Please help a Newbie Card Maker.........................

[sparkler]

Haven't started yet but seriously thinking about having a go as a hobby. There is so much stuff available in the shops now, I really don't know where to start.
I'd be grateful if someone could give me a basic start up list of items/tools etc needed to start.
TIA x

Hi have a look at the do crafts.co.uk web site
they have great ideas and will tell you where to get things .

Tools:
Craft knife and spare blades
Guilottine (a cheap one will do to start)
Sharp fine pointed sissors
Double sided sticky tape or a tape runner or other kind of adhesive
Glue dots, PVA glue or something suitable for sticking small embellishements on with.
A metal ruler
Craft mat for cutting on
An eyelet/brad setter would be a good optional extra
Card scorer if you want to make your own card blanks
Printer

Consumables:
Papers
Card - variety of colours
Card blanks
Ink pads
Stamps
Alphabet stickers are handy
Brads
Eyelets
Other embellishments

Okay Sprakler...... been a while thoug....

basics:

glue (a pritt stick and something a bit more adhesive- Like the anitas tacky glue myself)

double sided tape.... wilkinsns does a good one that doesn't need to be peeled

foam pads

card- if you're just starting buy pre cut banks from somewhere like Wilkinsons or Asda, once you're a bit more established a cutting / folsding baord is a bit more sueful and saves a fortune

cutting things..... craft knife, scissors to start.

All these things are available quite cheaply from places like The range or big tescos- craftshops are wonderful but do beware the prices! Ebay are excelelnta s well.

After the basics, it depends on what you want to do- lots of behinners like decoupage (I cant stick it but there you go), or you might want to start with some bought embellishments maybe? Tag cards are a good starta s you don't decorate such a biga rea, just the tage and tghen add that to your card with ribbon or raffia.

Then of course there's stamping which is easy epasy or even easier embossing (a cheap fiskars kit fro a tenner is wonderful for really prefessional cards- hobbycrafts is good- saves relying on stick on greetings as well if you get the alphabet set)- chalks are also handy if you choose this route. Or eyeshadow (quick tip there LOL)

Stamping again is easy, there's lots of different tgechniques but easiest to start with just the absic and go from there I think.

Agree with the docraft recommendation, theoir site s fab (and you can give yourself a gallery on tehre, i have a small one)

don't buy loads- just the absics and go from there. if the bug kicks in, good choices for christmas are a sissix type set or a big sized fiskars embossing set, hobbycraft for both

HTH

Thank you everyone for your advice and tips. Gosh there is so much to get isn't there? I was looking at a beginners set in Tescos yesterday which I considered getting. It was about £10 but not sure if it's a good place to start or not.

Often the starter sets are great becuase they let you know if you'll enjoy it or not, and you can go from there.

Thanks Peachy