A New Year, New Changes for 2016!

A new year, new changes for 2016!

It's so hard to believe that a new year is upon us but it was a great year for all of us here at Punch Place Plus. Here is a bit of a recap of how well our 2015 has been:

• We had such a great time being a vendor at the All Things Silhouette Conference in Georgia.
• We were also a part of the SIL/Cricut/Electronic cutting machine conference in St. Louis.
• We've brought in a lot of new items, a new machine to start doing custom and in house cutting.
• We've ramped up our social media, not just the blog but also on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Here are a few amazing things to look forward to in the new year:

• The biggest change will be our rebranding in March.
• We are getting a new website, moving to Wordpress (Whoop, whoop!) and changing our name from Punch Place Plus to Craft Chameleon!

Whew, that's a lot of changes for the new year but we will still be the same great company that offers you great products at amazing prices, the same great customer service that you've come to know and love (with new items added too;) but with a new look and name!While I am sure there will be some moving pains, it may get a little confusing with the new look and name change as long as you stay connected with us on social media, subscribe to emails on the website and blog you will be the first to know, who, what, when, where and why!

Thank you for such an amazing 2015, we look forward to an even better 2016!

Pineapple Palooza

Today on the Punch Place Blog it's, pineapple palooza!

I love pineapples and who couldn't when they look this cute?

Punch Place Plus carries these cuties in three different sizes, 3", 2" and 1.5". And you can make just about anything with them from, key chains, earrings, charms for a bracelet and they don't have to look like your typical pineapple (green and yellow).

To make these you're going to need (depending on what you're making):
Pineapples
Double J Earwires (in gold or silver)
Hardware
Bracelets/Necklaces
Vinyl
Transfer Tape

I am going to show you some tips today because I have previously showed you how to apply vinyl onto the blank acrylics from Punch Place Plus in previous posts.

Some of the cuts on these are very intricate and during the weeding process you could potentially lose a lot of those little pieces and ultimately want to start over well today I am going to show you how you can keep those little pieces and your sanity!

You're going to cut your design as usual but instead of weeding it before placing it onto the transfer tape, you're going to place it on your transfer tape first. Once you have the whole piece on your transfer tape, stick it onto your cutting mat.

This is going to hold it steady while you keep the good parts and weed out the bad!

 I start by grabbing a corner and slowly pulling the vinyl up (you need to do this very slowly because the top part is sticky and could stick on your design-I also keep a pair of scissors near by to help keep the weeded parts away from my design).

Here is the weeded piece.

And our design.

You can now take your blank acrylic and add your vinyl. (Tip: If you're going to place the blank on top of the vinyl so you can line it up, flip your image so it cuts the right way.)

In the top photo, I simply added a monogram, cut it out of the vinyl, added it to the acrylic. For the middle one, I cut out another monogram from the vinyl but also cut a solid black piece so it would add some dimension to the pineapple (that is the one you would have to flip so it will line up with the acrylic!) and the one on the right I did as a normal well not normal oh so cute pineapple!

I made this cute adjustable bangle for myself and I LOVE it!

Now don't you have some adorable pineapples?!

DIY Gold Capped Tassels

I love the tassels that Punch Place Plus sells and I think they are amazing quality but unfortunately they don't come in gold tone so today we are going to DIY gold capped tassels!

If you're anything like me, you want/need an item in every color and finish (silver tone, gold tone (okay, you get my point) and sometimes you don't always have the option so this is a very clever way to get them!

Here is what you'll need to get started:
Tassels
Paper Towel
Fine Point Sharpie (Yep, it matters;)

Start by wrapping your paper towel around your tassel. 

Why not just use tape? Because it does NOT like the suede! PLEASE trust me!!!

Take your fine point Sharpie and start coloring the tassel from the bottom up.
Why? Because then you don't have to worry about getting any of it on your suede!

This is where the fine point comes in, you're going to use the fine point to get into the grooves of the cap and in between the hole where your split ring will go.

Once you've got the tassel covered, lay them onto the paper towel that you used earlier and allow to dry.

After they've dried (I did mine overnight) you are golden!

There are currently a few colors sold out but have no fear, they will return next year!

Adjustable Bangle Bracelets

We've asked and Punch Place Plus delivered (because they're awesome)!

Punch Place Plus now carries Adjustable Bangle Bracelets!

They come in two great colors, gold tone and silver tone and they come individually packaged!! (LOVE that!)

The Adjustable Bangle Bracelets are amazing quality (best I have seen and wouldn't expect less from PPP's QC!) that will last you and your customers a very long time!

The bracelets are fairly simple leaving you with endless possibilities to jazz them up however you'd like.

I simply used oval split rings, acrylic blanks, tassels and added them onto the bangle. You could add them to both the top and bottom part of the bracelet if you'd like too!

1 5/16" Color Acrylic

2" Circle Acrylic

 

1" Acrylic Mirror Letters

 

15/16" Traditional Tortoise Acrylic

 

1.5" Pineapple Acrylic

 

Stay tuned for a great tutorial on how to make your tassels "golden"!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Punch Place Plus Holiday Schedule

Please, note the Punch Place Plus holiday schedule.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Punch Place Plus!

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Ring It In...

With all of this jewelry you've been making, it's time to ring it in (not in a bad way)!

Punch Place Plus sells these amazing little ceramic ring dishes that would be perfect for holding all of your precious jewels!

I have seen these cute little dishes all over the internet. For purchase along with tons of DIY ideas on how to decorate them yourself from painting, adding animals, initials, dates, patterns and so much more!

For my ceramic ring dishes I decided to add a little something to help with holding all of my treasured jewels.

