If you are considering some form of paper crafting, whether it is for making a scrapbook, making a personalised greeting card or creating professional designs, then you will want to do some research into it as it isn't just about paper folding and making regular paper look pretty.
Paper crafting is the art of transforming regular paper into something special and unique such as personalised stencils that can be used for decoration or a scrapbook.
If you will be taking paper crafting seriously, it is no use simply having a pair of scissors and standard day to day paper at your disposal as this isn't really paper crafting but simply cutting bits of paper up.
Every professional paper crafter should have the following equipment:
Cutting mat - You don't want to be cutting out paper on your desk leaving permanent marks to the woodwork so it is recommended to purchase a cutting mat which will not only protect your work surfaces but actually make it easier to cut as cutting mats have a smooth surface which allows the knife to slide without too much resistance. Some mats with measurement grids also exist for when you are performing precise cuts.
Craft knife - This will be your main instrument when it comes to cutting shapes and must specifically be a crafting knife as using a household knife can be dangerous and doesn't allow for the finesse that a crafting knife is capable of.
Pencil - You won't be using this to draw anything but it is very helpful when you need to make small marks on the paper to decide where to cut. If you use a pen you will obviously lose the advantage of being able to wipe out any errors so it is best to stick to a pencil.
Ruler - You will definitely need a ruler for paper crafts simply just to measure precisely how long you have to cut particular sections of paper. It is recommended to use both 15cm and 30cm rulers to be able to handle both small and large tasks.
Glue - This will be essential to you unless you are doing origami. Make sure you apply just enough glue however and don't overdo it otherwise your creations will come out looking like a gluey mess. If you are thinking of doing it like the professionals then it may be useful to even buy a glue gun just so you can distribute the glue precisely and finely enough.
The five main items above will be essential to you if you plan on taking up paper crafting and you can even buy them combined in the form of craft kits which will be cheaper than buying them all separately.
