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Seven Must-Have Paper Crafting Materials
You will find with every crafting project you do there are some basic tools and materials that are always present and it varies between the particular crafts you do. Although, in recent months, we have seen a merge in crafting trends, paper crafting enthusiasts are incorporating sewing and quilting techniques into their projects. For instance, paper crafters are incorporating stitching and trimmings into cards. However, for this particular article we are going to go over seven tools that are absolutely necessary to engage in any paper crafting project.
1) Paper - You can combine many different paper types to maximize the benefits of each. A dazzling selection of papers are now available: marbled, sueded, embossed, metallic, textured, and faux finishes, to name just a few. Papers can also be divided into three basic weights. Common lightweight papers include vellum and tissue papers. Medium-weight papers are the most popular and include most scrapbooking paper. These papers are the most suitable as backgrounds for many projects, as well as for folding projects. Heavyweight papers include corrugated cardboard, card stock and some embossed papers. The thickness of these papers makes it difficult to hold a crease, do choose your paper wisely based on the particular project you are doing.
2) Decorative-edged scissors - Decorative scissors never really go out of style and they add a fun sense of creativity to any paper crafting project.
3) Bone folders - Never heard of these? They are used to smooth and flatten a number of paper surfaces, anywhere from creases to recently glued surfaces.
4) Eyelets & Brads - You can use these as simple embellishments; they come in a plethora of amazing colors and shapes. They are great for attaching photographs, decorative papers, eyelet letters or charms to your pages.
5) Paper punches & Die Cut Machines - These are great for crafters looking for a more economical way to get larger cut-out designs; inexpensive too. You can also make smaller die-cut patterns with the range of press and squeeze punches that are available.
6) Sticker Machines - These eliminate the worry about sticky gooey messes and the wait time for the glue to dry. Sticker/animation machines are available in a small, sticker-sized, 1 1/2 inch wide (4cm) format and also available in the large format capable of applying adhesive to 12-inch squares (30.5 cm). I like to use them with die-cut and punch machines to create a creative masterpiece at little cost. I use it to also make patterned paper for my own projects. The possibilities are endless.
7) Adhesives - The increasing popularity of scrapbooking and paper crafting has brought on a greater need for a more extensive line of adhesives. Here is the line-up: Peel & Stick mounting squares; easy no mess solution, Dimensional Mounting Tabs; ads three-dimensional quality to projects. Basic Craft Glue; which is available in liquid and stick forms, is still a great adhesive choice. Just a quick tip when working with basic craft glue; make sure to choose a clear-drying variety, and look for archival safe glues when working with original photos.
These are the basics of what you would need to create fun and imaginative paper craft projects. You don't need much more than this, you will start to see just how much you can do with these seven tools. Enjoy!
About the Author: Melissa is the Senior Editor at http://www.craftyplaces.com and has been a craft enthusiast all her life.
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