3-Day Special Sale Starts Today!

The special sale starts today!

Please click on the above image to enlarge it! 

I've Photoshop-enlarged it, but Blogger wants to keep it this size!

To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

Don't Miss This Special 3-Day Sale Starting TOMORROW! -- Central Standard Time

The special sale starts tomorrow!  It's 3 days only!

Please click on the above image to enlarge it! 

I've Photoshop-enlarged it, but Blogger wants to keep it this size!

To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here. 

THISTLES Stencil Craft Project Now in MARTHA STEWART LIVING MAGAZINE

Mary Beth Shaw has just alerted me to the fact that the July/Aug. 2018 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine carries a craft article that includes a photo of a throw pillow decorated with my 9" x 12" stencil Thistle.

Other StencilGirl stencils were used, as well, not only in decorating beautiful pillows, but also cloth napkins, tablecloth edges, etc.  It's a lovely layout and I'm honored that one of my stencils was chosen to be included in the StencilGirl collection that was used.

These two photos were taken by Mary Beth, the first showing the cover of what is probably the July issue; below that, the muted pink throw pillow.  

You can click on this photo to enlarge it.

The Thistle stencil (9" x 12") looks like this --

And it has a "little sister" stencil, measuring 6" x 6" -- Small Thistles, which looks like this --

Carol Baxter kindly sent this to me so I'll happily include it here --

You can click on the above to enlarge it.

 Thanks for stopping by today!  

Mini Gift Box Covered with Stencil Prints

The idea for today's project is far from an original one, but it's something I never tried before.

I started with a small gift box that came with a matching lid...

Above:  On the bottom left is a piece of foreign newsprint that has been stencil-printed on the side not visible.  To its right is the gift box lid.  I've brushed heavy gel medium across the top of the lid.

Below, the medium-covered lid has been pressed upside-down onto the piece of newsprint.  My next step was to draw lines radiating out from the four corners.  I didn't bother with math-perfect measurements!  I knew I would be trimming off excess paper at the top and bottom.  
    

After cutting off that excess paper, I cut along each of the 4 lines.  Then I started brushing heavy gel medium onto the flaps.  As each flag was coated with gel, I folded it up, over the side of the box lid.... 

Having finished covering the box lid, I set it aside; it's shown -- now right-side up -- on the far left in the photo below.  The foreign newsprint had been previously stencil-printed on this side with my 6" x 6" stencil Ornamental Iron Curls.

In the photo above, at the top left, lies an old map that's been printed with my 9" x 12" stencil Loopy Ladders.  In the lower right is the bottom of the gift box. 

After I covered the bottom of the gift box -- taking the same steps as I had with its lid -- I cut a gift tag from the leftover Loopy Ladders print. The tag appears on the upper right in the photo below.  

Below are two shots of the finished mini gift box.  I've attached the gift tag by punching a hole thru its upper left corner and running a piece of gift wrap ribbon thru it, before tying the ribbon into a bow.

The 6" x 6" stencil Ornamental Iron Curls looks like this --

-- and the 9" x 12" stencil Loopy Ladders looks like this --

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To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

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Rainbow Art made with CLUSTERED LEAVES 9" x 12" Stencil

An artist who goes by "@jadanchik" has created artwork in vibrant bold stunning rainbow colors, using StencilGirl stencils.  I'm delighted that one of these glowing creations was made with my 9" x 12" stencil Clustered Leaves.

The stencil itself looks like this:

Clustered Leaves 9" x 12" stencil

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To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

More 3D Art-- with Janet Joehlin and LOOPY LADDERS Stencil

A few months ago, in a now-ended blog hop at StencilGirl Talk, Janet Joehlin used my 9" x 12" stencil Loopy Ladders in making this unique brush holder --

Following this link for StencilGirl Talk, you can read all about her process; she included step-by-step photos.

Loopy Ladders in its entirety looks like this --

For this project, Janet did what I often do -- she cut the stencil to make a strip of the right size to fit around her substrate.  Kudos to you, Janet!

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To see the multiple pages of my stencils, please check here.

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Using EtchAll Products for Etching on Glass with Stencils! -- Art by Debi Adams

A few months ago, in a now-ended blog hop, Nosegay Stencil (9" x 12") was one of the StencilGirl stencils used by artist Debi Adams, in making this gorgeous 3-dimensional artwork --

Debi's artwork here really showcases the beauty that can be achieved by using stencils for etching on glass!  Check out Etchall.com!   

