Thursday, September 25, 2014

WRMK Pillow Box Punch Board

Today I want to tell you about another awesome punch board: the We R Memory Keepers Pillow Box Punch Board!


This little board is one of my favorites for packaging small gifts. Remember 100 years ago when McDonald's apple pies came in pillow boxes?


When I was a kid, every Sunday morning before church, my dad would take me to McDonald's for breakfast before we ran the church bus route. Those weekly daddy/daughter dates remain one of my most treasured childhood memories, and I've always loved pillow boxes since then.

This board is so easy to use, and you can make your pillow boxes in several different sizes.

The instructions are printed right on the board, so there's nothing to keep up with.  And like the Envelope Punch Board, it comes with a handy score tool that stores in a slot on the bottom.


The instructions state that your paper needs to be 6 inches wide, but to honest, I've found that 5.5 inches works a little better for me. I often start out with 6 inch paper, but I usually trim off some of the tab at the end. If I don't, I find that it tends to interfere a little with the curve of the closed pillow box, especially if I'm using a thicker paper. 

For today's project I decided to spice it up a bit by running my cardstock through my Big Kick with an embossing folder first. I started out with this 6x6 square of hot pink cardstock.


I chose this cupcake motif folder from Paper Studio, in part because it has a repeating pattern, which made it easy to match up the cupcakes so I could go back and emboss the part that extended past the edges of the folder.


Yes, sadly my pretty manicure is gone. :( But the paper turned out super cute!


Okay, to start with, you're going to line the left edge of your paper up with the start line on the punch board like so.


Then you're going to press the button at the top to punch.


Then use the score tool to score under the curve and down the vertical score line.


Now move your paper to the left, so that the left edge lines up with the left edge of the punch board and the curve you just punched fits snugly in the curve below the left side of the button. Also, the little score guide arm will line up with the vertical line you just scored.


Punch again, and score the curve and the vertical line again, then move it to the left one more time and repeat the punch/score process again.


 Now you'll flip the paper upside down so that you're starting off with the same edge you started with and repeat the entire process.


Now we're going to add the thumb notches to make it easy to open the box once it's closed. To do this, you just fit your paper into the top of the punch board. Just follow the spaces to fit your middle curve under the button and punch again.


You'll end up with a neat little notch like this:


Flip the paper upside down and punch the other side too. Then trim off the little curved edges on the end tab, following the score marks. Your paper will look like this when you're finished.


At this point I trimmed my end tab down to about 1/4 inch, but that's up to you. Crease your vertical score lines.


Now it's time for your adhesive. You can use an adhesive runner here, but I've personally found that Elmer's Glue All gives me a stronger bond in this application. Add the adhesive of your choice to the tab on the end, then fold your box to close. If you're using a wet glue, you may want to set a book or something heavy on it for a minute to help it set. I usually just tuck it under the punch side of the board.


All done! When you're ready to close the box, gently squeeze the side edges together, then fold the flaps down, the one with the thumb notch first.



These are so cute for little gifts like jewelry!


And you can use paper anywhere from 4 to 12 inches in length. Your closed box is going to end up about 2 inches shorter than your paper.

This one I made from a WRMK 4x6 journaling card, and I love it like a small child. Look at that adorable swimsuit theme! Ah, summer, is it really time to let you go?



I also tried a few more using a birthday embossing folder.


And this one done in 6x8 paper made the perfect size for a Dove Bar.




How great would these be for favors at a shower or birthday party?

I also made a bunch of these in a couple of sizes as gifts for Nick's grandmother and sister for birthdays/Mother's Day.



The six inch ones in the top picture are perfect for gift cards, and the bottom ones are great for jewelry or other little trinkets. I just think they make such a fresh change from your standard square box or gift bag. And if you add a little bow and tag you have a pretty fancy package!

Check out some other gorgeous interpretations I came across:








Thursday, September 18, 2014

WRMK Envelope Punch Board

Today I want to talk about one of my favorite craft tools: The We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board.


I got this punch board back in June, but it had been on my wish list since last summer. It has been so much fun! We used 3 of these at the Teachers of Good Things Craft Day last weekend, and several ladies mentioned that they had plans to get one for themselves. In fact, my mom has plans to pick one up at the first opportunity.

While the Envelope Punch Board may look complicated, it's actually super easy to use, and I wanted to do a quick tutorial. First of all, the measurements you need for just about any size envelope are printed right on the board. It also comes with a sticker with the metric version of the measurements so you can adhere that on top of the standard measurements if you prefer.


It tells you the correct paper size for the card you're using, and it gives you a measurement mark to place the edge of your paper on for scoring. You can make envelopes from paper sized up to 11.5 x 11.5 inches. These for are for 4.5 x 6 inch cards, and I just squared off some 8.5 x 11 scrapbook paper for this size.





For the Craft Day, as well as for some note card sets I've made as gifts, I used 6 x 6 paper to make envelopes for 3 x 4 cards.





Today I'm going to make a 3 x 4 envelope using this sweet 6 x 6 paper I picked up at Tuesday Morning. 


To make this size, you will take your 6 x 6 sheet and line it up at the 2 5/8 mark.

Once it's lined up, push down on the button at the top to punch your first notch. It's important to note and remember that this is the only time during this process that you will line your paper up with this mark.


Then take the handy score tool included with the punch board and score the paper down the score track.


Now this part is important. Turn your paper COUNTER clockwise, so that the notch you just punched is on the left.


Now, you want to align the line that you just scored with the little guide arm that leads off the bottom left of the punch button. If you try to line the paper back up with the 2 5/8 mark again, your notches will be off and your envelope won't fold correctly. I bumped the contrast on this photo way up so you can see the score line a little better.


Now punch and score just like you did on the first side, then turn counter clockwise again. Repeat until all 4 sides are notched. It will look like this when you're done. I've folded up the sides a bit here so you can see all the score lines. Each score line should meet another at the inside point of a notch.


Now you want to round your corners. To do this, just insert each corner into the space at the top of the punch button and punch.



Ta-da!


Next fold in the sides of your envelope.


Line the lower edges of your side flaps with the adhesive of your choice. Elmer's Glue-All works great here, but I prefer and generally use a glue or tape runner like this one. 

Fold up your bottom flap and press where it meets the side flaps to seal the adhesive, then fold down your top flap and press flat. 


Isn't it so cute?! I love the "just stay little" sentiment  near the point of the closing flap. Perfect for a baby girl gift! If you're adding a card for giving, you can go ahead and do that and seal the envelope with your glue runner. If this is for giving someone to use later, you can include a sticker for them to seal it closed when they're ready.

These little envelopes are so easy to embellish too. For this one I just added a scalloped circle and a little bow, both secured with the glue runner. My SIL Leah's sister Deborah made one like this at the craft day and I loved it!


For this one I just added ribbon, sealed into the bottom flap and wrapped around the front.


Then I just folded a little ribbon rosette to accent it.


The Envelope Punch Board retails for $19.95, but both Hobby Lobby and Joann carry them, and there's always a coupon for at least 40% at both. And of course you can get them on Amazon, which is where I got mine, and they're forever going on sale there. In fact, they're $12.75 on there right now.

Besides envelopes, you can also make gift boxes and 3d envelopes with this punch board, as well as darling little paper bows and lovely little treat boxes. For more ideas for the Envelope Punch Board as well as other WRMK punch boards, check out my Pinterest Board, Punch Board Projects.