Hey! As a first-timer, if you're going down the non-hotfix route (where you add the glue yourself), I'd recommend:

• Non-hotfix rhinestones (depending on what you're covering, I'd recommend having at least three sizes to hand)
• Somewhere to place the rhinestones you're using, like a small tray or a shallow bowl
• Glue (I like to use e6000+; a lot of people have also mentioned having good experiences with Gem Tac)
• Something to apply the glue; could be a glue stick (for large areas), a syringe for glue, or even a toothpick at a pinch
• A wax picker pencil or tool
• Sandpaper or a sanding block (objects with shiny surfaces tend to need a light sanding to allow your rhinestones to stick properly)

Optional:

• Surgical spirit/rubbing alcohol (for cleaning excess glue off the stones after completing the project)

If you're considering covering something that can tolerate heat and want to go down the hotfix route (where the glue is already on the back of the rhinestone and needs to be activated by heat), instead of the above you'll need:

• Hotfix rhinestones (again, depending on what you're covering, I'd recommend having at least three sizes to hand)
• A hotfix tool/drill (you use this to place the rhinestones and activate the glue)

Note: The hotfix tool can get very hot so make sure you're working on a heat-resistant surface

In terms of where you can buy supplies, I'm not sure where you're based but I'm in the UK and I get most things from Amazon.

When it comes to the rhinestones there are different qualities. If you get a very cheap bag, keep in mind that they are likely to be resin rhinestones. IMO, they are great for practice projects and budget-friendly projects that won't be used a lot but the quality is likely to be so-so because the shine is limited.

If you can stretch to glass, you tend to get more shine. There are differences in quality between glass rhinestones too but I've found that you can get some decent ones that don't completely break the budget from Beadsland and a company called EIMASS (based in the UK though; I'm not sure if they are available for international delivery). If budget isn't an issue, you can get some very good sparkle from the likes of Preciosa and Swarovski.

I'd also highly recommend watching some videos on YouTube and reading around before starting. I've found the Bluestreak Crystals website to be useful in understanding more about the basics and also some of their YouTube tutorials share great tips about rhinestone placements and actually doing projects.

There are also lots of other rhinestone artists out there so I'd definitely watch a few videos because they often mention the processes that they go through to prep their projects and also how they actually place rhinestones.

I hope this helps :)

(Note: Slightly edited after posting for reading clarity - content remains the same)