Frieda Oxenham!

 Check out this blog post by UK artist Frieda Oxenham to see how Frieda used Washi Tape with StencilGuts bird shapes in a two-page art journal spread.  

These StencilGuts bird shapes were created from my 6" x 6" stencils Heron and Osprey Wings.  Here's a sneak-peek of Frieda's art:

Frieda's leaf imprints were created with StencilGirl's StencilClub October 2017 stencil set.

One of my pet-favorite stencils is the 6" x 6" stencil Bamboo Wall.  This is one of the stencils that was based on an ink drawing that I did, using a Chinese calligraphic brush.  

Below are some prints I made with my sponge brayer, loaded with heavy-body acrylic paint:

Above:  I used the brayer with brown paint to make the lower print.  Then I flipped the still-wet stencil over and pressed it to the old map right above the first print -- using the "inked" stencil as if it were a rubber stamp.

 

Above:  This print was created with Bamboo Wall, over an earlier print that I'd made with another 6" x 6" stencil, Trivet C.

Trivet C stencil, by itself, looks like this:

Above:  This is an example of how I load a sponge brayer with heavy-body acrylic paint.  For me, this method works better than a pouncing tool.  But it did take me some time to learn the right "touch" -- to add just enough paint thru the stencil, and to avoid adding too much.  

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I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Does Anyone Know?

The art journal page below appeared in The Scoop e-newsletter in April 2017.  Does anyone know the artist who created this piece?  I would love to give credit where credit is due!

The unknown artist used my 9" x 12" stencil Swatton Borders #3.  And used it very creatively!  I'm hazarding to guess that this artist did the same thing I've done with my Borders series of stencils.  Each stencil in the series contains three borders.  I find it easier to use them if I cut the borders apart.  

I think this artist took that idea one huge step farther.  In the artwork above, I see that one of the borders has been turned several ways during its use down the art journal page; and it's been used to create mirror-image combinations that I find fascinating and gorgeous.

The original stencil looks like this:

Swatton Borders #3

The unknown artist used the border on the far right.

I'm always delighted when I find someone using one of my stencils in a creative way that had never occurred to me!

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

6" x 6" SPRIGS Stencil and Angel-Themed Christmas Cards

Belatedly I came up with an idea for ... yes, even more Christmas cards.   

But part of that statement is not true!

Back in October, when four of my stencils were newly released, one member of StencilGirl's Stencil Club made the comment that, in one one of those stencils -- Sprigs --she saw the figure of an angel.  For the life of me, when I looked at it, then, I couldn't see the angel. 

So this idea actually came from that Stencil Club member, whose name I'm embarrassed to admit I don't remember.  Everyone in Stencil Club quickly becomes a friend, with conversations shooting back and forth after many of the posts; my aging brain can't always keep track of who said what, especially not when it's two months after the fact!  But whoever you are, please know that I'm grateful for this idea that I'm finally converting into action!

Anyway, one day I happened to visit my StencilGirl page -- and voila!  Suddenly I saw the angel!

Of course my next thought was  More Christmas cards! 

For this project, I used my favorite tool, a sponge brayer.  But a Gelli Plate, or the traditional sponge-pouncing method, would work just as well. 

Besides the sponge brayer, my supplies included:

white and gold marbled paper
heavy body red acrylic paint
a disposable foam plate
glitter in a squeeze bottle
iridescent paint
a paint brush
color pencils (optional)
Gelatos (optional)
masking tape (optional)
the Sprigs stencil, shown here--

For starters, I rolled the brayer in heavy body acrylic paint till it was well-loaded.  Then I placed the stencil (shown below, already stained red) onto the marbled paper.  I started in one corner since this paper was large enough to hold 4 imprints from a 6" x 6" stencil.

As you can see in the above photo, I chose not to use masking tape to secure the paper or the stencil, because, being used to making prints this way, I've learned how to hold the stencil securely with one hand while running the brayer over it.

The photo below shows the first print (on the left) successfully made.  I've lifted the stencil, placed it next to the first print, and am getting ready to make the second print--

Below is a shot of two side-by-side marbled papers, each with four prints.

