Brads: Essentially Brads are a decorative butterfly pin. They are also extremely practical as you can use them to attach bits of card and paper to your work. Brads usually come in multiples of 100 and start from around £1.50 for the simpler designs.
Card blanks: Card blanks are pre-cut and pre-scored blank greetings cards.You usually buy them in quantities of 25, 50 or 100 with matching envelopes. You can find them in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours.
Card Stock: The term card stock can really refer to any type of card. It is usually thicker than paper but not as thick as paperboard. It is one of the foundations of any card maker’s kit box. You will usually pay about 50p for a sheet of 12 X 12 card stock.
Cello Bags: Cello Bags are cellophane bags that have a sealing flap on the end. They are used to package up finished cards. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They are also really handy for storing loose embellishments! A pack of 10 cello bags will set you back around £1.99.
Decoupage: Decoupage is really the art of layering paper. You take numerous copies of a particular design or picture and layer them on top of each other at different points to create a card with depth. You can buy packs which cost about £1.50.
Die: A die is essentially a cookie cutter for card making. You pick your shape, place your die and your paper into a die cutting machine and then cut out your design. Dies start from £5.00 and can go up to £30 for things like full alphabet sets.
Die cuts: Die cuts are shapes that are cut out of paper and card into interesting shapes using a die cutting machine. Some of the most popular shapes are hearts, stars, animals and frames. You can buy pre-made die cuts for around £1.00.
Die cutting machine: A die cutting machine is used along with dies to cut out decorative shapes and alphabets. You usually insert your die and paper and then turn a handle to cut out your shape (imagine a mangle and your almost there). Die cutting machines usually cost around £60.
Embellishment: An embellishment is anything that adds extra design or interest to a card. It could be sticky gems, buttons, ribbon, beads, lace etc The price you pay will really depend on the type of embellishment you choose.
Embossing: Embossing is the process of creating a three-dimensional image or design in paper and other materials. Imagine placing a piece of paper on top of tin foil and drawing a picture on the paper. If you look at the foil you will see that the image has been embossed on the foil.
Foam Pads: Foam pads are little sticky pads that give dimension to your cards. They enable you to layer paper and are particularly useful in decoupage. On average you pay about £1.00 for a pack of foam pads and they last for ages!
Peel offs: Peel offs are stickers used in card making and are one of the best ways to add greetings to your cards. You can buy messages like ‘happy birthday’ and ‘thank you’ as well as alphabets, numbers and pictures. On average you pay £1.00 for a sheet of peel offs.
Quilling: Quilling is the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. You simple roll the paper tightly around a quilling stick and it loops. You then glue the loops into place to create an image.
Toppers: Toppers are usually pre-prepared designs and decorations that can be added on to cards. They are a good option for anyone who is new to card making. In some shops you buy toppers in singles for around 50p. Packs will vary in price depending how many you get inside.
Home