Scrapbooking Tools and Supplies

Basic scissors are a great starting point. But remember to get ones that fit your hand. Scissors come in all sizes and many shapes. Some people work best with ones with small finger holes, others need a larger opening. Some scrapbookers will want ones with very sharp points, others prefer the added safety of rounded corners.

An Xacto knife is another indispensable tool. There are times when it's ever so much easier to slice on a board rather than cut. Expand on that idea by investing in a cutting or trimming board or mat. That will save your desk or kitchen table from looking like a bunch of airport runways with lines at all angles.

A trimmer will allow you to place a flat object, usually paper, then slice a clean straight line in one motion. There are all sorts of fancy ones with ruled edges, paper holders and other features. Some have interchangeable face plates. But don't forget the key feature: sharp blades that are safe and easy to use.

A hole punch is another handy tool for scrapbooking. If you print out something on the computer or buy some paper for a scrapbook page it will often be a continuous rectangle. But many scrapbook designs call for storing pages in an album that is similar to a three-ring binder. That creates a need for a hole punch to avoid making ragged-edged punctures in the paper.

Three-hole punches allow you to adjust where the holes should go to fit any scrapbook album style. At the same time, they make it easy to line up the holes and create them with one simple push. But a single-hole punch can be equally useful. Many small items, like an invitation to a special event or a ribbon won in a contest can be stored securely in a scrapbook by making a single, clean hole.

You may want to invest in a cropping tool. Many professionals who have to trim or crop photos find they can't live without one. They can be as simple as a special pair of scissors or a knife that will trim photos and illustrations to just the right size and shape.

On the higher end of the scale, small machines will allow you to feed your photo in and have it cropped to just the size and shape you want. They also allow a scrapbooker to create a dazzling array of paper or cardboard letters and unique personalized embellishments.

Don't forget to order a personalized stamp pad or die cut. You can give your scrapbook that unique look that anyone will identify with only you. It could be a personally created design, your name, a logo... anything! Go one step further and get embossing powder and a heat tool and you can permanently encode your own personal design onto any page.

But be sure to add that set of pens and pencils, with stencils and templates, that allow you to journal and color your scrapbook to your own personal taste.

When you decide to get started in scrapbooking, it's very exciting. You research as much as you can, then head off to the scrapbook or other supply store and buy the tools and supplies you know you need. The problem starts when you get home and try to get started.

To be really successful and not get overwhelmed, you should take extra steps to get your stuff organized. In the long run, it will save you time, leaving you free to work, brainstorm, and of course, do more shopping.

The first thing every scrapbooker needs is shelves. You can organize your odds and ends into all kinds of containers, but it you don't have shelves to put them on, that stuff will still be all over your table or desk, taking up your work space. Make sure your shelves are sturdy so you don't end up trying to sort through a giant pile of paper scraps, buttons, and ribbons.

Next, you need storage containers to put on your shelves. You can find all sorts of different drawers and containers at your local scrapbooking store, craft store, fabric store, and even hardware store. If you don't do all your scrapbooking at home, the best way to organize is in containers than can be easily transported without spilling your supplies out everywhere.

If you're not looking to spend a fortune, why not use items you find around the house instead of expensive organizers and drawers you find at a craft store? You can use jars, small boxes, and even old baby bottles. You can also re-use old toolboxes, tackleboxes, or plastic sealing jewelry boxes (caboodles). Just as long as what you're using has enough space for separating different items and is easy to get into, there's really no rule about what you can and cannot use.

Files are a great way to organize paper, cardstock and anything else that's flat. The easiest to use are plastic expandable file organizers. They usually have a harder plastic on the outside to keep your stuff safe, several pockets to keep it organized, and a securing device like an elastic band to help hold everything inside.

If you go to scrapbooking meetings, or do your scrapbooking anywhere that isn't at home, you need to have a convenient way to transport your materials easily and safely. Remember, you don't need to take EVERYTHING with you when you go, just enough to work on a few layouts.

You will want to get a bag bigger than you think you need, because you'll inevitably remember something you haven't considered. Then you'll be grateful for the extra space. Another good idea is to label everything you take with you. That way your can easily find your cutting tools or ribbons without having to sort through the whole bag.

The most important thing for keeping your stuff organized is to pick a system and stick with it. You can organize by color sizes, themes, patterns; you can even use multiple schemes to organize. Someone you know might have a system that's great for them, but that doesn't mean it's great for you. All that really matters is that it's organized in a way you can easily find what you're looking for.

One of the great things about scrapbooking is how inexpensive it is to get started. All you need are a few basic supplies that don't cost much. Unless you do all your scrapbooking digital style (on the computer), you'll need something to store all your memories in. So, the first requirement is a good album.

You can go with any size that suits your fancy. Two standard sizes are 8 1/2 in x 11 in and 12 in x 12 in, but you could go with 11 in x 14 in for those larger photos. Even larger albums are available if you want to make a really special gift for yourself or a cherished friend or relative. A basic 8 1/2 x 11 album will go for around $10 and a 12 in x 12 in album is usually less than $20.

Don't worry about finding paper and other supplies if you go larger. Paper comes in every size from 1 in x 1 in Post-It notes to 2 feet x 3 feet or larger. Art stores are a good second alternative if you can't find just what you want in the scrapbooking section. And all sizes come in all sorts of colors and designs. Your imagination is the only limit, not the materials available.

You'll need something to cut and trim the paper, so a sharp pair of scissors and an Xacto knife are really helpful. A sturdy paper trimmer is always helpful for those who aren't very steady with scissors or knife.

Remember, you don't always cut exactly straight lines or 90 degree angles, though. Sometimes you may want to create a round page, a hexagonal page or some other shape to go with your design. Sometimes interesting items call for an equally interesting background. A good stencil or template will help there.

Part of that design will usually be hand written or drawn, words and illustrations. So, you'll need some good pens and pencils. A range of colors is helpful. Start with basic black and expand as your needs grow. Green on red paper or red on green paper is great for Christmas, but don't forget about all the other holidays. And, also, as far as a scrapbook is concerned, every day might be a holiday.

You'll need some adhesive to attach photos, locks of hair, buttons, ribbons, poems on cards or paper.... In short, anything you might want to put into your scrapbook! Old-fashioned small bottles of paper glue with a small brush in the top still work well, provided you get the acid-free type. But take advantage of technology advances and get yourself a glue stick, glue dots or double-sided tape for those small, quick additions.

If you like to create on the computer, you'll want to experiment with different kinds of paper for printouts. But you'll also want to invest in some CDs and recording or CD burning software. That way you can easily record the baby's first word or a favorite piece of music. You can store the CD in the scrapbook or just make it part of your overall scrapbooking collection.