Coffee Loving Papercrafters

Hello!! Dana here with a new Brew & Craft Your Stash!! Brew some coffee or tea and settle back for some ideas using Square Punches!! If this is the first time you are seeing my feature or need a refresher, click here for my very first post, it gives a little background explanation of my feature!!

We are making our way through the Creating with Product in Paper Crafting Tips & Tricks 2012 magazine. Today it’s about Square Punches if you happened to be following along with the magazine I had to skip the Shaped Punches before this section. I didn’t bring any punches with me to campus, so shaped punches are out. But for Square Punches, I used square dies instead, a punch would have been way faster!! But what can you do?!?! 🙂 Designer Laura Bassen has great ideas using Square Punches (or square dies) in the magazine!

• Cut the squares on the diagonal to make a graphic background made up of multiple colored triangles
• Stamp on the squares with alpha stamps for a unique sentiment
• Punch a square, then punch again to make arrows
• Create a unique by adding squares to a background
• Cut the squares on the diagonal and adhere together to make zigzags
• Round some of the edges of the squares to create a graphic look

I kind of had an idea of what I wanted to do, but then I changed it up a little! To start I used three small square dies and found some pattern paper that started in an aqua color to a peachy color and covered with small shells. My plan was to arrange them in a circle, start in the middle and work my way out. But I didn’t really like that, instead, I started at the top and worked my way down, layering the squares. I placed some weight on top to make sure they stayed flat as the adhesive dried.

Meanwhile, I die cut My Favorite Things Coffee Cup die from watercolor card stock. I did a little smooching with PTI’s Hawaiian Shores. Then I stamped the seagull from Essentials by Ellen Stay Salty. I used a couple Distress Markers and watercolored him and the lid of the cup.

Then I decided to add the lifesaver image since I wanted to add the You’re a Lifesaver sentiment. I fussy cut out the bird and lifesaver along with cutting a strip of black cardstock.

All that was left to do was adhere everything to my background. I tucked the lifesaver at the top of the coffee cup!

Thanks for stopping by!! I hope this inspires you to break out your square punch (or die) and use them in a unique way!

Dana

Supplies

Stamps: Essentials by Ellen – Stay Salty

Die: My Favorite Things – Coffee Cup, Spellbinders Squares

Ink: Papertrey Ink – Hawaiian Shores

Pattern Paper: Craft Smith – Mermaid Coast