Punch Drunk

According to the Oxford Dictionary, this means "to be dazed or stupefied, as if by heavy blows to the head"
In recent weeks, I have on occasion felt punch-drunk. I have also become quite fascinated by a range of craft punches which I had never heard of until last summer.
I purchased two secondhand We Are Memory Keepers Punchboards from a Ferndown lady who was at a Craft Fayre, and then at the Fete. 

The first was the giftbox board. This makes cube shaped boxes from a square of paper.

Then a week later I bought her Candybox punchboard. This makes boxes shaped like Christmas Crackers- or you can make them into flat bottomed boxes. I produced a batch for Steph and Gary's Wedding Party last July, to hold sweets.

Then I was given a gift token just before Easter. I bought yet another WRMK punchboard - this time full price [but of course, I used my token] This was the mini-alphabet board

Unlike the first two boards- which have a double sided punch, and scoring channels, this incorporates two punches and a cutting blade and guide.
You prepare cards 1.5" x 2.5" then following the little guide book, you punch and slice to make letters.

This one board produces the whole alphabet and numbers 0 -9.
I used it the other week with the children to make "Joy Spinners" using old CDs, and letters cut from recycled greetings cards.

On the other side of the disc was a picture which the children coloured in, and the words "Shout to God for joy, everybody!"
I also made a birthday card on Wednesday, and was able to punch out the person's name.
I am getting quite obsessed with this WRMK range.
They are so well designed, and incredibly versatile - once I started poking around on the internet/Pinterest I found loads of different ways to use these punchboards.
The two 'box' punchboards have little charts printed on them to show which size of card you need for the final box - but enthusiasts have produced extra charts showing a huge range of different sized boxes and alternative ways of using them.
And then last Monday, there was a craft table in Blandford Church where  people were selling 2nd hand craft kit for church funds. And I picked up yet another WRMK board, for just £1.

I made a lovely envelope to go with the birthday card - using a sheet of double sided scrapbook paper. It looked Very Professional with the contrast lining.
Again there is a double sided punch [which makes the notches, and the rounded corners] and an integral 'bone folder' for neat scoring and creasing.
You can also use the envelope punchboard to make gift bows, but I have not had time to practise that skill yet.
It does seem as if these gadgets will be getting a lot of use - I certainly think you could say that they punch above their weight. To buy them new would be a bit of an investment, but I've spent well under £10, plus a token and feel they have already sparked JOY for me.
More information on WRMK here - and plenty of other stuff on YouTube and Pinterest,
I imagine I shall be showing other punchboard projects here in the future.

Thinking Outside the Box

Perhaps I shouldn't have gone into the Community Centre - but the sign said "Sale of Crafting Materials". Inside there were around twenty ladies, all trying to reduce their stash. I dithered and wondered and then purchased a "We R Memory Keepers" item called a Box Punch Board.
This very nifty little gadget makes gift boxes in lots of different sizes.
And I could see it proving very useful [and it was less than half the price of new- but hadn't been used] I got into conversation with the stallholder. 

When I got home, I tried it out and made boxes in 3 different sizes - but each one from an 8" square of paper. [this is an internet picture] I told Bob the lady had a few other We R MK punch boards, but I had been very restrained, only getting the one I felt most useful. But she was back two weeks later at Ferndown Fete right opposite my story tent. She'd reduced her prices still further.

After buying the first board, I'd looked things up on the net, and discovered they are even more versatile than at first appears. So I bought the Candy Box Punch Board. 
These boards are cleverly designed- and have the full instructions printed on them - and they have a built in bone folder/scorer [a bit like a cheese knife, which slides niftily in the side of the board]

You place the card agains the line, punch a hole, and score a fold line...and repeat...and then it folds up into a box. All very well organised engineering.

This is the board which has been busy this week. Instead of making the regular 'candybox' which has gathered in ends like a boiled sweet or a Christmas Cracker, I made flat-bottomed boxes.These are the designs with two ends. Here are others with just one end I found online - these celebrating St Patrick's Day.

The three dozen boxes I have made will be filled with jelly beans and in a basket in Manchester



Following their small, quiet and dignified wedding ceremony in April, Steph and Gary are hosting a Family Barbecue this afternoon. Lots of fun and food [and also football!] I am quite pleased with the little wedding favours I have produced...