Dyeing with Stencils and Teabags!

My Prayer Flags stencil (9" x 12") is one of the StencilGirl stencils starring in this video.  Once you watch the video, you can tell the reason this type of stencil was used; it works best with this technique of dyeing with teabags.

Enjoy the video and my thanks to you for stopping by my blog today!

To scroll thru all my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

Thanksgiving Greeting Card

Hardly anyone sends Thanksgiving Day cards, but I have one dear friend who does.  So I made one of my own to send the same warm greetings back to her.

I started with a greeting card blank from JAMPaper.com; this one measures just shy of 6" x 6" and comes in bronze-metallic cardstock that I like, for its sturdiness.  

On the left, I used a glue stick to add some marbled paper.  On the right, I added a strip of crumpled paper in fall colors.  And in the center I placed a print (made on a colorful old map) that I had created using my 4" x 4" Fern Fronds Silhouette Mini stencil.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Mineral Paper and 9" x 12" Stencil BLOOMING WHERE PLANTED

Today's post was created with my 9" x 12" stencil Blooming Where Planted. 

Above:  On the StencilGirl website, this image is rotated 90 degrees clockwise.

When I ran across a You Tube video about using stencils with mineral paper, I was stumped:  Mineral paper?  What's that?

Turns out, it's been available for about 5 years already!  It comes in tablets like the one shown above.  And it comes in three sizes.  If I remember correctly, it's made from calcium carbonate.

There were two reasons I wanted to try this paper -- (1) A sheet is thin and translucent enough for a stencil to be placed under it for the technique of dry rubbing; (2) it wall accept wet media without warping.

I did three quick tests ...

For my first approach, starting with the photo below --

-- I slid my stencil under the paper.

Next, I used a China Marker (grease pencil) to do a dry rubbing across the top of the paper.  You can click on the image below to enlarge it, to better see details.  I chose a China Marker for this first approach because I wanted a medium that would repel water.

Above:  I sprinkled the surface with alcohol ink.

Above:  I added rubbing alcohol and tipped the paper to encourage running.

Above:  A close-up of the paper after it had dried.

For my second test, I pulled out watercolor pencils.  This time, I wanted to use a dry medium that would be soluble in water.  The photo below shows the dry rubbing created with these pencils.

The next step was to spray the surface with water.  (I was to discover I'd used too much water!)

The photo above is a close-up of the final results, after the paper dried.  Because I'd sprayed on more water than needed, the effect was a washed-out look.

(If you think I learned my lesson about a heavy trigger-finger on the water spray bottle, you would guess wrong!) 

Above is the start of my third test on mineral paper.  This time I used Art Bar crayons.  These were the easiest to use for the dry rubbing technique; because they can be laid sideways, they reduce the number of strokes across the top of the paper.

The photo below shows my water spray bottle and my box of Brusho powdered pigments.  Other brands of powdered pigments are available; this happens to be the one I have on hand.

 Next, I sprayed the surface with water -- again using too much! -- as shown below left --

Above:  I sprinkled Brusho powders onto the wet surface.

My photo (a close-up) below shows the final result --

Of today's three approaches, my favorite is this last one.  But next time I'm hoping for better results overall.  I really like this paper and I want to do it justice!

Thanks for visiting here today!

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

WINTER BERRIES Christmas Cards

Below is an acrylic paint print made with Garden Montage (9" x 12") and Winter Berries Stencil (9" x 12")-- 

These two stencils by themselves look like this --

Winter Berries Stencil

Garden Montage

Winter Berries Stencil was also used in making these prints ....

My reason for making red and green prints was to bulk up my supply of papers for creating this year's collage Christmas cards --

Thanks for visiting today!

To see all my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

Last Batch of Art Samples showing Metallics used with Stencils

Above:  another example of embossed self-adhesive foil -- this time, the embossed outlines were filled in with translucent green acrylic paint.  Dots of art glitter completed the look.  Stencil used:  6" x 6" Ferns 6 Stencil.

Above:  another example of embossed foil.  Stencil used:  9" x 12" Boxed Vines Stencil.

Above:  background made with 9" x 12" Facets stencil, on textured foil gift-wrap.  Foreground embellishment made with 6" x 6" Hot Air Balloon and Mask set.

Above:  made with 9" x 12" Mimosa stencil on gold gift-wrap tissue.

Above:  made with part of Blooming Where Planted stencil (9" x 12") on textured foil gift-wrap.

Above:  created with heavy-body gold metallic paint daubed thru my 6" x 6" stencil Quilted Flower Garden (which was then cut to size to resemble a pillar candle.)

Above:  I placed my Pair o' Parrots stencil (6" x 6") on a sheet of textured foil; I traced around each of the shapes; I used fine-detail scissors to cut out each shape; then I added both to a greeting card cover using a glue-stick.  The mini-hearts were punched from red paper using a Marvy hole-punch.

Above: one final example of paint used thru a stencil -- my 6" x 6" Mikki's Flowers stencil -- onto a background of textured foil.

 6" x 6" Ferns 6 Stencil

9" x 12" Facets stencil

Blooming Where Planted stencil (9" x 12")

6" x 6" stencil Quilted Flower Garden

9" x 12" Boxed Vines Stencil

Sincere thanks for visiting here today!  This completes my series on using metallics with stencils. 

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To scroll thru my StencilGirl stencils, please visit here.

Still More about Foil Embossing with Stencils

For today's post, I used a different source of self-adhesive aluminum --  Inkssentials self-adhesive foil from Ranger Industries.  It works the same as the aluminum foil tape but comes in a wider width.

Foil is very difficult to photograph, but I love working with this surface because embossing it is so easy and quick.  The results are subtle, not flashy. 

My first step was to measure the foil needed to cover the front of a blank greeting card--

Then, I placed my 4"x 4" stencil Fern Fronds Silhouette Stencil Mini atop the foil, holding it in place as I traced the openings with a stylus...

Note: this stencil is stained green as result of a previous project.  Click on the image to enlarge it and better see the embossed lines made with the stylus.)

My 4"x 4" Fern Fronds Silhouette Stencil Mini is what I chose to use this time, but the greeting card blank was large enough for me to've used  any 6"x 6" stencil.  I buy these sturdy, square greeting card blanks from JamPaper.com.


After I lifted the stencil, its embossed outlines were revealed, as shown below.

After this, I introduced Titanium White acrylic paint -- 

 -- which I brushed across the surface.  While the paint was still tacky, I removed most of it with a paper towel -- my goal being to leave a hit-and-miss look, with foil showing thru in most areas, but with most of the paint remaining in the embossed areas:

Click on the above image to better see the remaining white paint.

Next, I got out the glitter glue (also by Ranger Industries.)  Below are two photos showing the border I created this way:

Now I wanted to add some color, so I used red glitter glue to apply dots--

Above:  These dots are easier to see in the finished greeting card, shown at the start of this post.

Once the glitter dried, I peeled off the foil's white backing paper and applied the foil to the front of the Christmas card -- as shown in the top photo in this post.

Check with the Postal Service before mailing 6" x 6" greeting cards -- there is a non-machinable surcharge for sending mail of these dimensions.  I use two Forever stamps, for convenience.

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

Thanks for visiting my blog today!