How to Start Paper Crafting: A Beginner’s Guide

When you were a kid, all it took to make a great handmade card was a few sheets of construction paper, a glue stick, a pair of scissors, and a box of crayons. While the tools may look a little different now, making a custom handmade card doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can still be just as fun as you remember.

The world of paper crafting for beginners is likely much more approachable than you realize. You don’t need a lot of supplies or an extensive skill set to begin. Let’s take a look at some fun and easy paper crafts and explore some tips and tools to make the most of every DIY project you want to create.

Introductory Tools and Materials for Paper Crafting

Preparation can feel like the key to success if you’re new to something, and starting paper crafts is no different. There are a few basic crafting tools and supplies that can help make paper crafting for beginners feel more comfortable. Here’s what we recommend if you’re just getting started.

Paper Craft Supplies Perfect for Beginners

The most critical of all the paper craft supplies is the paper. And choosing between all of the designs, themes, and colors available is one of the best parts of the process, whether you’re a beginner paper crafter or a seasoned pro. Here are some of the essentials you’ll want to have on hand.

Cardstock—Cardstock is a thicker paper typically used as the base layer of a card or scrapbook page. White is a great starting point. You can add more colors as your collection grows.
Patterned Paper—Using Designer Series Papers, like those from Stampin’ Up!, is where some real fun begins in the paper craft process.

Crafting Tools Every Beginner Needs

Equipping yourself with these five paper craft tools will help you gain confidence as you begin creating your easy paper crafts.

Paper Trimmer—A paper trimmer can score paper for easy folding and acts as a ruler, straight edge, and cutter all in one—a perfect foundational tool for paper crafting beginners.
Take Your Pick Tool—A multipurpose tool that can help with precision tasks. Don’t forget to get all the tips, including the “hobby blade” that helps with meticulous cuts.
Cutting Mat—If you’ve chosen the precision knife route, a cutting mat is a must. It will not only protect your work surface but also help you create clean cuts in your paper products.
Adhesives—High-quality, acid-free adhesives are important for ensuring the longevity of your creations. A simple handheld tape runner will make layering your paper crafts incredibly easy.
Pre-Made Ephemera—These already-printed-and-cut packs of well-designed and flawlessly coordinated ephemera make putting together the perfect card super simple!

Pictured here is a handmade card from Something for Everything Mix & Match Ephemera. — Pictured here: Something for Everything Mix & Match Ephemera

Getting Started with Simple Paper Craft Projects

Once you’re armed with the necessary supplies, it’s time to get started with a simple paper craft project. The beauty of paper crafting is that—at its core—it’s about the joy of creation. And what ends up being created, both physically and emotionally, is up to you! Whether you’re setting out to make thank you cards to genuinely express gratitude or frameable art to beautify your home, following these simple steps will help you add just a little more goodness into the world.

Creating in Paper Crafting: Step 1

PICK A PROJECT

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the journey to papercrafting success begins with deciding what you want to make. Cards, gift tags, or scrapbook pages are all great options. We recommend starting with either cards or gift tags as you get your feet wet. If you’re having trouble deciding which project you want to make, a paper crafting kit may be the right fit. Most kits come with enough supplies to make several cards or tags, and they are a great way to experiment and get a feel for paper crafting.

Pictured here is a crafting project made from the Celebratory Sips Suite — Pictured here: Celebratory Sips Suite

Creating in Paper Crafting: Step 2

FIND INSPIRATION

As with many things in life, one of the easiest ways to learn the art of paper crafting is by mimicking something you see. In the crafting world, this is called CASEing (Copy And Share Everything). Find something that sparks your interest, and then you can work backwards to try and recreate and reimagine it in your own way.

Creating in Paper Crafting: Step 3

GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES

To avoid frustration, make sure you’ve got the materials you want on hand before starting an easy paper craft. Reviewing the list of basic crafting tools and supplies above can help ensure you accomplish your goal and are happy with your final product.

Creating in Paper Crafting: Step 4

CREATE

This is where the magic and the fun happen. Start creating your project. Go slow and remember that crafting, like any skill, takes time to master.

Paper Crafting Tips to Increase Confidence

Even easy paper crafts can be intimidating for a beginner, but there are plenty of ways to increase your skills and help you make the transition from timid to intrepid. Here are a few tips to help you avoid “mistakes” and craft with confidence!