To make these ring dishes you'll need:
Ceramic Ring Dishes
Plastic Animal/Toy etc
Paint
Paint Brush
E6000

I first started off by washing my dishes and my plastic items to prepare them for paint. Once they were dried (you want to make sure the plastic piece you use is completely dry), I started painting. Making sure I got into the cracks and crevices of all the tiny parts of my plastic figurine.

You want to let them dry for a few minutes in between coats. If you don't it seems like you're just pushing the paint around and making a huge mess.

It doesn't look like I have painted him but I did.

Here is what it looked like before painting and after.

I decided to paint one gold and one silver.

Once the paint dries (the bottle of paint said 24 hours), I let them dry for 24 hours.

You can apply a little E6000 to the underside of the plastic toy (I don't know what happened to the picture?).
When I say a little, I seriously mean a little, you do NOT want it oozing out onto your ceramic ring dish;)
Place your plastic toy on the ceramic ring dish, and press it really good. Once it's where you want it, let the E6000 dry for 24 hours and you're all finished!

Don't they look awesome, expensive?!

Make sure and come back on Monday for something NEW to Punch Place Plus!!
Hint: It's in one of the pictures;)

Hotline Bling, Can Only Mean One Thing...

Hotline bling, can only mean one thing...Punch Place Plus has phone cases! (I know that was super cheesy but hey, my son won't let me do it in public or anywhere!)

Punch Place Plus carries 5, 5s, 6 and 6s phone case blanks that you can decorate in any way you like. (They do not currently have Samsung phone cases-so be sure and sign up for their newsletter and you'll be the first to know when they are! A little birdie told me it might be after the holiday's;)

The awesome thing(s) about the phone cases from Punch Place Plus (besides them being customizable), is that you get TWO at a steal of a price!

Today I won't to show you how you can customize some cases for either holiday gifts, your shop, craft shows or for yourself!

What you'll need:
iPhone Case Blanks
Vinyl
Transfer Tape

You're going to simply cut your design, weed it, apply the transfer tape and set aside.

Take one of the phone cases out of the package, clean it using soap and water.

Next, align the transfer tape and vinyl up to your phone case, apply it (but don't push it down onto the case just yet).

Slowly, gently use your finger and rub the vinyl onto the phone case. Why? Because they're not solid and if you push to hard, you're going to crack your case.

Once you feel that you've got the vinyl on there again, slowly and gently use your finger and get into all the cracks and crevices of the words/design. This ensures that when you pull the transfer tape off it won't take any of those pieces with you!

This is it, the moment we've been working so hard for, the releasing of the transfer tape.

You need to take this part slow and steady to or you'll pull off pieces of vinyl, give yourself bubbles and a headache.
Pull the corner of your transfer tape and roll/fold it back onto itself. This not only helps alleviate the bubbles but it also helps if you've accidentally pulled a piece of vinyl up with it. You'll simply push the transfer tape with the little vinyl piece back over rub with your finger and then remove again.

Now admire your awe-some new phone case!

I made this one for my son because he is getting an iPhone 5s for Christmas (and although he wants the newest version, he'll be happy with this and his new phone;)

I couldn't not make one for myself!

I am in LOVE with them and I know whoever gets one, they're going to love theirs too!

Take Note, Teacher Gifts Are Here!

This time of the year we are all scrambling to find and give that perfect gift to those who teach our little ones in school. So take note, teacher gifts are here!

Punch Place Plus offers a wide variety of products to use for any type of gift but they also offer gifts that are perfect for those who are in an office type setting or may need to take a lot of notes (shoot, I want one for my desk area!).

The items you'll need to make these are:
Acrylic Name Plates
Acrylic Post It Note Pad Holders
Vinyl
Scotch Tape
Exacto Knife
Post it Notes!

These are easy-peasy to do, you don't even need to use vinyl if you don't want to. You could use scrapbook paper and Mod Podge. Simply place your paper under the Post It Note Holder, and use your exacto knife to cut around it. Apply some Mod Podge onto the acrylic, apply your paper, then apply another coat of Mod Podge over the top wait for it to dry, add your top onto the Post It Note Holder and you're done!

For mine, I simply cut out a pattern that I thought fit each of my sons teachers personalities.

I took some scotch tape and applied it to where the top and the part that holds the post it pad meet (so I could align my design, there is no need to put it where the top will go because it won't be seen and you wouldn't have a very good seal/bond between the top and the pad holder if there were vinyl in between).

I flipped the post it over to line up where my scotch tape would go.
You can see the outline from behind.

 Applied the tape & cleaned my acrylic.

I then aligned my design up along the bottom of the tape and placed my vinyl design onto the post it note pad holder. I didn't cut my design to fit exact to the Post it Note Holder because I knew it would be harder to line everything up then to just line up the top.

Once it was aligned and on the post it note holder, I took an exacto knife and went around it cutting off the excess vinyl.

Now that the vinyl is adhered, we are going to attach the top part of the post it note holder. 

 I love that the post it note holders from Punch Place Plus come with an adhesive backing already on them! 

You're simply going to take the backing off of the adhesive.

 Better picture of the adhesive on the back.

 And align it with your post it note holder. 

(Please note that you don't have any room for error, so you need to do this part slowly!)
 I lined up one side at a time and then did the other side.)

Once it was on, I pushed on it in all four corners and in the middle; then turned it over and rubbed it to make sure it was on there good.

 Ta-da!
A very cute post it note pad holder!

For the Name Plates I didn't do anything special, in fact I only did names without a design. For one because they're males and two what if they move to another school?

 There you have it an easy, yet amazing looking gifts for teachers!!

I hope you'll share what you made with your Post It Note Pad Holders and Name Plates?!

As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask;)