New to card making......what are your must haves?

I have just made my first 2 cards......I think I'm already addicted.

What are your must have tools in card making? What things are your go to's ? What can't you live without?


Looking forward to everything you have to say.

Distress inks and embossing powder. Of course, there's more, but I use those somewhere on every card. Have fun with your new addiction.

I love to make cards but I dont know that I have anything special for it. I use a lot of scraps and things from my scrapbooking projects. I love stamps and cant get enough of those. I also just bought the envelope punch board. I like to make larger cards so it is wonderful to easily make envelopes.

My Cuttlebug, hands down. I think I use it on practically every project I ever make.

Welcome to the addiction, Sam!

I use pretty much anything that I have in my scrap supplies. My one purchase just for card making was the We R Memory Keepers envelope punch board. I don't use it often, but when I need an oddly sized envelope it really does the trick!

I love using the Tim Holtz ruler for the piercing, placement, etc.

It gets addicting quick 😊
I pull mostly from my scrapping stash but things I use pretty exclusively for cards are embossing powders, stamps and my Big Shot. Although I own a Cameo that I do use for layouts and school projects, I love the ease of using metal dies to make a quick card or to cut those chunky glitter papers ( for sentiments) that a Cameo won't cut. It also makes it quick to make a batch of cards to give as gifts.
Another thing I had but never really used until making cards is a score board. I only purchase envelopes and make all my own card bases. But now I want to get the Envelope punch board. I saw a Jennifer Macguire YouTube video where she made a box for holding a set of cards to gift using the punch board. Speaking of her, her videos are great for inspiring me to make cards (and to enable me to shop as well 😜).
I would make cards as needed in the past but since I started watching her recently, I have made tons of cards and now send them often as well as gift sets of them.

One more thing I must have - a bone folder. Even without a score board it helps me get smooth and even folds on cardstock. I got mine like 15 years ago at a hobby lobby and it isn't until recently that it's gotten some real use. Plus it's pretty inexpensive.
Oh, and for making heat embossing so much more easy, get a powder tool. I have both a powder bag I got at Michaels and the EK powder tool and either works great. I used to get frustrated with trying to use a tiny brush to remove stray powder before embossing so I wouldn't emboss much. Now it's a breeze. And again they don't cost much but are worth every cent.

heat gun, so I can heat emboss!!!
I rarely emboss but when I do my marvy heat "gun" does the trick!!!

Definitely some good ink!!! I would say start with a few good full size pads and add in Cat's Eyes for the rest of the colors. I also love the NEW Blending tool from ColorBox

This is my list of basics for cardmaking:

ATG
Pop Dots
Corner Chomper
Good trimmer - I use the Cutterpillar
Score Board
Bone folder
Sentiment Stamps & ink
Cardstock
Patterned Paper

Have fun! I love making cards because they are quick and easy! And, it's so nice to have them on hand for a variety of occasions.

My Cuttlebug, dies and embossing folders. Also my stamps, corner chomper and white cardstock. I like a white base for my cards.

My big shot, my score board and my leftovers.

Like, Jennifer said, good ink and, of course, some stamps.