Beginning a new hobby is always fun and shopping for supplies just adds to the excitement. Below is a list of items that are essential parts of the new as well as seasoned scrapbooker's supply closet.

* Paper trimmer of choice - These vary in style and size as well as price. Be sure to find one that suits your needs.

* Cutting mat

* Craft knife - These are available with changeable blades or ones that you snap off the blade to reveal a new cutting edge.

* Scissors - Available from straight edged scissors to decorative edge scissors. Straight edged scissors are a must though.

* An album in size, color, and style of choice (See the Album Identification article for more information on albums)

* Adhesive: tape runner, glue, glue dots, photo corners - while not all are necessary to start scrapbooking, you will want to have at least one of each in your supplies

* Journaling pen

* Cardstock in basic colors - Start with the basic colors and gradually add various hues in the same color family to your supplies.

and last but not least

* Photos and a photo box or other storage system to store them in until you are ready to scrap.

Although it's not a necessity for the beginner, a computer is a useful tool for any scrapbooker. I found I used mine for journaling, printing pictures, as well as to gather inspiration from various online scrapbooking sites.

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See more of Laura's work in our gallery.