Feeling Punchy?

Hi there! It's Cathy, over here, buried under snow! We have had one of the snowiest winters on record. That has meant a lot more days spent inside where it is warm! But that has also added to the cabin fever. I'm feeling a bit punchy waiting for Spring to arrive.

That got me to thinking about some tools that you probably have in your crafty area that you might not be using. Your punches! Did you know they are not just for creating shapes? You can make all sorts of things using your punches and die cuts. The punched pieces can be used to paper-piece elements for your scrapbook pages, cards, gifts and altered items. The possibilities are as vast as your imagination.

I've made you two treats using some dies and punches. The first is a cute little card that I made for a baby gift.


The treetop and the body of the sheep were made using a scalloped circle punch. The sheep's face is an oval that I trimmed. The ears are a circle cut in half, the legs are rounded tabs, the fluff on the sheep's head are small flowers and the heart, well that was made using a heart punch, of course! LOL, I told you I was feeling a bit punchy!

Next I want to share a little Leprechaun that I made. Here are the punches/die cuts that I used to make him and the finished product as a treat box.


I used the Spellbinders Labels Four die to make his face. Scalloped circles can be used for his beard and hair. His eyes are made from small circles, the eyelids are a small circle cut in half. For his nose, I used the Fiskars Upper Crest border punch. The shamrock was made using 3 hearts. I hand drew the hat, but made the buckle using the Spellbinders Labels One die. I also used that set as a stencil to draw his mouth. His cheeks are a bit of Pebbles chalk.

He was so cute, I ended up making two! One on a treat box.... to hold any gold he might leave behind! The other I put on this layout I made using some photos of my boys and some of their attempts to trap a Leprechaun.


The pot of gold was made using punches too. An oval for the pot and rim and circles for the gold.

Don't forget about the "gold" you have in your "pot".... your punches!