A Guide to the Pinking Hearts Border and Corner Punches and a new Sketch Card

Good Sunday morning, everyone! I can't tell you what an overwhelming response I've had to my Guide for Using the Scallop Trim Border and Corner Punches. It really has been amazing! Thank you all for the many kind comments and e-mails. More than once, you've made my day with the things you've shared with me and I truly appreciate you all. And since I put that guide out, I've had people, many people, asking if I was going to do a similar guide for the new Pinking Hearts Border and Corner Punches. Well, actually, people have been asking, begging, pleading and even groveling (maybe not quite groveling). So, here you go! In a moment of weakness, I surrender!

First, though, let me show you the project I made to illustrate how to use these punches. This is actually another example card for this week's Inspiration in Action Weekend Sketch Challenge. It's not too late to play along ... you can leave your information with Mister Linky HERE on the original post until noon on Wednesday, January 27th. I used the Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper along with Real Red, Regal Rose and Very Vanilla Cardstocks. The stamp sets are I {Heart} Hearts and Well Scripted. The ribbon is 5/8" Satin in Pretty in Pink. And of course I used the Pinking Hearts Border and Corner Punches, Full Heart Punch and the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslet Die with the Big Shot. Don't forget to do a little something special inside the card. Here I attached some ribbon, used the border punch on the bottom edge and stamped a heart.

 

 
  

Okay, now on to the guide! If you haven't yet done so, please read the original guide for the Scallop Trim Border and Corner punches. It gives some basic information about using the punches that I'm not going to repeat here. One other note, other demonstrators have different ways and techniques for using these punches. No one way is wrong or right -- we all have different ways of learning and all respond different to ways of teaching. So, if my method doesn't work for you, please try it someone else's way. All I'm doing here is sharing with you the way that works best for me.

A couple of notes about using these punches:

• I found it easier to always use the punches upside down so that I can see what I'm doing.
• Line up the points of the Pinking edge, not the hearts.
• Accurate measuring is very important. The little pinking points are so small and there is so much detail in this punch that you need to be very accurate and consistent with your measurements.

So, hold the punch upside down so that you can see what you're doing. Cut the corners first and then line up the pinking points to cut the sides, again using the punch upside down so you can see from the bottom how the paper and metal line up. I've given you six different sized squares here that worked for me, each one 3/8" of an inch different from the next lower or smaller. If you wish to make rectangles, as I did in my example above, simply combine two of the measurements.

Here's the sizes that I came up with:

• 2 7'8"
• 3 1/4"
• 3 5/8"
• 4"
• 4 3/8"
• 4 3/4"

As I said above, each size square increases or decreases by 3/8" so you can easily make your squares and rectangles as small or large as you wish!

Here's another little tip for you! For both the Pinking Hearts and Scallop Trim punches, I've kept my templates of each size and put them in a little 6x6 page protector, separated by a piece of cardstock so that the Pinking Hearts are on one side and the Scallop Trims are on the other. This way, as I'm creating and visualizing what size I will need, I can easily grab my templates and place them on my project to come up with just the right size that I need. It works for me ... and maybe it will work for you as well. I hope so!

 
As always, thanks for stopping by today. I hope you've found this guide helpful and I invite you to play along with my sketch challenge. I love hearing from you ... and I love seeing your creations!

 

Comments

[Phyllis Olson]

Your blog is wonderful - so full of great ideas. I really appreciate your figuring out the formulas for using the new SU punches. My husband and I played around with the scallop punches for several hours and the results weren't reliable. Now I can use them with confidence. You have more patience than I do. Keep up the wonderful work. Thanks, Phyllis

[Gina Coffelt]

Bless your heart, Gretchen! I appreciate this SO much!

[Elizabeth M. Harris]

Gretchen- You are a sweetheart! Thank you so much for sharing your hard work! It is so appreciated!

Huge hugs!

