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 In
today's hectic world, it has never been more
important to have a sanctuary in your home.
Thankfully, it is easier than ever to add personal
touches to your home, including ones that look
hand-painted. Do you have to be an experienced
painter? No. Will it take weeks and months to
perfect the look? Definitely not. Stencil Decor
stencils brakes down themes to their simplest
elements, giving crafters the ability to add
unique flourishes regardless of their painting
skills.
Border Stencils
Border Stencils are a fantastic way to tie
design elements of a room together. Use them to
highlight architectural details, dress up a chair
rail, separate areas of a large room. You can
even isolate elements in the border for room
highlights and accessories.
There are over twenty designs that range from
popular looks to upscale designs and classics.
Certain designs are laser cut for more intricate
details which yield more artistic results. Each
Border Stencil comes with three different
suggested color palettes to get you started, but
you can always experiment with other colors. When
properly cleaned and cared for, Border Stencils
can last through tons of different projects and
color schemes.
Mural Elements
Stencil Decor Elements for Murals are wonderful
for creating designs across an entire wall; or
your favorite elements can be singled out and
applied as highlights. The variety in size and
design makes these stencils ideal for walls,
floors, furniture and even large accessories.
These stencils can be used alone, coordinated with
each other or even used with other Border
Stencils.
Stencil Blanks
Have you found a design in a book, magazine, or
even an old piece of wall paper that you want to
recreate? Stencil Blanks can help: these mylar
sheets are the same size as the Border Stencils:
9.75" x 18" but are a blank slate. Simply lay a
blank over the pattern you want to stencil, then
use the Stencil Cutter or a craft knife to trace
it. Once you have completed the tracing, pop out
the excess mylar pieces and start stenciling! The
Stencil Cutter is lightweight and easy to use --
just hold it like a pencil and apply even pressure
as you trace. If you make a ragged edge, you can
use the Stencil Cutter to go back and smooth it
out.
Paints
Stencil Decor paints have been specially
formulated to prevent run-unders when you stencil.
That means no more smears and odd color tones as
you try to cover mistakes. Plus, you don't have to
worry about carrying rags and touch-up paint with
you as you stencil -- a great benefit if you have
to climb up and down a ladder to complete your
project.
Stencil Gels are lovely, translucent paints
that are easy to blend for depth and shading in
your project. They dry quickly, allowing crafters
to add layers of color highlights without smearing
the original color.
Dry Brush Stencil Paints are great for any
surface. These paints truly do not drip and
self-seal for freshness. This is the paint
of choice for no-mess stenciling. And for those
projects that require a ladder: simply use your
stencil brush to pounce paint on a blank corner of
your stencil and carry your palette with you! You
will never have to climb down your ladder in the
middle of a stencil to re-load your brush.
Techniques
The method you use when you stencil can yield
very different looks, making it possible to use
the same stencil from room to room and still
create unique looks in each.
 Circular
Move your brush in clockwise and
counter-clockwise motions. Once your design is
colored in, continue to use the circular motion
along the edges or any other areas where you want
to add shading.
 Sweeping
Lightly sweep your brush across the cut-out from
edge to edge. This will give your project
directional flow and will enhance the hand-painted
look.
 Pouncing
Hold the brush perpendicular and bounce or dab
onto the surface. This can add dimension or
texture.
A Quick Week-end Project That Adds Flavor
Start your stencil in a hard-to-see corner,
behind a door, or even in the closet. Once you've
gotten to your second or third repetition of the
stencil you will be comfortable with the
techniques and colors. But don't stop
experimenting! After you've captured the look you
wanted in one room, try a different technique in
another.
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