Running With Cheap Scissors.....

We were talking about the different kinds of punches and paper scissors that I use for the geraniums yesterday. I decided to show you some of the inexpensive scissors that I use and what you can do with them. Be sure to poke the photos to make them bigger.

The first two pair of scissors that I used here were actual pinking scissors. I very seldom use them for sewing. The are wonderful for minis. The top two examples are plain square cut pinking scissors. The top one could be used as a border around the top of a room. The second example is what I use them for most of the time. This is representative of 1/4" scale diamond shingles. The third one is scalloped pinking shears. They make great clam shell trim and shingles in quarter inch.They also make leaves. If you turn the scallop to the right and cut the paper, then flip them over and cut another row with the points touching the first row points, you get an oval leaf that you see to the right of the shingles.

Next there are some that came cheaply in a barrel from Walmart. I think that there were eight pair of scissors. Out of those, six were usable for minis.

The first one is a very small scallop. If you want tiny leaves, you use these the same way that you used the larger scallops above.

The second one is just a fancy french edge. You can layer this for a border or run gold along the edge to make it fancy.

Third is one is a fancy scallop that you can use the flip method to make holly leaves for Christmas. I used this one and the fourth one to make two different sized leaves for the wreath that was on the porch door at Christmas. You score down the center of the leaf with a very small ball stylus to make it curve.

The fifth and sixth are both wavy edges in different sizes....Large or small leaves by the flip method.

Needless to say, you can make other trims and decorations with these. Experimentation can be fun.
In the second picture, there are several standard punches from Michael's and other craft stores.

The green edging one at the top can be used for borders, but I really bought it because it makes nine nice leaves in one punch.....The only trouble is, this one takes a lot of strength.

Beneath that are five little dots that were from a 1/16" scissor type punch. I use those for buttons and coins, among other things.

The sunburst can be cupped and used for flowers with a large center.
the purple six sided one is one that I use in the geraniums, along with the other more expensive punches. If you don't mind all the same size leaves, you can have geraniums with this one. So far I have not found an inexpensive tiny flower punch for the flowers.

The curly corner punch is the one that I used to make the gingerbread on the front porch of the Haberdashery. I simply glued about 6 of them in layers, let them dry and painted them. you can't tell them from the expensive wooden ones. There are several corner punches out now that will work for this.

The bottom middle leaf is one that has a small piece of stem on one end. I like that one because you can attach the stem to a branch easily by bending it and gluing that part to a branch.

The last one is simply a 3/4" square punch. You can get these in several sizes. They cut great tiles. No measuring, no rulers and knives for cutting.

Now I have only one problem. Tessie. She was following me around as I was gathering up the supplies that I needed for this entry.....She caught me at the old greenhouse. It is not in very good shape at the present time. I tend to grab plants out of there when I need them elsewhere. That's what greenhouses are for. However....I have not been replanting.

She is now on my case to get the greenhouse spruced up. She says she needs a place to grow herbs for spelling.

I need to figure out a way to take the scratches out of Plexiglas. The windows are in pretty bad shape. If I know that someone is going to look at it, I rub lemon oil on them. It works for a while. Then they go back to being scratchy. I really don't want to replace all of the windows. It might be easier just to build a new one.

Meanwhile, she has locked herself in and refuses to come out until I clean it up........HEY!!! Does that mean that I get time off until it gets fixed? Hmmmmmm.......Let's see. I may be able to start next Tuesday. See me tiptoeing away with a big smile on my face?

See you tomorrow.