How To .... Punch the edge!

As many of you know I teach at classes and Craft Days and I am often asked for ideas on getting the most out of your stash and how to use various tools and products. In just the last two weeks I've been asked about stamping, heat embossing, using punches, paint dabbers and distressing.

This led to an idea for a new series of blog posts we will be running through 2012. Each month we will highlight a tool, a crafting technique or a particular product and explain how to use it and also show you some samples of projects incorporating some of the ideas!

Now, I know we have a wide variety of readers of this blog, some are very experienced crafters and some who have only just discovered the wonderful hobby of papercrafting. So, I will say now, before we go any further, some of you may read some of the "How to... "posts and discover nothing you didn't already know and that's ok, but for others who may learn something or pick up a new idea or two, we hope you will find these posts useful!

So, first up is .... BORDER PUNCHES!!

I set Design Team member Louise to work on our first "How to ... " blog post using one of my favourite craft tools, the Fiskars bracket border punch and she has created some step by step instructions for using border punches.

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Hi, it's Louise here ...

Punches are most probably my favourite scrapping tool - they are easy to use and small enough to store easily. The table I work on is usually pretty full when working on a project. I make a huge mess and spread right out. If I want to use my die cutting machine, I have to get it out of the cupboard and attempt to clear a space on the table for it, so more often than not I prefer to reach for a punch!

Border punches are straight forward to use, they have guidelines on them making them easy for lining up your paper or card, enabling a continuous line. Lots of craft manufacturers make border punches but two of the most popular are Fiskars and Martha Stewart. There are lots of different designs for creating pretty and interesting borders. Here I show you how I use my new fabulous bracket border punch.

When I buy a new punch I always like to give it a test run on a piece of scrap card before using it on my projects. On the punch you can see the continuous design with the punch section in the middle.....

.....line up your card ready to punch. I always start with the card in the middle of the punch, so I get a nice half design on the edges. You can do this or punch in the middle of the card and work on either side of the design. Ensure the edge of your card is "butted up" against the raised lip on the punch.

.... make your first punch. You may need to press on the lever quite firmly!!

.... next, carefully line up your punched card with the design marker on the base of the punch. You can see the white design lined up with the pattern you've already punched. Again ensure the card is lined up against the raised lip and then punch again.

.... continue lining up your card with the design pattern, and punching.

.... until you have punched the desired length of your cardstock.

Here, in the final photo, I've punched the two edges to show you how gorgeous the design is.

Here's a couple of layouts with punched borders:

For my Pumpkin Carving page, I punched two borders and put them together with the design offset. The punch was also used on the edge of the green paper, right at the very bottom of the page.

 

The Spooky page shows one of the simplest ways to use a punched border - to add interest between two patterns.

Also, don't forget to use your border punches on your cards too!!

Here's a couple of ideas:

On this last card I also used  a couple of regular punches, a scalloped circle and a Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

I hope this has given you a few ideas for border punches!!

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To see more of Louise's work you can visit her blog here!

Don't forget to enter our monthly challenge where the theme is "Happy" and the "added extra" is to use a punch!! One entry picked at random will win a £10 voucher for the S J Crafts shop!

The 1st Monthly Challenge!!!

Welcome to the very first S J Crafts Monthly Challenge!!

Thank you so much for joining us!

So, this is how it will work ... (aka the Rules!)

A new challenge will be set on the 3rd Thursday of each month!!

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project. You may combine your entry with any other challenge(s) but no more than 3 entries per person please.

Please upload your entry to your blog with a link back to the challenge and then add your link to the Mr Linky widget at the bottom of the challenge post. Please link directly to your post and not a general link to your blog. No back linking please - new work only, any links dated before the challenge was set will not be eligible for the prize. Please ensure your work is your own and not copied.

You will have about 4 weeks to complete and post your entry, however please check the exact closing date of each challenge.

One winner will be selected at random for a monthly prize and announced here on the blog. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few favourites will also be selected each month and featured on this blog!

