Xyron sticker maker for ribbon and small die-cuts.
6. Stickers and Embellishments
Stickers and embellishments are fun! They’re another way to add color and dimensions, but beware it’s easy to collect stickers quickly. Be prepared to have a way to organize them, I have plastic drawers I keep in the hall closet and one of those drawers is overflowing with just stickers. Letter stickers, Disney stickers, paw prints, holidays, sayings, and more.
7. Album
You need at least one album. Once you’re done making pages they have to go somewhere. I prefer the large 12 in x 12 in albums. Mini albums are great for gifts, but I find them more difficult to make since your space is very limited.
8. Cricut
Or find a friend with a Cricut machine. A Cricut machine is a fancy machine that crafting nerds love, it die-cuts things the human hand could never do and it can write for you. If you’re like me and you’ve been scrapping for a long time a Cricut machine is a great investment. It’s not cheap and can add up quickly if you pay for the monthly “access” subscription, I don’t pay for it. I bought the machine bundle pack with physical tools. For the designs I take advantage of the free weekly cuts, I’m also really tech savvy so I download fonts, logos, and other .svg files to use with my Cricut Explore Air. I cut letters for scrapbooking, it writes all my journal entries for pages, I have even used it to make iron-ons and stickers! I love my Cricut and it’s opened up endless possibilities for crafting even outside of scrapbooking.
What are your must-haves for scrapbooking?
