The Stamped Daisy

I waddled down the sidewalk to the community center lobby to stretch my wings in the quiet noon! Resting on a low wooden craft counter was a heavy metal paper-embossing punch with a smiling flower stencil. Sticking out of its narrow mouth was a stiff strip of thick watercolor paper. I lined up my plush tummy against the springy metal lever, wiggled for balance, and threw my full weight down with an enthusiastic bounce! Ka-chunk! The lever pressed flat, popping back up with a merry metallic click. Pulling back, I found a crisp, raised daisy blooming straight out of the paper grain, its neat petal ridges bumping right against my chin!