Punches as Stencils

Since I first started papercrafting, I've made it a priority to look for ways to save money by making as much of my embellishments as possible. My collection of punches has always been a go-to when it comes to adding interest to pages and cards without spending a lot of money. I use punches to add borders, to put an interesting edge on a card base, cut apart and shaped into flowers, as photo frames and so much more. But today I had a brainwave that I had never tried before! 

I was punching out a border from card stock, and was admiring the lovely pattern of punch #905, looking at the light through the holes, when it occurred to me that I could use the punched strip as a mask. I immediately gave it a shot, sponging ink over the strip onto a card base, and I love the results!

On the card above I used a spring green shade, and just did one strip along the edge of the card. For my second card, I sponged two strips, staggering them slightly. I can just imagine using the stencil across the entire page, creating an awesome patterned background!

This is your last week to play the challenges! Take a few minutes for a creative recharge and enter to win!