Christmas All Year 2015 - May

[Iring]

Ok, well I haven't been productive at all in the Christmas card arena, but I'm glad some of you are getting a nice head start.  So, here's another prompt for you :

Try to add some paper piercing to your card.  You can use a template or free hand it.  I have a few Stampin Up templates that I need to remember to use.  Also, some thin dies have ready made holes pierced in them, those count too.

Here's a picture of what I mean by a pierced die, this one available on Ellen Hutson's site.


Merry Christmas in May!  (Don't forget there is a folder in the gallery for Christmas All Year)

[howdyheidi]

I love all the pierced dies that are out there nowadays. I do not have any, however, my paper trimmer has all these extra wheel things on it that are supposed to do piercing and I have been meaning to try them. I hope to do so this month. I really want to get 5 cards this month.

Thanks for hosting!

[Iring]

Thanks for the reminder Heidi ... there are all sorts of ways to pierce paper besides a "Piercing tool" or needle or push pin ...

I think I might have a cuttlebug "bug" wheel that pierces, hmm, I'll have to look.

[stampwilly]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I need to look to see what I have so that I can do this. I know I will come up with something!

Stampwilly

[Craft Nerd]

I may have to pull out my sew easy to see if I can get it to work for piercing.  My goal is to make more than one card this month.   

[howdyheidi]

My piercing blades does not work so well, so I am going to need to figure that out.

I did make two cards combined with the Oldies challenge:

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1525&message_id=49d32137f3f490c522778c19804948b4&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1524&message_id=8885430c053159bc03f93161c0ba556b&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock

[Iring]

Nice job Heidi!  You are a thumping master!  I love your stamp choices.  The technique worked very well with your stamps and papers.

[Looser]

LOL, Cindi! Your piercing prompt so takes me back to '70s & '80s craftwise. Making pierced-paper lampshades was a popular craft. Wasn't my thing, but we carried several books & patterns in the first craft supply store I worked for.

Most crafters used needles to make piercing tools. The largish (pointed) embroidery ones were very useful because they allowed users to vary the size of the pierced hole by varying how deeply they inserted the needle into the paper. With a bit of practice, users could go from tiny > larger holes. Many used thick felt pads under the paper, but I like thick foam pads.

Some needles are easier to grasp, but if you insert the needle's eye into a rubber eraser, it makes a nice handle for the piercing tool. And there are handgrip punches (circle) available in very small sizes--1/8". They are great for piercing edges quickly. And... Whether we call it piercing or perforating, we can use piercing tools to make 'nibbled' shapes.

Just use a pencil to lightly outline the shape. Then use the needle or punch along the outline until the shape is free of the paper. Erase any pencil marks & you're good to go.

[Iring]

Oh yeah, I remember those shades!  I use a mouse pad, but it's not really thick enough.  I have to be careful not to go all the way through to the table.

[Looser]

Oh yeah, I remember those shades!  I use a mouse pad, but it's not really thick enough.  I have to be careful not to go all the way through to the table.

I like the thick foam 'stamping' pads. Mouse pads make a good substitute, but are less thick. Try putting 1 or 2 pieces of corrugated cardboard under the pad to avoid having the needle mar the tabletop. 

[stampwilly]

I hope to work on my cards on Friday. I have 2 stampers coming over to stamp with me! YEAH!

Stampwilly

[Conniecrafter]

I use an old mouse pad to do my piercing, wow alot of challenges this month

[djc]

I'm so behind with my Christmas cards this year.  I'm still spending most days with my friend that I mentioned back in February.  (She's doing very well.)  I'm at her place right now.

I love those piercing dies.  I think I broke down and bought one, or did I buy one that makes an impression, not a hole?  Not sure, but I know I like it.  OK, I looked in the gallery, mine is the Die-namics Pierced Oval.  Yeah!

I also have many piercing templates.  When I use those, I get carried away; it's very calming.  The only thing that stops me is, after a while, my hand hurts.

I do hope I get to play this month.

Daria

[Conniecrafter]

I don't have any piercing dies yet but I have a few on my wish list so this was all done just using my piercing tool, on the flourish at the bottom I actually used a border embossing folder that had a flourish, I embossed it on a scrap piece of paper and then laid that over the bottom of my card and followed the flourish to get that design. I really liked the way the flower turned out with the Metallic foil paper.
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1540&message_id=a5a7a50fb8374758ce838466dba5e148&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock

[howdyheidi]

Still no pierced look, but I made a couple cards with this design today.

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=1547&message_id=5bcdc90f8147b28bc857b47bc5f076c2&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock