Friday Feature - making stencils

Hi, Melody here with the Friday Feature.  I'm a little late posting, but late is better than not at all.  I really love stencils.  I would love to own every one that is available, but since I can't, I decided to try making some of my own.

I started by sketching the design I wanted on a piece of scrap paper, and then cleaning it up until I was satisfied with how it looked.  Then I placed a piece of stencil plastic over the drawing.  (What I use is some type of film that I rescued from the trash.  It's blue, which makes it easy to see.  You could also use any clear plastic packaging.)  I then trace the design onto the plastic with a ultra fine sharpie marker.  Then it is time to cut the stencil design.  I first worked with a craft knife, cutting out the design, but my index finger that was pressing on the knife started to go numb.

I know there is such a thing as a hot stencil burner, but since I don't have one, I decided to try my wood burning tool instead.  I picked the smallest pointed tip.  I worked on a piece of wood with my small craft mat on top, but I wouldn't recommend using the craft mat if you don't want to mess it up.  Apparently the wood burning tool is too hot and it left marks on the craft sheet, making the surface rough.  I'm thinking a glass mat would be better.  Other than that, the wood burning tool worked great for cutting through the plastic without much effort.  It was so much easier than using the craft knife. 

I made some flowers, all pretty much the same, but in different sizes.  I also made a leafy vine.

Another way to cut stencils is to use your die cutting machine.  The Sizzix bigz dies work especially well to cut through plastic.  I made some using those, and then I pulled out a few movers & shapers and my base tray from Tim Holtz, and cut some with those.  I wrapped duct tape around the edges on the stencils I made with the bigz dies, since you don't get a lot of margin on those, because only a 6" piece of plastic will fit through either of my die cutting machines, a cuttlebug and a Sizzix big shot. I learned that tape trick from Julie Balzar. 

Then I made a card using one of the stencils I had made.

First I sprayed a piece of watercolor paper with some adirondack color wash ink sprays in red pepper and sunset orange, as well as mustard seed made using reinker, water, and perfect pearls in a mini mister.

After that was dry, I used one of the flower stencils with modeling paste.  This was my first time using modeling paste.  I really like the texture you get with that.  After cleaning the stencil and letting the paste dry, I put the stencil back over the flower and applied acrylic paint to color the flowers.

I stamped a sentiment from stuff to say (Tim Holtz) in jet black archival ink.

I placed the watercolor paper on a bright blue card base.

To finish off the card, I drew some black around the flower and leaves, and then added some grungy lines along the edges with a black Pitt pen. 

Many of the products I used can be purchased from Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium.

Thanks so much for stopping by.