Getting Started

Getting started, knowing what to buy , what items do, etc. etc. has been difficult for me. Learning "new tricks" is hard when you have never "been there", dabbled, etc.

I found I had to get a "mindset" as to where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do and start there with some basic "tools". But still was on "shaky ground".
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As far as rubber stamps I decided I wanted:
1. Queen Annes Lace
2. Flower stalk with leaves but NO flower
3. Bare Tree...just limbs
4. Tiny stamp with a single round spikey flower (to add to the
queen annes lace stamp), and another tiny stamp with a round flower so that I could use the flower stalk/with leaves stamp and make flowers with the mini tiny stamps that are actual a stamp on a dowel.
5. An alphabet set
6. Four small snowflake stamps
7. Another single floral stamp that was just an outline caught my eye and looked "interesting" so I added it to my basket.

Later I will add some other "wintery stamps" when I know what I want and my wallet does some recovering.
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For Punches I purchased:
1. Mini maple leaf
2. Mini spike flower
3. Corner Punch
4. Lacey Embossing Punch for edging (Martha Stewart)
5. Oak Leaf (MS)
6. Scalloped 1" square (MS) which I want to use for my photographs.
7. Round 1" circle
8. Maple Leaf (MS)
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Ink Pads:
I decided that for my main designs I wanted a "matte" finish so I chose chalk pads..... I purchased white and dark green in the larger size as I felt these would be used the most and then what they call "cat eye" sized stamp pads in the following colors:
1. Light Green
2. Light Pink
3. Light Blue
4. Dark Blue
5. Ochre Yellow
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I bought a Versa Mark pad for embossing and some embossing
powder that is called "winter ice." to add just a bit of glitter, shimmer here and there. The Versa Mark pad I can also use for adding dimension using the pad by itself with no embossing powder and just stamping my paper with the stamp of my choice which will just darken about two shades darker than the paper I stamp onto. There is also a pen which I will purchase next month. The Versa Mark is clear and sticky until dry.
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I had already purchased a couple books of designed scrapbooking papers and single sheets that looked interesting when they were on sale the past few months so I felt I was set here but I did add a package of plain colored scraps in different sizes and colors for backdrops, punching etc.
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Now we shall see how I can use these purchases to build some cards, atcs, add to my painted pieces, etc. etc. I now feel confident that I have some good basic pieces for a comfortable start.