Wednesday 24 May 2017

Patchwork Christmas Tree Card …… And The Sad Demise Of The Craft Punch

This card measures 5ins x 5ins and uses a hand cut kraft card as it’s base.
punched Christmas Tree Card 7I am not sure about this card, I think it’s too busy, with too many trees and too many patterns, on a not very merry background and looking at the pictures with fresh eyes, I am not even sure about the mat and layering! With all the square gems and stars, there’s just too much going on …… put simply, I don’t think I really like it!
Punched Christmas Tree Card 1The idea is there, it just needs refining, so you’ll probably be seeing a few more versions of it over the next month or so as I try to get it right.
Punched Christmas Yree Card 3But, there is a story behind it too …… I know I had a triangle punch before I moved, in fact I had two huge drawers of punches, but I had to sort through them very carefully to condense them down to one drawer and I guess my original triangle one slipped through the net!  Well, I thought, I’ll just have to order me a new one from eBay …… OMG not a one!  Well, there were some in China, but the size wasn’t clear and for the price I guessed that they were tiny.  So I had to look further a field and this taller style punch was the only one I could find after a good while searching. I have since managed to find a squatter triangle on eBay, but had to do so by buying it in a bundle!
I blame dies for the sad demise of the punch, I love a punch, I cut my crafting teeth on them all those years ago. I have a good collection of exactly what I know I will use, the basic shapes in all sizes plus lots of flowers and leaves, with my Stampin Up circles as a staple. I have a Big Shot, and again have all the basic shapes I need, although I am not averse to increasing my collection occasionally, but Tattered Lace etc. don’t really do anything for me. But I admit I  am a very lazy die cutter, unless I have a specific idea, I don’t want all the palaver of getting my Big Shot out just for a few shapes, I prefer to go to my drawer and get out a punch.  Marc always tells me that I am a VERY impatient crafter, but all those mats and rolling for couple of shapes? The fact that I could buy a huge punch at The Hobbycrafts show that would have once cost well over £10 for just £1 shows that the punch is doomed …….. so I really need to double check to see if my collection is lacking anything before they disappear forever.
But …….. having had a great moan and a whinge all because I couldn’t easily find a triangle punch, it doesn’t mean this lady can’t be turned everso, everso slightly because I am now considering buying a small die cutter to have on my table whenever I craft  ……….. I fancy the Baby Blue, so all recommendations would be very much appreciated.

3 comments:

Cheryl W said...

I think your card would please a lot of people. I struggle sending out cards I've made but don't really like, but often the people who receive them tell me how much they like them. So I try not to be too critical of my own creations. That said, I did completely take apart a card today and redo it. I'm giving it to someone in person and just couldn't face giving him an imperfect card. LOL

Pamela said...

I can highly recommend the Baby Blue Helen. I've had mine a while now, it sits on the floor at my feet so it's within easy reach. I've found I now use my (very extensive stash of) dies more often as it's so easy to pick the BB up from the floor. It cuts dies half an inch wider than the little Sapphire. When I need replacement plates I don't by the originals, there's a buyer on eBay that sells plates for all sorts of makes of machines and I've never had a problem using them. They're called Slipscreenslimited.

Di said...

I'm with you on the punch thing Helen.I love my circles, squares etc. Much quicker than getting the machine out. I had a 3D button punch from Hobbycraft but sadly it died on me and is no longer available. Love the card. x