Next, I got out the pencils, Gelato stick, and glitter.  After using these tools to outline the angel shapes, I went to work filling in details on each print in ways that would bring out the angel.  You can click on both photos below to get a better look at these details--

Click on the above image to enlarge it and better see the glitter-blue in its squeeze bottle (between the jar of paint and the green Gelato.)

In applying glitter-glue from a squeeze bottle, I simply followed the lines of the stenciled imprints. 


After the glitter had dried, I cut apart my prints and collaged them onto both Christmas cards and gift-bags...

Next year I plan to print and cut out more angels, to create hanging ornaments for the tree!

Thanks for visiting my blog today; and if interested in seeing all my stencils, please check here. 

Two More Christmas Cards

Ten days till Christmas Eve!

Today's post makes use of two identical prints made with my 4" x 4" stencil Fern Fronds Silhouette Mini -- 

For the top card, I glued one of the prints to a 6" x 6" white metallic-finish bi-fold blank greeting card (JamPaper.com); I then used a squeeze bottle of silver glitter (Ranger Industries) to add flourishes and dots of bling.

For the second card, I used the same kind of blank greeting card, this one made from bronze metallic cardstock.  And I used the same glitter glue.

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Another Christmas Card!

I stumbled upon a treasure, back when I discovered "metallic"-sheened greeting card blanks at JamPaper.com  ... I always feel that when I start with a blank that's already coated with a pretty surface, I've been given a head  start. 

An added bonus is that these "metallic" cards are cut from sturdy cardstock that tolerates some serious art-making.  

I use the card blanks that are just slightly smaller than 6"x6" so that they perfectly fit my 6"x6" stencils.  But in this case, I used one of my 9"x12" stencils, Facets, because I wanted to create the illusion of a church window for a Christmas card cover.

First, I (masking) taped a stencil over the front of the card; then I traced the lines of the design with a black Sharpie pen.  

Next, I dropped the alcohol inks over the stencil and let them run and mix at will, with a little drop-by-drop encouragement of rubbing alcohol.  (For some reason, the blending solution that comes with the alcohol inks didn't work.) 

Next time, I'll use the dauber tools that are meant to be used with alcohol inks, but this time around, I wanted to experiment with just dropping on the inks and letting them dry.

I made the mistake of letting them dry TOO much.  So the stencil stuck to the card surface and, when lifted, it made a tear in the upper right area, above.   (This was repaired, after the above scan, using a layer of liquid gloss medium.)

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Unique Christmas Cards Made with Stencils

Whether I'm making my own Christmas cards, like the ones shown here, or buying readymade cards, it's the unusual design that will catch my eye.  Maybe  because I've seen 69 Christmasses come and go, I'm always drawn to the cards that are different.

ABOVE:  5"x7" CARD MADE WITH MY 9"X 12" STENCIL VINTAGE SCRIPT

ABOVE:  6"X6" CARD MADE WITH MY 6"X 6" STENCIL BAMBOO WALL

ABOVE"  6"X6" CARD MADE WITH MY 6"X6" STENCIL BUDDING BRANCHES

ABOVE:  5"X 7" CARD MADE WITH MY 6"X 6" STENCIL BONSAI TREE

ABOVE:  6"X6" CARD MADE WITH MY 6"X6" STENCIL BONSAI TREE

Today's post first appeared here in 2014.

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Quick and Easy Christmas Cards Made with Stencil-Prints

Today's post first appeared here in 2014...

I've cut simple shapes from papers printed with acrylic paints and a variety of stencils, then glued them to blank greeting cards to create collages --

The Christmas trees above were cut from a thick gold foil printed with several layered paint applications using my 9"X 12" Mimosa stencil and another favorite of mine, Feathers and Lattice by Daniella Woolf.

Flames for the Christmas candles below were free-hand cut from assorted papers:

ABOVE:  MY STENCIL BORDERS # 1 WAS USED TO CREATE THE COLUMN OF THIS CANDLE.

ABOVE:  MY STENCIL VINTAGE SCRIPT WAS USED TO CREATE THE COLUMN OF THIS CANDLE.

ABOVE:  MY STENCIL BORDERS # 1 WAS USED TO CREATE THE COLUMN OF THIS CANDLE.