There will be a monthly theme together with a few suggestions as to how this could possibly be interpreted and samples from the Design Team. The theme will be designed so that you can (if you wish) scrap the "everyday", the smaller (but no less important) things in your day to day life. It is something that many of us scrapbookers (including me) find tricky to scrap about. We make layouts of our family, friends and places we visit but not so often pages about ourselves or our daily life. Having said that, anything related to the theme will be absolutely fine too. Afterall, the idea is to help you create another layout or card and to have fun doing it.

There will also be an added "Extra" each month. This may be something like .... to use a certain emellishment, colour or technique etc. A little added extra that that may help you to use up that piece of patterned paper you've had for ages or to use a tool you'd forgotten you had.

So without further ado, onto our first theme:

Challenge # 1     "Happy"

Added Extra : Use a Punch!

Our first theme is "Happy" so this could be a Happy New Year layout, or take a photo of something that makes you happy and scrap it, use the title "Happiness is .... " or maybe a "Happy Birthday" card a "Happy Anniversary" card or a stamped image that portrays happiness .... or anything else that "Happy" inspires you to create.

The "added extra" this month is "use a punch" ... so this could be a border punch or a regular punch, it's up to you! Nice & simple for the first challenge!!

Closing date for entries is: 15th February at 1pm.

One random entry will win a £10 voucher to spend in the S J Crafts Shop !!!

Here's some inspiration from our fabulous Design Team.

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Lisa-Jane

A fabulous card by Lisa-Jane using MME Fly a Kite paper, a fiskars bracket border punch and glossy accents to add shine and dimension to the kites.

Louise

Louise has used lots of layering and torn edges to create a lovely page ... and there's that bracket border punch again!!!

Jenny

Jenny has used MME Breeze patterned paper, Kraft cardstock, oval nesties and her punch is a Martha Stewart arch lattice punch.

Jennifer

I'm loving this little cute, credit card sized mini book by Jennifer, beautifully decorated with tiny photos, MME ordinary label stickers, mini alphas, and butterflies punched with the Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

I hope the DT projects inspire you!

I can't wait to see your projects!

Please remember to link directly to your project and not just your blog and to include a link back to the challenge. If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.uk and I'll upload it for you.

January Kit released Today!!!

Yes, the January main kit is finally ready to go!!

The last few products arrived in this week's stock delivery and the kit has been uploaded to the shop.

Click here to visit the shop for full kit details!!!

The kit is packed with lots of My Mind's Eye loveliness including 5 double sided patterned papers and a 12" x 12" sheet of chipboard elements!!

I've loved playing with this kit and want to show you this first layout today.

The photos are quite old taken on holiday back in 2008!! I used some big alphas from my stash for the title and inked all the paper edges with brushed corduroy distress ink but everything else was from the kit, although the borders and tickets may vary in design and colour.

The colours work equally well for boy or girl layouts.

The "Fun Days" kit is priced at just £13.99 and contains around £16 of stash so it's great value for money as well!

These kits are limited in numbers and already orders are coming in so if you want one don't delay!!

Have a great weekend!

Sneak of the January kit

Did you like January's mini kit? I have just a couple left now so if you have your eye on it, make sure you don't miss out!

The main kit for January is out later this week, I'm just waiting on a couple things to arrive from the suppliers.

Do you want a little sneak peek at the kit?

Featuring MME Funday this kit is great for scrapping all kinds of photos ... girls, boys, heritage, days out and so much more in between!! If you are a fan of kraft and love the distressed look then you will love this kit!!

The Main kit for January, "Fun Days" is due for release later this week, pending my stock delivery with the last few bits of the kit, so don't forget to check the website and keep an eye on the facebook page!!

I hope 2012 has got off to a fabulous start for you. I have lots of plans for this year including a new S J Crafts Monthly challenge, some blog giveaways and also a new series which will focus on getting the most from your crafts tools and stash! So lots happening in 2012, I do hope you will join us!!