How to Use Paper Punches … Correctly

I just love this Martha Stewart Lace Heart Edge Punch, do you?

I wanted to do a quick little tutorial about how to use these punches. A lot of you might know, but some of you probably don’t. I didn’t for quite a while, but I will say that knowing makes it MUCH easier, as you would imagine. 😉

First, let me tell you that you don’t have to turn the punch upside down to line everything up.  That’s what I used to do too.   There are markings on the top to show you how to line everything up.  You can turn it upside down if you want to look to see exactly where the edge of your paper is, but even if you don’t start it like that, you can line it back up and cut it out later.

Here, let me show you the wrong way.

Ok, you see what is wrong with that, don’t you?  The hearts don’t line up with the cut hearts.  So, if you’re trying to keep the heart line uniform and pretty, this ain’t gonna do it.

Here’s what you SHOULD DO:

You see how the hearts are all lined up and they are not showing any of the white guidelines underneath?  That’s what you’re attempting to achieve.  If you do it like this, even if you don’t begin the heart punching right at the edge, you can go back and punch it by lining everything up again.

I hope this is helpful to you!!  At least you get to look at this pretty punch.  It’s hard to find in stores, but this lattice heart punch is available on Amazon.  It isn’t part of the Punch Around the Page punches.  (It’s not much of a secret that although I own several of those sets, I hate them.)  This one I love.  You don’t need any special sized paper to make it work…whew.  I have no patience for that.

Wait until you see what I used this for!