Jenna Beegle's Punchline Archive March 1999

This month, we're going to talk about something a little different. I like to clear the cobwebs out around this time of year and take fresh looks at things. When I teach punch art, I start by talking about the variety of papers you can use. If it will fit into your punch, then you can punch it. I have even seen in a rubber stamp store, leaves punched from sheets of very thin copper and they were wonderful. That might not be the best for your scrapbook, but next time you pick up your punch, I want you to think about the paper you select. There are so many choices out there now that you don't have to have a plain leaf anymore. Below I've punched the same leaf, a large birch leaf, from a variety of safe papers to show you what you can do. Remember, if you use any of these ideas, or if you have any ideas you'd like to share, send them in. We'd love to show them off


Plain: This is simply dark green cardstock. It's nice, but there's so much more.	Patterned: These 3 patterns make the leaf ifferent each time. One is bright green with tiny white dots. Very cute for a spring page! The next, with green and white checks, is more country looking I think. The grass patterned paper seems to have texture of its own.	Mulberry Paper: This is a very thin mulberry paper and many people have trouble punching through it. If your paper is very thick, then it will usually make a nice clear image on it's own, but if it's thin, then it seems to tear rather than cut. Solve this problem by sandwiching it between regular typing paper. You get all of the texture and all of the elegance very easily.	Before punching this green cardstock, I ran it through my crimper. It has a lot of texture, and if you punch carefully, you can use the crimping to suggest movement in the leaf.

(HERE WE HAVE punchleaf5) Metallic and Crimped: This is a very nice metallic, plain and through the crimper. I might not use a gold leaf - well, maybe I would - Christmas, or copper and heritage albums - but I wanted you to see the possibilities.	(HERE WE HAVE punchleaf6) Corrugated: This paper comes corrugated in a wave pattern and is very thick and strong. You might not be able to use it with smaller punches, but it works well here. The waves enhance the shape of the leaf. I actually bought this paper thinking what a great Christmas tree it would make, so why not use a tree punch? Or make flower petals from it?	(HERE WE HAVE puncleaf7) Felt Paper: If you haven't seen this great paper yet, you will soon. The texture is wonderful and gives a very nice tactile quality to your work. When my son and I decorated his Valentine's box, we put hearts from this paper in read across the top. You know a class of first graders loved that. How about punching cats and dogs from brown or black? Or Santa's beard?	(HERE WE HAVE flower1) This vine has leaves made from the handmade paper I used above. Rather elegant.

(HERE WE HAVE flower2) This flower is made from patterned paper hears with a solid center. The patterned paper gives more colorful and natural effects than plain purple hears would do.	(HERE WE HAVE flower3) This flower is made from mulberry paper, with our old friend the birch leaf on either side. You can see what a nice look this very simple flower has because of the paper choice.