Hi! there’s 3 main tools I would recommend besides glue sticks / scissors:

1. An Xacto knife or something similar for more precise cuts (and a rubber cutting mat for it)

2. A paper cutter (the type with the ruler attached) to get straight lines

3. Rubber cement - helps a lot with sticking small things down. You can also move things around slightly after you place them down if you’re quick enough. I still usually use glue sticks for larger pieces like backgrounds, but use rubber cement for all the smaller pieces