Design It

Life is full of so many opportunities to grab a hold of and run with.  When the opportunity came to stencil and blog for Just A Trace, I thought, “Why not?!”  It’s been a fun ride, but unfortunately this will be my last post.  I have enjoyed learning about stenciling, since I really knew nothing about it, and I am grateful for the opportunity.

My last project is one I plan to put in my Interior Design office to inspire me daily.  It will remind me of how once you start stenciling, it’s really hard NOT to think of what you can stencil next!  Happy Stenciling Everyone!

- Michaela

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I found wooden letters at a craft fair and decided on the word “design”.   I am obsessed with the color mint green and any variation close to that color right now, so I thought that color scheme would be perfect!

IMG_6258Items you’ll need include wooden letters, paint, paint brushes and foam pouncers, and maybe tape. (I ended up not using tape and held the stencils down with my hand.)  You’ll also need the Small Palazzo Pattern StencilMini Mamma Giraffe Pattern StencilMini Baskerville Pattern StencilSmall Camille Pattern StencilMini Dangle Pattern Stencil,and Mini Pinwheel Two Pattern Stencil.

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I began by painting all of the letters gray.  I chose gray instead of black so that the color wasn’t as harsh on the eye.

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Because these wooden letters did not have a smooth surface, I thought, why not embrace this?!  I chose to go for more of an ‘antique look’, which means I dry brushed the cream paint onto the wood instead of applying a smooth layer of paint.

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The beauty of going for an “antique look” meant my perfectionist personality went out the window, and each letter became unique and a piece of art on its own.

IMG_6267I lined up the stencil and tried to get a very small amount of paint on my foam pouncer.

IMG_6268I found holding the stencil down with  my hand worked better than trying to tape it down to the surface.

IMG_6270As soon as I finished one letter, I moved right on to the next letter and stencil!

IMG_6272I chose to use 3 different colors of paint so I alternated the colors that I used on each letter.  Above, the Small Palazzo Pattern Stencil and Small Camille Pattern Stencil were painted with the same color.

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The Mini Mamma Giraffe Pattern Stencil and Mini Dangle Pattern Stencil were stenciled on the E and G.

IMG_6275And the Mini Baskerville Pattern Stencil and Mini Pinwheel Two Pattern Stencil were painted in their own color as well.

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Here is the finished product!  I chose to keep the letters loose, but they could also be glued or attached together with a staple gun and a stripe of wood.

 

 

 

 

 

Show & Tell!

I received the coolest picture from a customer. She used the Tweeties – Mini Pattern Stencil in her kitchen. Doesn’t it look great?? Thank you for sending this picture!

If you have a picture you’d like to share, Email me. I’ll feature you right here on our blog! You’ll be famous! :)

 

Ideas: Pillows!

Want to add a flourish to your couch? Your patio furniture? Stencils make decorating a breeze.

 

Check out these simple, solid pillows from IKEA. They retail $4 each, and are easy to stencil. Using some acrylic paint and the Emblem (huge) and Tweeties or Tweethearts (medium) stencils, these pillows are suddenly chic and adorable. Imagine them on a bed with the birdies facing each other. Awww…

Quick instructions:

  1. Cut a small hole in the bottom seam of the pillow and pull the stuffing out.
  2. Lay the fabric flat and stencil.
  3. Restuff.
  4. Restitch.
  5. Done.

How To Use An All-Over Wall Stencil

I love Houzz for a million reasons. This is just one of them. Check out this easy-breezy tutorial from Cutting Edge Stencils.

Ideas: Table Runners!

Looking for a way to spruce up your table? Why not stencil a table runner?

Garbo pattern stencil on a table runner.

This runner was for a table that was an odd size, and the colors were hard to find in home textiles. Using the Garbo Pattern Stencil and regular house paint from Home Depot (not an affiliate), this table runner is completely unique.

Ready for another?

The Camille pattern on a table runner.

The Camille pattern stencil makes a beautiful appearance on this table runner. Instead of the pattern ascending one side of the runner and descending down the other, it runs across, so the feathery pattern is horizontal on the sides of the table. Really lovely effect, and a bit of an optical illusion.

A special thanks to Ardie for her amazing stencil skills. Thank you!