Do you have favourite supplies? You know, the ones that you pick up and use over and over… and what about the ones you didn’t know you needed? Today I am sharing my TOP 10 for 2023!

I decided to count down to my most FAVE, and I have a BONUS supply to share too, so don’t forget to scroll down and check that one out!

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You can see my video here or Watch in HD at YouTube!

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This post contains a ton of affiliate links (which means that I will receive a small portion of the sale at no extra cost to you). I truly appreciate your support of these card adventures!

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Supply #10 – Mini Blending Tools

Gotta say, initially I wasn’t a fan of these tools and would reach for the Large blending tool instead. But now I am a convert, I reach for these brushes more than any others!

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Smaller brush head means less masking
• Can apply much more intense colour than the larger brushes, especially through stencils
• Easy to clean (up until recently I had only 4 brushes, one for each colour family, and cleaned them between uses using a piece of kitchen/paper towel)
• Affordable

Cons:

• Not suitable to cover large areas
• They took me a while to bond

Supply #9 – LED Lights

I love interactive cards and adding a ‘light up’ feature is so much fun to do! Check out this video HERE sharing how you can use these lights, and this LIVE VIDEO where I adapt the number of lights on a card.

Pros:

• Fun way to create an interactive card
• Premade versions are easy to use

Cons:

• Interactive cards typically take longer to create with higher skill level
• An added cost

Supply #8 – Media Grip Mat

A supply that I didn’t know I needed! This is a silicon based mat that can be used for many different purposes and is particularly great for mixed media techniques! 

My favourite way to use it is as a stabilizing base for my ink pads to prevent them from slipping whilst ink blending.

Pros:

• Huge mat that can be cut to size
• Multiple uses – Ink blending / Stamping / Stenciling
• Easy to Clean
• Heat resistant
• Great value

Cons:

• Not suitable to cut on

Supply #7 – Watercolor Paints

This is a very personal favourite supply for me this year. I have always wanted to learn to watercolour and when these tube paints were released from Altenew I was very excited. I created a card where I painted my first original image which you can see right HERE.

Pros:

• Beautiful colour range
• Large 8ml tubes
• Can mix and match with any combination of brands
• Buying just a few choice colours will allow many mixed combinations

Cons:

• Price point is higher (they will last a very long time)
• Practice is required for advanced skill levels

Supply #6 – Hot Foils

Things are hotting up here with the new Hot Foils from Crafty Critta! I am proud to promote this awesome ‘Mama and Papa’ store which is located in Australia. Excellent service and products and they post internationally.

Pros:

• My ‘go-to’ Hot Foils for reliability and ease of use
• Huge range of colours
• Wider rolls
• Very affordable

Cons:

• Requires Hot Foil Machine & plates
• Learning curve to Hot Foiling to achieve good results (but when you get it right… WOW!)

Supply #5 – Festive Poinsettia

I thought it would be nice to include a stamp set… and the choice was difficult, but the one I reached for the most was from Alex Syberia Designs. It’s called Festive Poinsettia and has a coordinating layering stencil (tick), die set (tick), AND dies that cut out the sentiments too (triple tick)! AND I am a sucker for all things ‘Poinsettia’.

Supply #4 – Perfect Align Tool

Another supply that I didn’t know that I needed was the Perfect Align Tool from Auzz Trinklets.  I consider myself not ‘too bad’ at lining up panels on the front of a card, but this tool takes the guess work out of it altogether. 

You can see how this product works in my Promo video HERE.

Pros:

• Align panels on your card front perfectly everytime
• Easy to use
• Cut panels to size and align with the coordinating corner/tool
• Even works for a popped up panel with foam tape
• Available in both metric (AU) and imperial sizes (US)

Cons:

• Easier to use if you have coordinating nesting rectangle sets (not essential)

Supply #3 – Stampwheel

A great new stamping platform from Altenew, with it’s unique flip plate which can be rotated around the platform. 

Pros:

• Large base for stamping
• Sticky grid mat holds cardstock in place (I prefer to use the Ultra Sticky mat)
• The sticky mat can also be used as a base for ink blending through stencils, or to hold the cardstock in place while colouring!
• The rotary plate is perfect to rotate for stamping images into a wreath or circle pattern
• There is now a Square Grid Flip Plate available – the perfect way to ensure sentiments are straight!

Cons:

• Higher price point
• Not wide enough to open an A2 card front on base

Supply #2 – BetterPress

Oh my, you must have seen this by now, and if you haven’t you are in for a treat, what an incredible idea. If you are like me and love the Letterpress look, this tool finally gives the ability to do that. Thank you Spellbinders!

Pros:

• First tool which can EASILY recreate the Letterpress look on cards
• Gives beautiful impressions and very detailed images
• Suits most manual die cutting machines
• Very easy to use with great results first time
• Press Plates can be used for Hot Foiling as well
• Does work with some other cardstock and inks (just give them a try)

Cons:

• Higher Price Point
• Works best with specialty cardstocks and inks
• Requires specific Press Plates

Supply #1 – Cardstock

But, not just any cardstock. I have fallen in love with Concord & 9th’s cardstock and the new colours that they released this year are, in a word, divine! And if you are like me and would like to just try them out, I started with a sampler pack… and never looked back 😉. I love the quality and the weight is perfect for all applications (I even use it in my Cricut)!

Bonus Supply – Pocket Color Wheel

I am often asked how I choose my colour combinations, well, sometimes I ‘cheat’ lol. I use a colour wheel and it’s easy to follow the instructions on the wheel to combine colours together. It also provides prompts for analagous, complimentary combos as well as which colours to mix together to create new combinations.

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I hope you have enjoyed seeing my Top 10 Favourite Card Making Supplies for 2023, let me know in the comments below if you have any of these, or if one is your favourite… OR, what if I have missed something that you have adored this year, I’d love to know. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a HUGE thank you for your support and encouragement throughout the year, it truly makes my day knowing that I have you in my life. I would like to wish you a Merry & Happy New Year and let’s make 2024 fabulous!! Sending you some Crafty New Year Hugs,

I use affiliate links which means that I will receive a small portion of the sale at no extra cost to you). I truly appreciate your support of my card adventures!

Other Supplies:

Affiliate links are used

Mini Blending Brush Set ALT | SSS | AUZ	ATK LED lights AUZ	EZ Light SSS	Media Grip Mat SSS | AUZ
Palette Perfection Bundle ALT | SSS	Crafty Critta Hot Foils OTH	White Toner Sheets OTH	Festive Poinsettia SSS | AUZ | OTH
Festive Poinsettia Stencils SSS | AUZ | OTH	Festive Poinsettia Dies SSS | AUZ | OTH	Perfect Align Tool AUZ	A2 Layers Die SSS | AUZ
Stampwheel ALT | SSS | AUZ	Stampwheel Square Grid Flip Plate ALT | SSS	Sticky Grid Mat ALT | SSS | AUZ	Sticky Grid Mat Ultra ALT | SSS | AUZ
BetterPress SB SSS | AUZ | SB	Concord & 9th – Cardstock SSS | AUZ	Color Wheel SSS