31 Days to Branch Out! Day 1

So, you all should know by now that my mind changes faster than south Texas weather. My original 31 days was already taken and I was inspired to do something else anyway- more of what I want this blog to be about anyway so it's October 1st: TAAADAAA!!!

For the next few weeks we'll be covering the basics of crafting! We'll cover Paper Crafts, Fabric Crafts, Knitting and Crochet, Holiday Crafts, and UpCycling!

I really hope everyone will check in every day to see what you can learn! So, basics in paper crafts!

TOOLS!!

So, first things first:

 

These are scissors! :-) Just kidding, I know you know what scissors are...but if you're not familiar with the paper crafting world, these are not just scissors: these are Cutter Bee scissors. You'll pay a smidgen more for these babies but they are sharp all the way down to the tippy point and can cut very small details out of your paper. Really handy when you're cutting out something you've traced. 

 Next is this baby! The Fiskars paper trimmer. I love this one because the ruler that pops out there on the side is extremely sturdy and the numbers wont rub off when you use it a lot (you'd be surprised how many trimmers I've had to toss because I couldn't read the numbers any more). Also, it has this great little wire thing where the slidy cutter goes so you can line up where the blade will go. Perfect if you're cutting pictures or something that's not an exact measurement.

The crop a dile! This little beauty sets eyelets (or grommets if you're more familiar with that term) which are these and really makes it a lot easier than trying to work a hammer.

 

Adhesives are important too. I like these value packs because you get a bunch of different ones that will adapt well to your different projects! Always make sure your adhesive is ACID FREE. 

 CLICK THE PIC for free printable scrapbooking paper!

And of course you have paper!!! Any kind of paper will do for just about anything. ACID FREE is a term you'll find a lot in paper crafting due to the nostalgic nature of scrapbooking. It means the things you create won't yellow from age like all those old photographs and papers from your grandmothers house. If you find something that you want to use that is not ACID FREE there are sprays you can get from your local hobby stores.

BIT OF ADVICE: Do not use original old photos. Make a copy of it and store the original in a safe place. You don't want to possibly ruin the only picture of your Great Aunt Maude because you used the wrong glue.

Feel free to ask any questions that come up as we go along in the days and weeks. I'm not an expert but I know some things and I will certainly do my best to find the answers for you.