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What to Put in a Beginner Card Making Kit

greeting cards

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A beginner card making kit doesn’t need to be huge. You only need a few basic supplies to get started off: blank cards, envelopes, cardstock, adhesive, something to cut with, and a few simple directions.

The best kit is one that you can actually use, store, and afford. It should help get you started with making your first few cards, without having to buy lots of expensive supplies.

What Should Be in a Beginner Card Making Kit?

A simple beginner card making kit could include:

  • Blank cards and envelopes
  • Cardstock
  • Patterned paper
  • Scissors or a paper trimmer
  • A glue stick or tape runner
  • Foam pads
  • A ruler
  • A black pen or fine liner
  • Stickers, toppers, or any other embellishments
  • A folder or a box for storage

Blank Cards and Envelopes

Blank cards and envelopes are a great base for beginner card making. Using pre-made blank cards stops you from having to measure and cut things from scratch.

Using white or cream cards makes a good first base for a variety of occasions. You can then progress onto colour card later on.

Cardstock

Cardstock is card that is thicker than normal paper, but thinner than cardboard. It is sometimes known as simply ‘card’.

You can start off with a small mixed pack of card, with a few colours that you may actually use.

Good colours for beginners include:

  • White
  • Cream
  • Brown
  • Pale pink
  • Navy
  • Green
  • Gold or silver

You can read more about card in this guide to cardstock.

Patterned Paper

Patterned paper is a good way to make cards look finished quickly and easily. You can use it as a background, border, or a small decorative layer.

You can try using a small pad or pack of decorative paper, which is bundled so that the colours and themes are complimentary.

Scissors or a Paper Trimmer

These are used for cutting paper. Scissors are a good, simple, tool for beginners that you may already have lying around the house, but paper trimmers make a cleaner cut, so may be a worthy investment if you are going to make cards regularly.

A small paper trimmer is particularly useful for:

  • Cutting straight edges
  • Trimming cardstock evenly
  • Making neat layers
  • Cutting panels of patterned paper

If you are testing card making for the first time, start off with scissors. If you find that you enjoy it, you can upgrade to a paper trimmer.

Adhesive

Using good quality adhesive is important, even for beginners. Weak glue can make cards peel, wrinkle, or otherwise look messy.

Good options include:

  • A glue stick for light paper
  • A tape runner for neat card making
  • Sticky foam pads for raised details
  • Craft glue for any heavier embellishments

Pens and Markers

A simple black pen or fine liner can be very useful for writing messages, drawing borders, or adding small details.

You do not need to buy a big pack of markers to get started. A black pen and then perhaps a few coloured and metallic pens are a good way to start.

If you don’t have the best handwriting, stick to short messages and written elements.

Stickers, Toppers, and Embellishments

Decorations such as these give your eyes a focal point to fix on, so can really elevate a homemade card.

Good options for beginners include:

Start with a small pack that reflects what type of cards you actually want to make. Birthday toppers or floral stickers are a good all-round option.

Ruler and Pencil

A ruler and pencil are good tools for measuring, spacing, and layouts.

Use them for:

  • Marking the centre of the card
  • Lining up paper panels
  • Spacing decorations
  • Planning borders

Remember that light pencil marks can generally be rubbed out and are easier to correct than elements that are stuck in wonky!

Storage For Your Card Making Kit

Beginners can minimise mess by using:

  • A small box
  • A folder for paper
  • A pouch for pens and glue
  • An envelope or small container for card toppers and stickers

It’s best to choose storage that you can pack away easily.

What Should Beginners Buy First?

For a useful starter kit, you can try:

This is more than enough to make simple handmade cards.

You can add more once you know what types of hard you like to make.

What Can Wait?

These supplies are probably not essential in the beginning, but may come in handy later on as you gain experience:

  • Die-cutting machines
  • Embossing folders
  • A heat tool
  • A large number of stamps
  • Lots of ink pads
  • Specialist punches
  • Large pads of paper
  • Expensive embellishments

Ready Made Kits vs Building Your Own

A ready made card kit can be a good choice if you want everything pre-selected for you. This is good for beginners, who sometimes buy too many supplies before they know what they are doing and know what they like.

Building your own kit can also be a better shout if you want more control over your colours, themes, and supply quality.

A ready made kit is best if:

  • You want a quick and simple start
  • You are buying it as a gift
  • You don’t know what matches
  • You want a simple project pack

Building your own kit is best if:

  • You already have some supplies
  • You want better quality basics
  • You prefer certain colours
  • You want to avoid any waste

For beginners, a small self-build kit is usually the most flexible option.

Budget Beginner Card Making Kit

To keep your costs low, choose supplies that can be used in lots of different cards.

Budget friendly choices can include:

  • Plain blank cards
  • One small pack of cardstock
  • One patterned paper pad
  • Scissors
  • A glue stick
  • Stickers or toppers
  • Reused ribbon, wrapping paper, or gift tags

The key to saving money here is that you do not have to buy everything brand new. Leftover wrapping paper and old cards, scraps of paper, and gift packaging can be a great option.

Small Space Beginner Card Making Kit

Card making can be a great small space hobby if you follow a few rules and start simply.

A small space kit could fit into:

Common Beginner Mistakes

Common mistakes that beginners often commit include:

  • Buying too many decorations and not enough basic supplies
  • Buying lots of themed supplies too early (e.g. Christmas or Easter themed materials)
  • Using either too much glue, or too weak a glue, which can make cards wrinkle or items peel. Test adhesives first to see how they behave before you jump in.

Final Thoughts

A beginner card making kit should be useful, easy to use, and easy to store. You can start off with a few blank cards, envelopes, cardstock, patterned paper, adhesive, scissors, and perhaps a few decorations.

You can then add more stamps, ink pads, punches, and die-cutting tools later on. Make a few cards for practice, learn what you like, and then build your supply kit from there.

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