CRAFTING TIP OF THE WEEK (#106) Punch Card Template Booklet

Hi Fellow Bloggers!
Today's tip offers up a solution on a couple of levels.
Ever want to see all the punches in your inventory at a glance?
Ever wondered if a punch would work for one of your stamped images?

If so, you are not alone.
How about making yourself an easy way to find out?

Using scraps of paper/cardstock from your stash (preferably solid colors), use each punch in your stash individually to punch out the shape on your scraps. To keep everything uniformed, cut down your scraps of paper used for this project to a manageable size like 3"x4". Make sure you leave room on your punch out on the upper left or right hand corner to punch a hole.(So this booklet will work easily for the left handed or right handed crafter.) You will need it to thread some ribbon or a binding ring through it. By doing this, you will create a little "booklet" of all the punches you have in your inventory. You should label both the punch & the punch-out sheet that coordinates with each punch that way you can easily match them up when you are using this method. It is a great way to cross reference your product.

If you are lucky enough to own a laminating machine, I recommend using it to laminate your individual punched cardstock. This will help keep your booklet in tact. Free from rips, snags, tears, spills, inks, etc...
I used XYRON'S CREATIVE STATION 900 with the laminating cartridge and it worked like a charm.


Now while that alone is a great way to know what punches you have on hand it can also help you when wondering if you could punch out a stamped image with a certain punch.
(Hang in there...video demonstration is coming below)
For instance, say you stamp a damask image that you want to punch out. Just take your handmade punch booklet over to your damask & place the punched out template over your stamped image until you find the punch shape that best will work for your image. Then grab that punch & go for it. You won't have to punch out 7 images before getting it right. You will save time, paper & the stamping of your images over & over.

Now I was going to take pics as usual for this tip but my youngest daughter had other plans. First she insisted I get with the 21st century & try my hand at a video. So I did but was not happy with it. I felt so camera shy & it just was not working for me. Then she said she would just film me in action minus everything but my hands & the crafty stuff. Sounded good so we did that & I thought it was ok. But my director, producer & videographer a.k.a. daughter said no way! Then she had a brilliant idea that I should let her give it a try just for fun- of course. Well, I have to say I liked it! But, I told her that since it was my first video that maybe I should be the one to do it. I will let you see "what video" she ended up downloading.
Here's the video that my sneaky little daughter made explaining today's crafty tip(I wasn't allowed to see it until after she did it-that's called downloading on blind faith :




As you can see, I approved it & the rest is history.I did grant her amnesty & did not ground her. I think she did a great job!

Hope you enjoyed this refreshing fun take on my crafting tip of the week post!