Thanks for visiting here today!

To see the multiple pages of my stencils, please check here.

Please subscribe to StencilGirl Talk so you won't miss out on future blog hops; you may end up winning a prize!  


And/or you can keep current on all upcoming StencilGirl blog hops and their giveaways by checking here. 

NOSEGAY Stencil (9" x 12")

Summer is here!  Flowers are blooming outdoors in the garden, and indoors in the art journal!

Today's post features Nosegay, a 9" x 12" stencil, which I used on two papers, one a white-painted page from an old encyclopedia, and another a paper dyed with watered-down leftover paints.

In printing both papers, I used the quick and easy approach of loading a sponge brayer with heavy-bodied acrylic paint.

Below is an example showing the way I load the sponge brayer.
   

But this time, instead of running the brayer thru just one color, I ran it over several colors that I'd lined up on a disposable foam plate.

This is the way I got the multi-colored results shown above.  

Similar results could be achieved using a Gelli Plate spread with a "rainbow" of acrylic colors.

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To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please go here.  You'll find lots of flower stencils included!

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

PRAYER FLAGS (9" x 12") and OSPREY WINGS (6" x 6") Stencils Together

Two stencils were used in making this art on stretched canvas --

Background areas across the painting were created with Prayer Flags (9" x 12") ...

... and the focal area was developed with a mask I'd made using my 6" x 6" stencil Osprey Wings --

It's easy to make a temporary mask with a silhouette stencil like this one.  I simply placed the stencil atop a sheet of sturdy cardstock and, with a fine-tip pen, traced along the edges of the top Osprey above.  

To cut out the shape, I used fine-detail scissors by Fiskars.  However, for fine-detail work (such as the wing edges), some artists prefer using Exacto knives and cutting mats.

After cutting out my temporary mask, I created my focal point, placing it on the canvas and, with a Sofft Sponge, daubing acrylic paints around it.

Sometimes,  at StencilGirl.com, you can find a sale on StencilGuts.  Each package of these stencil cut-outs features a theme, including a birds theme.  If you're lucky enough to grab one of these, you'll have bird masks ready-made!  To keep track of these sales, check out StencilGirl on Facebook.

Thanks for visiting here today!

To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

Perfect Time of the Year to Make Sun-Prints!

This technique is so much fun that I'm posting it again; it first appeared about 3 years ago.   

 July is just the right time to make sun-prints!

The sun-print paper that I chose -- the only one I could find that would fit my 9"X 12" stencils -- was Super Sunprint Kit by Lawrence Hall of Science.  Detailed instructions should be enclosed with this paper.

My first step was to paint opaque paint over the stencils to be used.  

The four shots below show two of my stencils -- Boxed Vines and Queen Anne's Lace -- painted with opaque green acrylic.  (Any opaque color will work.)

The three photos above show the sun-prints being made -- the top layer is a transparent sheet of Plexiglas (placed there in an effort to hold everything in place); the next layer is the paint-coated stencil; the bottom layer (not visible in the above photo) is the sun-print paper.

Below is a sun-print created with my 9"X12" stencil Queen Anne's Lace--

I'd love to say that the faint double-image and the right-side tone-shift were planned, to create an artsy effect, but the truth is they were not.  These prints were all made on a sunny but windy day and I was just re-learning how to do them, having been originally taught years ago by my friend Mary Ann Russo.  No, I hadn't read the directions that had come with the paper!  I'd relied on memory instead -- so there were a few hiccups ... 

When making this batch, I had forgotten that the stencil and sun-print paper should be kept in the dark until it is ready to be placed into direct sunlight.  So I got the accidental double-exposure above by placing the stencil over the paper twice, in two different areas, while allowing sunlight to reach it both times.

However!  I plan to go for the artsy multiple-exposure look, next time -- and do so on purpose!  I'm going to create multiple exposures on each sheet of sun-print paper -- I'll keep moving the stencil across the paper to create a series of exposures.  Each exposure takes only a few minutes, on a day with bright overhead sun. 

After the last exposure, the paper is to be placed in a tub of water and swished around, then laid flat to dry.  I dried mine in a shaded area.  After that water-rinse, they should not continue to change with light exposure, but I chose a shaded area just to be on the safe side.

Below are a few more of my first set of sun-prints as they were spread out to dry:

Above:  two prints created with my 9"X 12" Boxed Vines stencil.

Above:  created with my 9"X12" Mimosa stencil.

