I’m a simple card-maker. I like cards I can put together relatively quickly, without too much thought. Every so often I think I ought to have a go at more complicated cards, ought to learn fancy folds or pop-up box cards or even shaker cards.

Spoiler alert: I have yet to do any of those, except the shaker cards, for which I found a kit which had a cheat’s method (which I will probably use again).

I’ve been enjoying the kits this summer: craft rooms in a box. They come with pretty much everything, except a pair of scissors to cut ribbon or thread. But I can’t just make cards from kits. Probably not, anyway.

So I’ve been into the crafters’ Aladdin’s Cave of wonder (OK, craft shops both on- and off-line) to try and find ways of replicating the ease of kits in a small crafting space for a time-poor crafter.

I’ve started with paper punches. Previously, I’ve always sort of skimmed over these whenever I’ve been in Hobbycraft. I’ve picked up the odd whimsical tiny one, and never really used them, except for one for rounding corners, but I’ve never really thought about punches.

Until now. I was converted by the pair of Christmas baubles, and have since expanded my small collection to include a hexagon and a large circle. I doubt they will be my last punches.
But I’ve been churning out hexagon cards with some rapidity ever since they arrived, with some beautiful papers. I’ve also been considerably less precious about said beautiful papers.

Very simple, very straight-forward cards. Apart from playing with the arrangements of hexagons, they take very little time to make. And I’m enjoying making my “own” cards again.