These are 9 craft supplies that have helped me on my journey as a crafter. I know they’ll help you too!

Introduction 

My name is Ruby, I’m 12 years old and I love crafting! When I first started out, I was very confused about what craft supplies I needed to make things. If you’re a beginner crafter, you’re probably just as lost as I was. So, let me help you find your way!

In this blog, I’m going to tell you about 9 craft supplies that are essential on your crafting journey. You’re in luck too, because I happen to have a shop full of crafty stuff for you. So, keep reading to learn more about what you need and what new surprises in store I have for you! 

1. Scissors & Other Cutting Tools

Cutting tools like scissors are essential craft supplies for any crafter. They’re not only necessary for crafting, but they’re just good to have at home in general. Here’s a list of cutting tools that can help you make crafty stuff:

• Scissors: Scissors can be used for a wide range of tasks, including trimming down card blanks and cutting off centrepieces, frames, and borders. You can use them on paper, card, or even adhesive-backed materials.
  
• Precision Snips: These are more or less tiny scissors. Their blades are around 4.5”, making them perfect for more detailed and intricate crafts.
  
• Craft Knife: These knives come in handy with crafting. Craft knives let you cut things with accuracy and more precisely.
  
  

If you’re as young as me, I’d suggest using these tools with the help of your parents, or you could hurt yourself. 

2. Cutting Mat

Cutting mats come in handy for many types of crafts. They’re a great addition to your craft supplies kit as they make sure you don’t scratch up any surfaces in your home. Especially when it comes to pen marks, craft knives, glue, and spillages like paint, glitter, etc. They also help by giving you a flat and solid surface to craft on.

They’re so convenient because when you’re done crafting, you can just wipe them down and your mat is ready for your next project! Craft mats = crafting minus the mess!

3. Glue & Other Adhesives

No matter what crafty stuff you’re up to, glue can come in handy! Here’s a list of adhesives I think are great for crafting:

• All-Purpose Glue: This adhesive is an all-round essential. It can be used on most materials and is water and moisture resistant. A few examples of materials you can use it on are: card, paper, felt, fabric, stone, leather, glass, plastic, ceramics, the list goes on!
  
• Tacky Glue: This type of glue dries quickly, so it’s perfect for scrapbooking. You don’t have to wait long for your glue to dry so you can move onto the next page. It also bonds with many materials like fabric, card and paper, so it’s good to use all-round.
  
• Glue Tape Pen: This one’s perfect for you if you hate messes and don’t want to wait long. It’s also great for smaller craft supplies like decoupage pieces, small cut-outs, and embellishments. All you have to do is roll it onto your piece and stick down!
  
  

4. Ruler

Rulers are essential tools for any crafter's toolbox. They can be applied to any craft, including papercraft, cardmaking, and even fabric projects, to measure, mark, and add straight lines. Rulers are quite helpful to have on hand for everyday tasks as well.

5. Paper & Card

You'll need both paper and card stock whether you make cards, gift boxes, or scrapbooks. There are many colour and pattern options available in craft stores and online. 

6. Tape

ape is useful for layering and planning crafts. You can use it as just tape, to stick things, or you can get creative and use it as a tool! For example, using tape to get sharper lines in drawings, to cut off shading, and much more. You can even buy washi tape in different colours and patterns to really add a pop to your craft!

7. Pencils, Pens & Markers

There are a wide variety of writing/drawing tools you can buy depending on your craft. Generally, pencils, pens and markers are the basics you need, no matter what project you’re working on. You can get coloured ones to add to your art piece, or you can simply use them to help guide and build on the piece. 

8. Decor

Having decorations on hand can be incredibly helpful when decorating a card or a hand-sewn craft. You can collect things from around your house, like extra buttons, ribbon scraps, or loose sequins; they'll be put to good use and kept out of the waste stream. And of course, don't forget you can upcycle packaging as decor! 

Giving your creation texture, dimension, and individuality is quick and simple by adding ribbon, metal charms, and pre-cut toppers! Why not dress it up with glitter, glitter pencils, and stick-on diamonds and dots?

Here at Surprises & Smiles, we have a wide range of embellishments, sequins, and other craft supplies to choose from! They always come in handy and add a little spark to all my projects. 

9. Storage

Now that you have all the essentials you need, where are you going to put them? Storage is an important part of any crafter’s life and it can really help make things much easier and organised!

When you’ve collected your range of craft supplies, you can have fun organising them in different ways. It’s like playing a game of design tetris, where you get to set up your dream craft space! A few storage essentials I like are pencil cases and pouches, tiny drawer sets to organise your paints and other supplies, jewelry organisers for embellishments, folders for craft paper, and cute tote bags to take your art with you wherever you go. 

You can find some cute and funky pencil cases on my online shop to help you get started!

My Final Thoughts

These are 9 craft supplies I know I can’t live without. They’ve definitely helped me on my journey as a crafter, and I know they’ll help you too. If you want to take a look at some of the crafts I make, you can check out my new surprises store here! You’ll even find some of the essentials you need to get started on your own journey.