Lately I use the Martha Stewart punch around the page punches (MS patp) a lot. When you buy a set of MS patp you will get a folder with some information. On this folder are also some measurements for the card sizes you can use. Two of the sizes on the folder are:
5 inch / 12,7 cm (square)
6,75 inch / 17,15 cm (square)
Most of the time I found the 12,7 cm too small to work with and the 17,15 cm too large. So I figure out how I can use the MS patp with different sizes of paper. For this tutorial I use cm and not inches. If you use inches it works the same way I use the cm. The tutorial just show what you can do with every MS patp punch.
What will you need?
Martha Stewart punch around the page set (I used for this tutorial the Vintage Lace set)
Ruler
Pencil/Pen
A piece of scrap of scrap paper
Punch the border punch one time on a piece of scrap paper.
Look at the pattern. Look if you can find a pattern that repeats itself. With this punch there is a pattern that repeats three times. Measure one piece of the pattern that repeats. With this punch one piece of the pattern is 1,5 cm.
Take the measurement from the folder and start counting from there.
12,7 cm + 1,5 cm = 14,2 cm
14,2 cm + 1,5 cm = 15,7 cm
15,7 cm + 1,5 cm = 17,2 cm
Now you have two sizes between 12,7 cm and 17,15 cm.
To be sure you have the right size, just try it on a piece of scrap paper. I took a piece of paper that is 15,7 cm long. First I punched the corners. Remember to do that always when you use the punches around a piece of paper.
Now you can punch the border punch. Make sure you line the paper correctly on the punch. On the corner punch you will see where to put the left corner of the paper on the punch so the pattern will follow correctly.
Now you can use the border punch like normal. Just move the paper so you can punch one complete pattern from the border punch. You will see that there is a little piece of paper that isn't punched yet.
To punch the rest of the paper, that little piece, just move the paper to the left. Make sure the pattern from the paper on the left side lines up with the border punch. If the paper is cut at the correct size, the right corner of the paper lines perfect with the corner on the border punch. Punch and one side is done and you have the right measurements.
If the pattern doesn't line correctly because of 1 mm or less difference of the paper, then make sure you line up the pattern and paper on the left side correctly. Line up the right side with the punched corner so close as possible and punch. Maybe you will see a little difference but this will be so small that you are the only one who will notice. Believe me, I have this sometimes too.
Now you know the right measurements you can make cards which are bigger than 12,7 cm and smaller than 17,15 cm. Some punches don't have patterns you can make smaller like this one. Some punches you will need the measurements like 12,7 cm or 17,15 cm. But I found out that most of the punches you can make the card sizes smaller.
You can also play with the patterns from the punches. As you can see on the picture up here you can line up the pattern paper so you can see the whole pattern from the punch.
But if you move the pattern paper more to the edge you create a different look. And that with just one punch! So be creative and just play with the punches you have. Have fun!!
If you have any questions just leave a comment and I will answer your questions.
This card is made with a piece of paper from 15,7 x 15,7 cm. I used the Vintage Lace punch around the page set and moved the pattern paper more to the edge. The stamp is
Hannah with candle by Sandra Hammer. You can buy the stamp at
Michelle's scrapbooking & more.