Start small. Rather than diving in with a full-on scrapbooking project, start with place cards for a casual family dinner or gift tags for your child’s next birthday. Not only will this boost your crafting confidence, but it will help express how special your family is to you every day!
Embrace mistakes. Your project doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact, flaws can make it more endearing to the recipient. Don’t be afraid of mistakes.
Invest in quality supplies. Sometimes it really is the tools that should take the blame! Smudge-free ink and a sharp paper cutter can make all the difference and make it easier to create. Get quality paper crafting products that enhance your abilities, not take away from them.

Pictured here is a Happy Birthday card using the Choose Happy Stamp Set. — Pictured here: Choose Happy Stamp Set

Inspiration and Ideas for Paper Crafts

Ready to start creating for your friends and family? Check out these easy paper crafts that will inspire everything from layouts and color schemes to love and connection!

Craft Beyond the Card

Cards can sometimes feel like the place to start when paper crafting for beginners, but think about other ways to put your personal stamp on what you choose to give! A gift tag using premade ephemera packs or even using a stamp to repeat a pattern is a lovely surprise and a sweet way to express your care creatively (and quickly!).

A gift tag using premade ephemera packs or even using a stamp to repeat a pattern is a lovely surprise and a sweet way to express your care creatively (and quickly!) — Pictured here: With You In Mind Stamp Set

Think Inside the Box

While this scrapbook layout may look like a lot at first glance, breaking it down into individual squares shows that each little vignette is fairly simple in execution. You could even break your page or card into just four quadrants, creating balance in white space, paper patterns, photos, and adhesive-backed embellishments.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Creating with care can be so easy, especially with the aid of pre-printed and precision-cut sentiments for all occasions. Simply layer over a pretty patterned paper or premade card base (bonus points if you make it dimensional!), and voila—you’re ready to send a little more love out into the world!

Simply layer over a pretty patterned paper or premade card base (bonus points if you make it dimensional!), and voila—you’re ready to send a little more love out into the world! — Pictured here: Spring Celebrations Ephemera Pack

Building Your Paper Crafting Supplies and Skills

Once you’ve mastered the paper crafting basics, you can move on to slightly more advanced techniques and tools. Here are a few supplies you may want to add to your collection when you’re ready to expand.

Stamping Blocks—A stamping block is great to have on hand if you’re going to work with stamps. Its see-through design makes lining up stamps and getting a cleanly inked image a breeze.
Markers—Some beginners worry about imperfect handwriting, but we argue that every ounce of personal touch is what makes your creations magic. Plus, markers are great for customizing stamped images by coloring the image after stamping.
Stamps—Stamping is a great way for paper crafters of all abilities to further emphasize a theme and personalize their work. We recommend starting with a versatile set, such as one for birthdays or general greeting cards.
Ink—Quality ink that doesn’t smear and won’t fade or bleach out over time is key to happy stamping. Simple black works great to start with and can be colored in with markers or pencils once dry.

More Inspiration and Ideas for Paper Crafts

Ready to venture into slightly more advanced projects? We’ve got inspiration for those, too. Using stamps and markers is an easy next step to take. Here are a couple of ways you can incorporate them into your custom cards and other paper crafting projects.

Embrace Plenty of Space

Not every paper craft has to be full of layers and extras. A simple Happy Birthday stamp in bright, festive colors can say “I love you” as well as any other card design! Play around with plenty of white space as you’re starting with paper crafts, and watch the beautiful simplicity unfold.

A simple Happy Birthday stamp in bright, festive colors can say “I love you” as well as any other card design! Play around with plenty of white space as you’re starting with paper crafts, and watch the beautiful simplicity unfold. — Pictured here: Simple Birthday Stamp Set

Want to see how to do this multicolor stamping technique? Watch the video below.

Produce Your Own Patterns

Don’t let a small stamp collection get you down—using one sweet stamp over and over can actually be a ton of fun! Try creating monochromatic patterns with different shades of the same color or mixing them up with some complementary combinations to create a more dynamic look on any easy paper craft.

Pictured here is a handmade Thank You card made with the With You In Mind Stamp Set. — Pictured here: With You In Mind Stamp Set

Get Started with Help from a Pro!

Ready to dive in and need a guide? Our Stampin’ Up! demonstrators are experts in paper crafting and can help you anytime! Connect with a demonstrator in your area today!