I confess that I am a hole-punch addict. The thrill of punching a fancy shape out never wears thin for me. I therefore have quite a large collection of various punches.

But what if you are new to crafting and on a strict budget? The sheer choice of punches can be overwhelming!

Here are a few pointers on getting the most punch for your pounds.

Basic shapes are used more often…

I recommend buying the ‘generic’ shape punches first (unless you have a specific project in mind). By this I mean ones like the various sizes of round, square, rectangle, star shapes etc. A simple 1 inch circle or square punch can be used for SO much – cutting little photos (especially cutting faces out), pieces for mosaics, pieces to layer up. If you have two of the same shape but different sizes, you can cut one, then use the other on the same paper to make a little frame. These ‘basic’ shapes are the ones you will use over and over.

Don’t forget you can easily cut circles into half-circles and wedge-shaped quarters. Punch big squares with smaller squares cut out and link them together as chains. Use simple rectangle punches as a super fast way to cut journalling boxes, picture mounts and more.

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The punches to buy …

Really Handy Basic Stamps – Staples you will use again and again for years

Circles, Squares, Rectangles, Diamonds, Ovals, Stars, Simple Flowers

Other Versatile Stamps – You will be able to use for lots of types of cards and projects

Simple Christmas tree, Heart, Basic tree, Butterfly, Snowflake (you can cut it up to make cool decorative bits too)

One other ‘must-have’ punch is the basic corner rounder. This can transform a photo or journaling panel into a totally different look.

 

A stamp of a flamingo, a baby bottle or very ornate edging one is fun – but you may not use it very often. These fancy stamps are great if you know just what you will use them for, but if you are beginning your stamp collection the generic shapes will get far more use.

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Hole punches on a budget – Scrapbook snippet no 2

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