Note:  I think it's possible to make sun-prints with stencils that have not been pre-coated with opaque paint.  But the resulting images will have less contrast between the exposed areas and the unexposed areas.  One fun thing to try would be to spatter or streak opaque paint across a stencil and then use it to make a sun-print.  This would result in an exposure that has a hit-and-miss, artsy look. Try it!

Thanks for visiting today!

To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

Sandra Duran Wilson with TANGLED PODS and FANTASIA Stencils!

I'm delighted to post this link --

-- because I own and cherish books by Sandra Duran Wilson!  So you can imagine how delighted I was to see her using two of my 9"x 12" stencils! 

One of them, Tangled Pods, is Big Sister to Tangled Pods Small (6" x 6"), released April 25.

Tangled Pods 9" x 12"

Tangled Pods Small 6" x 6"

Many thanks for visiting my blog today!

To scroll thru the multiple pages of my other StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

Trish McKinney's Gorgeous StencilGirl Stencils

Trish McKinney has designed a lot of my favorite StencilGirl stencils.

The stencils by Trish that I used in developing today's mixed-media collage were Bare Wisteria, Delicate Bare Branch & Twigs and Looped Bare Wisteria Vine.

My first step was to use a technique in the Absentee Artist chapter of Creative Paper Art, by Nancy Welch.  This method is also included in Pat Dews' DVD Designing Great Starts with Texture and Form.

After those paints and shapes had dried, I cup up some of Trish's stained stencils and added them as collage pieces, using heavy matte medium.

This artwork, entitled Tanglewood, has been sold, but I still have this photo to remember it by.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

To check out the pages of my 70+ StencilGirl stencils, please visit here.

Does Anyone Know? StencilGirl Artist who Skillfully used SASSY SPRAY 6" x 6" Stencil

Once in a while I make the embarrassing mistake of forgetting to record the name of the artist who used one of my stencils in making artwork that catches my eye with its beauty.

I'm sad to say it's happened again!

Anyone who happens to know the name of the artist whose art appears here today, please let me know, in the Comments.  Thanks!

The Sassy Spray (6" x 6") stencil itself looks like this --

Thank you for stopping by this blog today!

To scroll thru the pages of all my StencilGirl stencils, please start on this page.

Reasons for Pre-Printed Backgrounds for Stencil Printing

Why do I like using pre-printed papers -- foreign newspapers, old maps, old encyclopedia pages -- for making my stencil prints?

Whether I'm preparing backgrounds for art-journal pages, developing scrapbooking projects, or creating greeting cards, I think that:

(1) Pre-printed backgrounds offer bonus visual appeal because some original areas of the background will remain visible, altho veiled, in the finished art.

(2) If I want to cut out the stenciled image, these pre-printed lines of text give me handy guidelines, so I can make straight (or nearly straight) cuts.  (If working on a collage on a large canvas, I may not want straight-line cuts.  But I like having this option.)  

In the print below, it's easy to see that I used lines of Chinese characters as my guidelines for keeping my image straight while I made the print.  This print was made with Hot Air Balloon Mask and Mini.  (This is one of my two hot air balloon stencil-and-mask sets.  These sets are identical except for size.) 

In making the print below, I used my 9" x 12" stencil Facets -- and a page from an old book of sheet music --

Below, with my 4" x 4" stencil Fern Fronds Silhouette Mini, I gave new life to part of an old map ....

Mikki's Flowers, a 6" x 6" stencil, came in handy when I wanted to make the greeting card below.  Its background is a paint-tinted page from an old encyclopedia; the original page featured a flower illustration, so I felt it was a good match.

(Mikki's Flowers Mask is also 6" x 6".  Its design is identical with the stencil featured above.)

Webbed Medallion, another 6" x 6" stencil, ended up being used like a rubber stamp -- but that was step 2 in a 2-part printing session.

Step 1:  Using an old nautical map (garage sale purchase) as my substrate, I laid down my 6" x 6" stencil Webbed Medallion, then went over it with a sponge roller loaded with heavy body acrylic paint --

Above:  an example of rolling a sponge brayer across heavy body acrylic paint to collect a generous load of paint.

-- with the result below --

After I'd made the above print, the brayer was still heavily loaded with paint.  

So -- Step 2 -- I quickly lifted the stencil, flipped it over, and pressed it to another area on the substrate.  Below is the print that resulted.

One application of paint; two very different results ... with pre-printed backgrounds to make every image more interesting!

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To scroll thru my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.