If I had to choose my favorite punch, I would choose the square. I’ve used this punch on countless projects. For this sample I paired my tried and true square with a funky swirl and loved the results. This swirl is a great way to add pizzazz to a dark card. Most inks would fade into the background, but the punched cardstock really pops.
Don’t pull any punches when it comes to lettering! I was creating this baby card for a friend and the letters just melted away. To solve the problem I punched the letters and mounted them with foam tape. Now the letters literally jumped off the page. Use this same technique with many of your geometric shapes. Squares work especially well elevated off the card just a bit.
A close second for my favorite punch is the ribbon stitch punch. I have been using the handheld punch for 1/4” ribbon with great results. I was thrilled to find the large 3/4” inch version. Wouldn’t it be fun to use a solid color ribbon and stamp on the ribbon in between the punches? A ¾” ribbon offers plenty of room to stamp.
Have you seen the vase punch? This one is also fun to use. You can create a vase from any color of cardstock or patterned paper. The best part of the project is that with the vase punch and the flower punch you control the colors. Oh sure, you can buy many different flower diecuts, but on this project the size and colors are yours for the choosing.
When you need to create fun projects but don’t have a lot of time to invest, don’t forget your punches. Let the punch do the work and you can have more time to enjoy creating. Before for you toss that scrap paper, punch a few shapes and keep them in a plastic baggie. You’ll have instant layers waiting for your next project.
