One of My Favourite Cards and Something to Think About...

I haven't gotten around to doing anything crafty lately except tidying my space. I was long overdue to put some stuff away properly, not just shoved on top of something else. :) So here is a card I made ages ago. It is pretty easy to make so I will just list the 'recipe' below.

Recipe for Hope card

Stamp Sets: Heartfelt Thanks, Everyday Flexible Phrases, Curvy Verses, Print Pattern
Ink: Versamark, elegant eggplant, perfect plum, pale plum, so saffron
Paper: confetti white, pale plum, Elegant eggplant
Accessories: 1 1/4" punch, 1 3/8" punch, Kraft die cut tag and vanilla die cut tab (retired), eggplant grosgrain ribbon, dimensional foam, staples
Pale plum layer is mounted under the square punched hole, the flower is mounted on the back of the card so it is seen when the card is open.

I was reading the Splitcoast Newsletter, sign up here, and one of the Hot Topics was "What Products are in Your Top Ten"? It was an interesting thing to think about. As I couldn't decide on 10 things, I 'cheated' and chose 10 consumables and 10 non-consumables. Come one, they really are different in terms of making good choices, budgeting and possible regrets if you don't make the right choices. I wonder how my Top 10 will change as time goes on...

Consumables
1. A good selection of cardstock in favourite colours and some basic neutrals like Kraft, black, white, vanilla and a speckled white like confetti white by SU!
2. Ditto dye ink (yes, I know these could be considered non-consumable)
3. Ribbon in some basic colours, grosgrain and organza, in a couple of widths
4. Clear rhinestones in tiny, small and large, I prefer Swarovskis,  of course other colours are available but to start, white always works!
5. Mini glue dots
6. Double sided tape, I love the glue glider pro
7. Embossing powder in silver, gold, white and clear
8. Versamark ink
9. Prima flowers,  start with white, they dye nicely with ink pads, brayer them right on the pad!
10. Brads and eyelets in a range of colours

Non-consumables
1. Paper cutter - I like the Cutterpede
2. Bone folder
3. Heat gun - for embossing and quickly drying watercolouring, paint, glue etc
4. Good sharp scissors for paper and ribbon
5. Stamps of course!
6. Brayer (for backgrounds, making nice impressions with background stamps and inking flowers)
7. Markers - both water-based and alcohol-based have their pros and cons, start with one set of 32, 48 or more if budget allows, eventually expect to want the other
8. Stamp cleaner and scrubber
9. Tweezers, I like the ones that stay closed until you squeeze them
10. Eyelet setting kit or Big Bite - my fav!

Others mentioned a paper piercer which can also be used for making a hole for brads, I use a sharp, big embroidery needle, very cheap!

Other things I use a lot:
-Coluzzle circle and oval templates with cutter (I am getting Nestabilities but if you are starting out, this is way cheaper), I also like the templates for 3-D items, then it is good to have the scorer.
-Assorted punches
-Watercolour brush
-Perfect layers
-Sharp craft knife, I prefer retractable
-Rubber scissors, of course if you only use clear stamps you won't need these
-Brown and black Staz-on
-Dimensional glaze
-Half back pearls
-Hodge podge hardware
-Buttons
-Glitter/clear mix EP
-Stamp wheels and handles
-Quick-drying acrylic paint
-Rub-ons
-Cutting mat
-Chipboard shapes and letters
-Scalloped edge cutter (either a punch or cutting wheel, they can be purchased for some paper cutters or handheld)

I can't wait to get my Cuttlebug (just won on Ebay) and Nestabilities-I am going for label1, circles and scalloped circles first!