Tip Tuesday: Punches

Welcome back to Tip Tuesday! Today we will be looking at some tips for punches. Frantic Stamper has a great variety of punches to use in all sorts of paper crafts!

Tip #1
Keeping your punches sharp, free of burrs, and well lubricated will help to prolong their lives. Try punching very fine grit sandpaper or aluminum foil to sharpen them and waxed paper to lubricate them. Punch the waxed paper multiple times for best results. (This is also great for your scissors, too!)

Tip #2
To make punching out a stamped image easier, turn the punch upside down so you can see where you are punching. Align the image over the stamped image, and punch. (NOTE: This only works with punches whose shapes are symmetric!)

Tip #3
When using a punch, think about the negative space (the hole) that is left when you have punched... it can often be used on a project, too!

Tip #4
Punched shapes can add wonderful texture to an otherwise plain background. Punch shapes out of the same paper or card-stock as you are using for your project. Glue the punched shapes randomly onto the project. For more depth, layer up some of the punched shapes.

Tip #5
Use the negative of the punched shape as a stencil (for dry embossing or for stenciling ink).

Tip #6
After punching shapes with your punches, add texture by running the punched items through a die cutting machine inside an embossing folder. (Also works great with die cut items)

Tip #7
Make your own dimensional flowers by punching various flower shapes, curling the petals, and layering them together. Glue them just at their centers. Add punched leaves that have been textured with a stylus or run through a crimper.

Tip #8
Punches can be more versatile than you may think. A circle punch-out can become the head of a snowman with just a little shading, plus the addition of a "carrot" nose, a couple of punched eyes, and a drawn smile. A curly bracket punch-out can become a bulls antlers, or a fish's tail. A flower petal can become a dog's ear. A crawling baby can become a flying cupid, with the addition of a butterfly's wings. Try to look at your punches with a new and creative eye!

See you again tomorrow with a little news from the warehouse.

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