[Allison B]

Beautiful card! And thanks for the tips!

[Wendie aka tankergypsie]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and talent.

[Cindy Elam]

Thank you so much! I thought I had it dialed in by myself, then realized my ruler and Paper Cutter don't measure exactly the same. Grrr!

[Yapha]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this!!!

[Carole'Anne AKA Stampin Stressaway]

This is totally amazing that you have this down pat my dear Gretchen
you are saving us a lot time by posting this super helpful chart
I thank you so much
Not to mention how fabulous your card is!
Whow
you rock
I need to get mine done Uh??
Thank you again are most helpful!

[Kathy Mc]

You are so very talented and generous to share your awesome tips with us in such a detailed manner…and at no extra charge. Really enjoy your blog ~ it's fabulous! Thanks for sharing.

[LeAnne]

You are a blessing! Thanks so much....I have been waiting for this! :D

[Hazel]

You have more patience than I ever will!! :) Thank you so much for putting this guide together. It is an invaluable resource to so many (frustrated) owners of these punches! Thank you for sharing!!

[Paula Oesch]

Thank you for so many ideas. The tutorial was so helpful for me. I don't have anyone to help me and your site is so valuable to me. Thanks again

[Sue]

Thank you SO MUCH!!!

[maurita wilkerson]

gretchen, thanks for your tutorial on the heart border punch! i mastered the scallop without too much trouble, but this one caused much suffering! lol. it seemed so plain after you mentioned the 3/8 size! you have a really interesting blog! lots of goodies!! thanks a BUNCH!!

[Kay Kalthoff]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! and Three hugs, too!!
Kay

[Gayle Enouen]

You rock!!! Thank you so much for sharing the fruits of your hard work with all of us! I'm math challenged so I can't imagine how long it would take me to figure this out!

Gayle Enouen

[Gretchen Barron -- Inspiration in Action]



[Barbara]

Wow this is fantastic!! I now have the tutorial for both the Pinking Hearts and the Scalloped trim punches.
Stampin Up should give you a special award for these tutorial. The directions that came with the punches are so confusing .
If you read the directions that came with the punches it looks like you start with the border punch and then "try" to line up the corner. I keep a pack of junky Walmart card stock for practicing and I used several full sheets of it before I found your tutorials.
Thanks again!!
Barbara

[Karen]

Thank you very much. I have both your tutorials to refer back to and I especially like the idea of the templates. I do have one question, though. When you are measuring, did you use the cutter measurements, or the ruler measurements to begin (before cutting)? I also noticed that mine do not "match" but it is just a tad off. However, I have not been able to cut perfect scallops yet when doing the square. Your projects are just beautiful and so precisely done. Thank you for helping your fellow stampers in so many generous ways.

[Priscilla Ivler]

Gretchen, you are awesome! Thank you SOOO much for this tutorial! I'm going to copy every one of your suggestions, and hopefully will end my frustration with these adorable punches.

[Deanna Wolfe]

Thank you so much for taking the time to figure this out and then to share with all of us.
And your card is beautiful..............
Deanna

[Germaine Meilach]

Thank you thank you. You're the greatest.

Germaine

[generic cialis]

I'd like to do an online quiz where a picture is displayed and below
it a graphic that says "click to see answer" if you click on that
graphic, the answer is displayed. I'd like to have a page with 15 or
so quiz items, and people can just go one-by-one and click on each
answer button to see the answer.

[TxJennyWren]

wOW, GRETCHEN - THIS IS AWESOME. I THINK STAMPIN UP SHOULD PAY YOU FOR THIS AND THEY SHOULD INCLUDE ONE OF THESE CHARTS WITH EVERY PUNCH THEY SELL. I HAVE HAD SUCH A HORRIBLE TIME USING THEM THAT I ONLY HAVE DONE STRAIGHT LINES. BUT YOU TOOK ALL THE MYSTERY OUT OF IT FOR ME.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!