Punch Art Tutorial: A Trendy Carrot

This carrot may be trendy, but it's a little flaky too, don't you think?

Remember the ‘Hello, Carrot’ 3×3 note card? 

The carrot element combines punching and stamping–with a touch of fussy cutting–to turn a couple of scraps into a fun addition to a spring card or scrapbook page.

Before we get into the tutorial, I wanted to share a few words about fussy cutting:

If you’re like me, fussy cutting is easier when the stamped image is on a smaller piece of cardstock.  But often, I stamp on a medium-sized scrap, just in case the first image isn’t as clear as I want. 

So, once you’re happy with the image, punch it out with a punch that large enough to leave a margin of cardstock on all sides. 

Why leave a margin?  Well, that margin lets you trim the image in one smooth cut–and avoid leaving a jagged little bump. 

Also, by punching the scrap before trimming, you’re not wrangling a lot of excess paper while fussy cutting.

Who knew you could find carrots under a snowflake?

Here’s how to create that trendy (in a flaky kind of way) carrot, in three small bites:

• Punch.  Use punches (Snowflake, Large Oval) to create these shapes from your desired colors of cardstock.  (As mentioned above, I stamp the carrot’s root first and then punch it out.)

• Modify.  Trim the stamped image with your paper snips to create the body of your carrot.  For the carrot’s greens, slide the single ’frond’  between the double ‘fronds’.  Adhere the single frond’s stem to the double fronds’ stem to form the carrot top.

• Complete.  Adhere the top to the carrot’s body with your favorite adhesive.  Mount on a Stampin’ Dimensional, if desired. 

Now stand back and admire your work!

(Click on the image for a separate view of the tutorial picture.  Then, to zoom in for a close up, click again.)

Tips and notes:

• Fiddle with the fronds.  I like to arrange the single frond’s leaves on top of the double frond’s leaves, but with the single stem behind the double stem.  This adds a bit of depth to the finished element.

• Get fresh with a little smooch.  Want your carrot to have that fresh-pulled look?  Hit the body with a spritz of Log Cabin Smooch Spray to simulate dirt.

• The punch art carrot in this tutorial is done in Tangerine Tango and Certainly Celery, same as the original project.  The carrot’s body features a stamp from the Trendy Trees set.

So, how will you use a punch art carrot?  Better yet, show us–leave a comment with a link to your project featuring this Trendy Carrot so we can come admire too!

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