“Hardware” and “software” I use.
Hardware
Silhouette Cameo
I love this cutting machine. According to Amazon, I purchased it on May 7, 2014, and have used it for many projects over the years. I use it for cutting vinyl, paper, cardstock, and even heavy Bristol paper. The software is pretty easy to use, and if you watch for sales, you can upgrade to the higher levels pretty cheaply. The latest version even has a “pop-up” feature that helps you make parallel folds out of a shape you create.
Fiskar Scissors
I use an 8” pair of these for almost all of my cutting, even very small, detailed cuts. I find I can get much more control with a large pair than a smaller one. I have their small sharpening tool and it keeps all my Fiskars razor sharp. I like all of the Fiskar products, and they have a lifetime guarantee. I broke an embossing tool, and they replaced it, no problem! Great service.
CrafTreat Teflon Bone Folder and Scoring Tool
I use a bone folder to really put a hard crease on folds. One thing about doing so is that it usually leaves a shine on the paper so you need to put another piece over it to avoid that. Then I found that teflon bone folders do not have that issue. This is the one I bought, and it works great. I was skeptical about the claims of not putting a shine on the paper, but it actually it true.
Software
Strathmore 300 Bristol
Nice, heavy paper for the base of cards. You can get smooth, or slightly textured versions. Pay attention to the grain when you cut your card. You want to have the main fold perpendicular to the grain.
PrismaColor Colored Pencils
I used these often for coloring smaller items. They are wax-based and you’ll want to get a blending pencil to achieve smooth effects.
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens
I have the set of four Pitt Artist pens which like better than the gel pens I used before. The ink is nice and black, dries quickly and does not smear.
Elmer’s Craft Bond Extra-Strength Glue Stick
This is what I use for gluing small pieces or larger ones that don’t require a really good bond.
Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue
This gives a really strong bond with some working time. I used this when gluing tabs of mechanisms since they must have a firm grip.
Yes! Paste
This is great for gluing a piece of paper over the entire card. I used a flat piece of plastic like a trowel to put a thin, even coat on one side, then glue them together. You must then put it under a light weight while it dries, otherwise it may curl.
Zig 2 Way Glue Stick
A friend recommended this glue stick saying it will glue two pieces of paper flat, which most glues will not do. It does keep flat better than most (although I’ll still usually put the work under light weight to dry, just to keep it flat). If you attach while wet (glue is blue), it will be permanent, if you let it dry to clear, it remains tacky, creating a temporary bond (hence the two way). If you need working time, do note use this. Once you set down the blue glue, it’s very difficult to move.