A couple of you have asked me What do you need for scrapbooking? Since there were so many links I wanted to share, I decided to make this into a blog post. These are great to have scrapbooking supplies that beginners can confidently buy and will use over and over again!
You will need a few basic staples to start. But before you buy, check out all of my favorite scrapbooking ideas.
what do you need for scrapbooking?
5 Necessary scrapbooking supplies
Below is a list of my most used and loved scrapbooking supplies. You can easily buy these from online scrapbook stores.
Scrapbooking Papers and Cardstocks:
If you are going to be scrapbooking a lot, you will need neutral cardstock- white, cream, and kraft. I buy them mostly at amazon.com. Neenah paper has better quality stuff, but they are more expensive
Scrapbooking is all about your photographs. I print mine at Costco and Shutterfly. Another great place I have heard of is Persnickety prints. Nowadays, I also print them off my computer using my printer- because sometimes I just need to print that photo and scrap it immediately, all at 1am in the night 🙂
Now your layouts can be either 12 by 12 inches in size or 8.5 by 11 inches. The most common size used these days is the 12 by 12, though you can buy albums for these sizes readily
Scrapbooking Adhesives:
Anything you use to scrapbook has to be archival safe. That means that 20 years down the lane, the adhesive will not ruin your album by discoloring it. Right now I have two tape runners that I use a lot, this one from Glue arts and another from Scotch.
For liquid adhesives, I use Glossy Accents 
I sometimes use this Scotch glue stick
To give dimensions, I use a lot of these foam squares and Glue Dots
As a beginner, the tape runner should do. You can always expand more slowly, as you learn more and more and explore all of the Tombow Adhesives.
Scrapbooking Tools:
To get your paper cut into straight lines, you will need a paper trimmer and this one is my favorite– coz it’s small, handy, and does an awesome job! I still reach for it 10 years later and is a staple in my craft room.
You will also need at least one good pair of scissors, and one micro scissor (this one has a non stick!) to do all of your detailed fussy cutting.
There are a ton of punches available- Corner punches, Border punches, and Lever punches. These are pricey, so pick up a few to start with- circles and squares-shaped ones are very versatile- and the 1-inch and 2-inch sizes are the ones you might use the most at first. The heart shape is a winner too.
Archival Pens:
You will also need a good pen to add journaling. I use Le Pen. I adore these pens, and I have two of each color since I always seem to be searching for them on my messy table. While buying pens as well- check to see if they are archival safe.
My Favorite Scrapbook Kits and Brands:
Last, but most importantly, you will need pretty stuff to jazz up your layouts. Here you have endless options. I cannot really narrow this down for you. You get patterned papers, stickers, alphas, chipboard accents, wood veneers, stamps, inks… I mean the list goes on and on. Two of my favorite scrapbook brands right now are October Afternoon and American Crafts.
I also love using scrapbooking kits like Studio Calico and Make a pretty life kits. Everything is pre-coordinated and that makes things go quicker.
I do remember the days when I would pull out my papers and sort through them, spending hours choosing which ones to use. I have always been a slow scrapper. But since I don’t have that kind of time on my hands these days (spending time with squealing giggling little girls is way more fun, BTW) I use a lot of kits. Two of my favorites are Studio Calico (they do international shipping!!!) and Echo Park Paper.
As you grow your skills you will want to look into investing in a good die cut machine.
Online Scrapbook Stores:
Here are a few online scrapbook stores that have a wonderful variety of scrapbooking supplies for you to choose from: Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, Michaels, and even Walmart Online!
Hope this answers your “what do you need for scrapbooking” question. If you need any more info, or have more to ask, leave me a comment below, and I will reply in the comments itself.
Hi I’m Smitha! I live in Minnesota with my husband and two daughters. You’ll always find me painting florals in my sketchbook. And I love the sheer joy of making something with just my hands! But my bigger love is capturing it all on camera Read more.
Thanks for stopping by today! If you learnt something from this tutorial, do share this post with a friend or on social media! Tag me @smithakatti #smithakatti I’d love to see what you create!
Lovely list. I have someone coming over this weekend who wants me to teach her how to scrapbook… I have no idea where to start. lol. maybe a sketch and let her play with my supplies to get a taste.
How Fun Teka, that you get to share/teach a friend to scrapbook! Imagine the possibilities 🙂
I never knew what to buy when I started, I learnt a lot by trial and error. So I thought i would just make a list of a few of my favorite go to items!