Above:  Like all three stencils in my 9" x 12" Borders series, Borders # 1 stencil comes with three borders.  The far-left border is the one used in making today's prints.

Above:  Vintage Script stencil (9" x 12") was used to make a print that was cut down to form one of the pillar candles in this post.

(Altho I didn't use a template for these candle flames, they can also be created by tracing inside the openings of stencils like Cornish Petals Stencil Large by Lizzie Mayne and/or Cascading Feathers Stencil by Jessica Sporn.)

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Another Stenciled Christmas Memory

Today's post first appeared here in December 2013 ...

Altho this easy technique works for birthday cards, here I've focused on Christmas cards. 

First, I got out some papers and blank greeting cards...

... starting with the above scrap of leftover metallic paper that I'd previously stamped with alcohol inks.

Next, I placed stencils over the papers and masking taped them down:

Then I used a cosmetic applicator sponge with heavy body acrylic paint to start pouncing on the color:

Clicking on the above image to enlarge it, you can see that I've masked off the right half of this vertical "swish-and-swirl" pattern.  Here I am printing directly onto a greeting card cover.  I moved the stencil progressively to the left, applying paint each time, to end up with 3 candles in a horizontal row across the card face.  The final card is shown at the start of this post -- the card with the green background, centered in the second-from-top photo.

On the upper right in this second picture, you can see where I used a piece of newspaper to pounce excess paint off the applicator before bringing the applicator to the stencil.  This prevents the paint from running under the stencil, which causes problems if you want crisp details in your final prints.

Next, I carefully peeled off the stencils, to reveal the prints:

Then I cut apart the "candles" -- easy to do since these stencils have built-in "guidelines."

The final products are at the top of this post:  The candles have been either collaged, or printed directly, onto greeting card covers, along with flames that I've free-hand cut from assorted papers.

The stencils I used were my 9" X 12" Wrought Iron Gate 
and my 9"X12" Borders 1 and Borders 2 stencils.

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

A Christmas Card Memory ...

More Christmas cards ...  

Both cards below were made with dark bronze metallic greeting card blanks (JamPaper.com).  Cut from sturdy cardstock, these blanks perfectly fit my 6"x 6" stencils.  Sturdy cardstock is important when the greeting card has to stand up to coarse modeling paste, used in the first 2 cards below:

The card above was made with my 6"x 6" stencil BUDDING BRANCHES.

The above Christmas card was made with my 6"x 6" stencil Swaying Grasses.

The above card was made with part of my 9" x 12" stencil Queen Anne's Lace.

I created the top 2 cards using an art spatula to spread coarse modeling paste thru the stencil openings.  After the paste dried, I added highlights with glitter glue.

My approach to the third card, made with a portion of Queen Anne's Lace, was to spray acrylic paint thru the stencil openings.  Since this stencil measures 9"x12", I masked off portions of it to keep them from showing.  The same finishing touch was used on this third Christmas card, altho you may have to click on the image to enlarge it, to better see the glitter glue.

Acrylic spray paint is available on store shelves, but I make my own, so I can mix custom colors.  (See the photo below.)  I buy spray bottles at drug stores (in the traveling supplies section); then I fill them with a mix of acrylic liquid paint, water and airbrush medium.  The ratio of water to acrylic liquid paint varies, depending on whether I want to end up with a heavy spray or a light one.  The amount of airbrush medium never varies -- it's always just a few drops per spray bottle.  I clean the spray nozzles after each use.  But if they clog between uses, anyway, then I use rubbing alcohol to clear them.

Because the dark bronze metallic cardstock is just that -- very dark -- I sometimes line the insides of the cards with lightweight papers, cut to fit.  

Above is what the inside of my cards looks like, after the light paper is added.

At times, I skip that step and, instead, use white markers or pens to fill out the inside of these greeting cards.

Check with the Postal Service before mailing 6" x 6" greeting cards -- there is a non-machinable surcharge for sending mail of these dimensions; it comes to 71 cents per card.  I just add 2 Forever stamps ... easier that way.

Today's post first appeared here in 2015.

I'm happy to say that I've designed 70 stencils for StencilGirl.  The multiple pages of my stencils start here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!