Learning and Supplies

Although I have not been making cards for very long (I really only started doing it this year), I've discovered a few things that might be helpful to others - especially those of you who are just starting out and not sure what kind of products to get.

The first and the biggest thing I've learned is that you need to shop for quality rather than the price. I've got a huge boxful of things I bought because they were cheaper alternatives or were on sale. I've used some of them a couple of times, and ended up just disappointed. So, now I save up and buy products from brands I like. This is especially important with tools that you will be using again and again (such as stamps, ink, cardstock and glue).

The second thing I learned is that you don't need everything. This might sound like common sense, but bear with me. There's a HUGE variety of things you can get for card making. From materials, to tools, to embellishments. Before I pruned it a bit, my wishlist on Simon Says Stamp's site was over 700 items in size - and that's just the stuff I really really really wanted to get. If I started counting things I just found interesting, that number would be well into thousands. But, at the end of the day, I find myself always first reaching for a few favorites and letting my creativity turn them into things that are interesting and

And the last big thing I learned is that craft supplies are addictive. I'm still struggling with setting up a small budget figure for myself and keeping my purchases under it. But there's always a temptation that's impossible to resist -- a big sale, a brand new product, a better tool, and so on. So, always be prepared to spend just a little more than you intended to.



I was inspired by Jennifer McGuire's series where she talks about her favorite products and tools (you definitely want to check out her My Crafty Things videos, I learned a ton watching those), so I'm going to be starting a small series about my own favorite supplies. Stay tuned, I'm hoping it will be an interesting read.

Oh, and I need to take more pictures. I've been on a card-making spree, but the cards have been slowly sent off as gifts. I still have a few favorites that haven't been sent, so I will try to take photos before they're gone.