Fave Scrappin' Supplies

My scrappin' friend Beth recently asked on her blog, "What are your essentials? If you had to get rid of everything and just keep a modest amount, what would be on your list? What do you reach for time after time?"

I've been thinking of this as I scrapped over the few weeks since I read her blog, carefully taking note of the items I repeatedly grab for.

Now, bear with me as I try to answer. After all, I've never been able to pick one favorite of anything. When I was little, and someone asked me to tell them my favorite food I would say "corn...and steak...and fried chicken...and strawberries...and green beans..." and they would get impatient and so, "no your FAVORITE?" and I'd start in with my list again.

So, here we go...my essentials (assuming that I'd still get the obvious basics, such as a camera and album).

(1) Adhesive. My favorites for everyday scrappin': 3L Scrapbook adhesives tabs (permanent), Xyron X (permanent), glue dots, and wacky tack. For altered projects: 3M's quick dry.

(2) Cutting tools: trimmer (have yet to find "the one"), Perfect Layers with cutting mat and xacto, and my Cutterbee teflon-coated, fine-tipped scissors.

As you may have noticed my theory on adhesive and cutting tools is variety. You know when you ask your husband why he has sixteen different screwdrivers, and he replies, "well you gotta have the right tool for the job."? Well, that's how I feel about these items.

(3) Embellishments: Brads, chipboard, flowers, ribbon and Carolee's jewels.

(4) Ink: Pigma Micron pens (black for sure, colors are just a bonus. A variety of tip sizes would be nice however.) and Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink in black and brown (charcoal and chestnut roan) to be more exact.

(6) Cardstock. While I love the texture and color-matching options of Bazzill, I could get by without (*gasp* is that even legal to say?)...more important to me is the ability to match it my projects.

(7) Patterned paper. I rely on this greatly for my design element. If I had to limit the brands I bought I'd stick with Chatterbox and KI for their design sense and versatility, and Doodlebug because it's just so dang cute.

(8) And if I still had room some basic stamps (basic shapes or versatile design elements like swirls) and a small assortment of stamp pads (i.e. a staz-on pad, a versamark pad, and some basic colors).