Category Archives: Craft Tips

July 07 Card Making Tips

July 2007 Newsletter – Card Making Tips:

1. To make your own wire & bead embellishment thread a large bead or sequin onto a length of craft wire then using a pair of pliers twist wire once at the end to secure it. Thread more beads and sequins on the wire in a pretty pattern. Bend wire into desired shape i.e. a heart and then attach to a card with glue or sticky pads. From Jill, West Sussex.

2. Make some generic themed cards without a greeting. When you need a card in a hurry for a birthday or similar, simply add the wording. From Olivia, Somerset.

3. When using brads or eyelets, apply them to a separate piece of card or topper or punched shapes rather than directly onto your card blank. Then stick the decorated piece of card to your card blank with foam tape. This way you do not see the ugly backs of the eyelets and brads on the inside of your card and you get a great layered look to your card. From Jean, West Midlands.

If you have any tips please drop us an email. If we use your tip in the next newsletter, you will receive a £5 Glitter Monster Crafts voucher, for use in our on-line store. It can be anything from how to get a great result from a technique or how to do something easier, it can be as simple as you like and about any card making or craft subject.

Caring For Craft Punches

How to use your craft punches:

Most craft punches are suitable for use on paper or light card.

Regular sized punches (orange / peach colour) are suitable for use on paper or very light card.

Mini sized & border punches are suitable for use on paper only.


If you are unsure what thickness of paper or card that a particular punch can cope with, it is always best to check with the manufacturer or shop you are buying the punch from before you buy or before you use your punch. Using the incorrect thickness of paper or card can result in your punch jamming and not working correctly.

Tips for caring for your craft punch:

1. Allow your new craft punch to acclimatise to the temperature in your home for a while before using it. It may have gone through temperature changes during its journey to you.
2. Use your new craft punch a few times on some thin scrap paper to loosen it up before using it on a proper project. New craft punches will always be stiffer and harder to use to start with and will loosen up with use.
3. Should your punch become blunt, you can sharpen it by punching through kitchen foil a few times.
4. If a punch is sticking you can use a silicon polish on it, it must be silicon not wax.
5. Punches are not suitable for use on coated papers/card such as glitter card as the punch can jam.