PUNCH RING!

Okay, here is my favorite "tool" for my punches! The biggest reason I love this punch ring is that I can easily see which punch I will need for my project and can pull it off my punch rack and take it to where I'm working without having to "guess" at which punch is the right one, or pulling all my oval punches off the rack to try them all and see which one fits. This is a real time saver for me!

I am going to be having a Punch Ring Party class in August where my customers can come and make a punch ring of their own for only $8. I will have all the cardstock cut and all the labels attached, so they can just move around the tables and punch the cardstock and then assemble their own punch ring. This way, my customers can mark off the punches they own and can easily see which ones they will need to purchase in the future.

How does it work? It is so easy, and I think you can pretty much tell by the photos, but here are the DEETS for all those inquiring minds.

I start with a 3 1/4" square piece of cardstock (we have some pretty big punches available now :o). I make labels for each punch, and the label includes the name of the punch, and the order number for that particular punch. (I have photographed my old punch ring, where the label included the price of the punch, but the newer labels I am using do not include the prices of the punches). Then I take that punch and punch a piece out of the cardstock. When I'm done with all the punched out squares, I use my Crop-A-Dile and put a hole in the uppper left-hand corner and slide all the punched squares onto a key ring.

I also have little "covers" that are a little bigger than the punched squares (3 1/2" x 3 1/2") to make the front and back covers of the punch ring.

AND at the punch ring class, in addition to making your own punch ring, you will get a little bag to put all of the punched out shapes in so you will have those to use at a later time on your creations. All the details for the punch ring class are on my Class Schedule so be sure to check it out and sign up early. I scheduled it for August so that I would be sure to have all my new punches on hand and could include them.

Now that your punch ring is done, how do you use it? Well, it is super easy! Simply find your image or sentiment in the catalog (or pull out your stamp set and use your stamps) and then find the card on your punch ring for the punch you'd like to use and set it right over top of the image or sentiment to see if it fits inside the punched shape. With the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog all the stamp sets and sentiments are shown at 100%, so you can easily see which punches will work best with which stamp sets/sentiments. If I did not explain that too well, just check out the photos, and I think you'll be able to "visualize" it.