Basic Scrapbooking Supplies You Will Need
Before you start your first scrapbook page, you need to have the essentials. Some of the tools and supplies to have on hand are:
Adhesives
There are many types of glues sold for scrapbooking; decide what kind you prefer. Examples are glue sticks, liquid glue pens, photo tape, foam dots, and more. The glue needs to photo-safe and acid-free.
Albums and Sheet Protectors
Albums come in a variety of sizes; the standard size that most beginners use is 12 x 12 inch. This size allows you to use many sizes of photos and still have room for other scrapbooking elements. Make sure the page protectors are Mylar, polypropylene, or polyethylene. Any other page protector will damage and fade your pages with time.
Cutting Tools
You will want large and small straight edge pairs of scissors. Other options include decorative scissors, paper trimmers, and shape cutters. For advanced scrapbooking, a digital die-cut machine is useful.
Die Cuts
Die cuts are cut paper shapes that you can add to your pages. They are premade and sold in packages.
Paper
You will want a variety of solid colored and patterned paper. Paper comes in 12 x 12-inch sheets or in 8.5 x 11 inches. It’s sold in individual sheets or stacks. Buy only acid-free (ph neutral) and lignin free paper. Acid-free paper has been treated so that the acids present in wood pulp papers are removed. Lignin free means that the paper has been processed to remove the acidic part of the wood pulp in paper.
Pens
Use pens that have pigment ink. It is fade resistant, colorfast, and waterproof. Always practice writing with your pen on a piece of scrap paper first, before writing on your page layout.
Photos
Photos are the most essential part of your scrapbook page. Make sure that your photos are well lit and in focus for the best results.
Punches
Punches are tools in various shapes that are used cut out shapes from paper.
Stamps
Rubber stamps add beauty and interest to the scrapbook page. Use embossing powders with a heating tool to give the print dimension. Use markers to add color to the stamped images.
Stickers
Stickers are an essential embellishment to scrapbook pages. Craft stores sell sticker packages in thousands of shapes, themes, and designs especially for scrapbooking.
Templates
Templates are stencils that can help the artistically challenged make perfect shapes and borders. Place the templates on the paper, trace the shapes, cut out, and glue to your layout.
Taking It to the Next Level
If you determine that scrapbooking is a hobby that you want to continue, you will find inspiration galore in scrapbooking magazines, online videos, scrapbook product manufacturers websites, and personal blogs devoted to the craft. Scrapbooking will give you endless hours of fun, stress relief, and an outlet for your creativity.
