Holiday ideas for scraps

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Designer: May Flaum

www.mayflaum.wordpress.com

When I'm thinking about purchasing punches that aren't a generic shape like a circle or star I really think about how useful they'll be beyond a few scrapbook pages. Fiskars has come up with some great winter limited edition punches that I'm super excited about because I have found that not only are they cute, but really useful for tags, cards, and other gift items I make a lot of this time of the year.

Today I'm using three of the four new punches to make up three different projects. My inspiration today was to combine them with leftovers from a scrapbooking session to show you how useful they are and how budget friendly making your own tags, cards, and even gift boxes can be. I hope you enjoy - and if you'd like to win a punch of your own please visit my blog for your chance to win this week!

Difficulty rating

Instructions (Print version)

Tag

1. Punch XL square-a-licious from cream paper and the cardinal squeeze punch shape from red polka dot paper. Mount the bird on a foam dot and place on square. Then place square on scrap of red paper and trim so it's just slightly larger than the square. This will add some thickness and stability.

2. Punch a hole in the top and pull a ribbon through.

3. I had a scrap of paper with "to" on it that I placed on the back. You could also put any scrap of paper or even a tiny gift tag back here for the same purpose.

Gift Card

1. Cut out a piece of paper (my "25" paper is 3 x 4) and punch the tree at the bottom center. Discard the actual punched shape - we want the negative tree image left in it's place. Then adhere to a piece of coordinating paper (approx. 4 1/2" wide and 7 1/2" long).

2. Fold paper in half so that the back side is slightly longer than front and tear edge along bottom. Then round the two bottom front corners and two top corners with the round the bend squeeze punch. It WILL go through both layers of paper together at the top - it's a neat trick for making cards with rounded corners!

3. Punch out another tree with the limited edition pine for me punch from green cardstock and using foam adhesive place over the previously punched tree on the cream paper. Some of the red background paper will show - that's ok! It adds nice detail. Then use glue and white/clear glitter on the tree to give it a snowy effect.

4. Stitch the right side (front only!) of the paper. Then close the card and stitch the front and back together on the top, bottom, and left side. Sew close to the edge except at the top - leave about 1/2" at the top.

5. Cut out a piece of 3 x 4 1/4 paper from a coordinating paper and round the corners. Then cut out another two trees (pine for me squeeze punch) from green cardstock and use the middle pieces as holly leaves on the paper. I dotted a few drops of red paint onto the tag to make the berries, but rhinestones or pearls would be nice here too. I will use this to write a message to the gift card recipient and place it inside the holder along with the money or gift card.

6. Now to finish your gift card holder thread a piece of ribbon through the hole you left at the top and tie a bow.

note: This could be adjusted to any size, and you could make it so that the hole is at the other side or top if desired.

Box

1. Cover base sides of small box with patterned paper using Fiskars tape runner to adhere. Use Fiskars craft knife to cut off any excess.

2. Cover lid (top and edge) with sticky back canvas paper. Then edge with liquid adhesive and glitter.

3. Cut 3/8" (approximate) strips of paper and fold to create loops. Place on lid in a circle to create a bow.

4. Cut a tag (about 2 1/4 x 3 1/2) and cut top corners with the chip off the block squeeze punch. Punch and attach the pieces of ornament (jingle bulb squeeze punch - on pink cardstock) to tag. Coat with clear/white glitter.

5. Use Fiskars drill to make a hole through the tag, paper bow, and lid of box. Then place thin paper strip (pink polka dots) at top of tag and secure a brad through all the layers to secure.

6. Finish by placing two holly leaves (punched from pine for me squeeze punch) at top of tag and adding to/from.

Supplies:

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_limitedsqueeze-jinglebulb.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_limitedsqueeze-pineforme.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_limitedsqueeze-cardinalssong.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_cornersqueeze-roundthebend.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_squarealicious-xl.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_hand-punch-14-circle.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_squeezecorner-chipoffblock.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_softgrip-craft-knife-coastal.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_spring-action-no-5-microtip-scisso.aspx

http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_desktop-rotary-trimmer.aspx