Crafts

6 Tips for Painting with Stencils

129 · Aug 26, 2013 · 7 Comments

This post brought to you by DecoArt // I am a sucker for a good old wood caddy. Even better, is an old caddy that I have dressed up with some paint and maybe a stencil or two. I have a fabulous picnic caddy that I dressed up not too long ago and I have recently found another rustic old caddy to dress up. When it comes to adding some graphic elements to anything, I turn to the Americana Multi Surface Satin Paint and the Americana Mixed Media Stencils for sure. But… I also have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to using those stencils. Below you will find 6 tips on painting with stencils.

I found another great caddy from Antique Farmhouse (they also have a sister site called Decor Steals)…

… And I thought it would look fabulous with a fun geometric design on the floor of the caddy using the new Americana Multi Surface Satin Paint.

This paint is fabulous for all kinds of surfaces. Wood, glass, metal, plastic… You name it, it will look wonderful. I recently had a chance to travel to Kentucky to the home of DecoArt and learned all kinds of goodies about all of their different paints. It’s amazing how so many of us just grab a bottle of craft paint at the store without really thinking about what surface we are going to use as our canvas. Sometimes… the paint we pick just won’t work with our desired surface. With the Multi-Surface Satin, you won’t have to worry about that!

For this project, I used a mixture of Coastal Waters and Cottonball. I wanted the blue to be a little lighter, that’s why I added a little white. I used one of the new Americana Mixed-Media Stencils called Busy Bee and some painter’s tape as well.

I taped down the stencil on the surface of the caddy, just so I didn’t have to worry about it moving around.

How to Paint with Stencils

Next, using a Dual-Sided Paint Pouncer, I carefully paint the surface of the caddy. Now, here are a few tips when it comes to getting good stencil lines. It’s important that you know how to use stencils if you’re doing this for the first time.

Load your stencil pouncer or brush carefully, A little paint goes a long way. Never just dip your brush into the paint and then go directly to your surface. Always dip your brush into the paint and then have another surface like a paper plate to work out all the paint kinks before you start working on your surface.
Light, up and down movements are best when it comes to working with stencils. Never brush side to side or press down firmly. This is just asking the paint to slide right under that stencil and create muddy, unattractive lines.
Work in layers. If you want a light weathered look, you may only need one coat. But, If you want a strong vibrant stenciled image, work in light layers. This way you are slowly building your image and will have cleaner lines and a professional-looking finish.
Secure your stencil with painter’s tape so that you don’t have it moving around while you are trying to work with it.
Don’t let the stencil dry for long before you remove the stencil. This will help keep the lines sharp. More on this below.
Use a good brush and stencil cleaner to clean and preserve your brush and stencil for future use.

Should You Remove The Stencil When The Paint is Wet or Dry?

You should actually remove the stencil it’s wet. This may seem backwards but it always turns out better in my experience. When you do it this this way, the paint cannot bleed underneath and ruin the crisp lines. It can be a bit more difficult if the paint dries to the stencil too. This is how you keep the paint from peeling when removing vinyl stencil

For this project, I wanted a light weathered look so I carefully loaded just a tiny bit of paint, prepped my brush on a paper plate, and then with careful up and down strokes started covering my surface.

Because I was only going to do one light coat, the paint dried within just a few minutes. I removed the stencil and then waited for a couple of hours before I distressed the paint. The paint needs time to cure and ideally, I should have waited overnight but, it turned out fine this time. You just gotta love painting with stencils!

I used some sandpaper to lightly distress the paint so that the graphic design matched the patina of the piece itself. When you are distressing, think about how you want the finished product to look. Do you want to work in circles, up and down, side to side, or criss-cross, there are so many ways to create 100 different looks for your finished product. I chose a simple side-to-side motion to match the grain of the wood.

Here is how the caddy looks finished…

Isn’t it fun?! A perfect addition to my picnic caddy collection. You bet we are going to be picnicking in style here at the WhipperBerry house!

You can find all of the products that I used for this project at Michaels, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, and other fine craft retailers. To sweeten the deal, DecoArt has even offered a fabulous rebate offer to each of you!!

Disclaimer // This is a post sponsored by DecoArt. I have received payment along with the product to create this project and post. However, all thoughts, ideas, and opinions are my very own!

Instagram Photo Frame

0 · Aug 22, 2013 · 4 Comments

Hey Whipperberry fans, it's Jenn from My Fabuless Life and today I'm going to show you a super simple way to actually take those beautiful life moments sitting in your Instagram feed and put them to good use!

I get some grief about what an Instagram addict I am, buuutttt…this is why! It's such an easy way to capture those day to day moments, when you wouldn't normally be carrying your camera or you just don't want to mess with getting it out. Basically, for me, Instagram is a photo journal, and I don't have to mess with editing all of those pictures at once, because I've already done it, easily, before the pictures are posted, which also makes them perfect for displaying. This is one of the ways I decided to display mine and it's super easy.

I picked up a large frame at a local home decor store (it was on crazy clearance because it was missing the glass) and spray painted it with Krylon's Gold (I also love Valspar's gold spray paint). Then, I actually picked up the "chicken wire" from the trash pile at a house being built in my neighborhood–it's the wire mesh they put under stucco. I'm pretty sure my neighbors think I'm nuts, because I can be seen on a regular basis pushing a stroller and carrying handfuls of scrap wood, tree branches, and other treasures. Am I embarrassed about it? A little (my husband a lot), but I can suck up a lot of pride for free stuff ; ). Anyway, if you don't have a local construction site to borrow from, I think you can buy chicken wire at any local farm supply. And it probably goes without saying, but don't go stealing the stuff. I pulled this out of a pile that was clearly trash–no one wants to see you on an episode of Cops. Now that the legal stuff is out of the way back to our regularly scheduled project: Lay the mesh over the back of the frame. Don't cut it down to size yet! It's much easier if you do it after it's attached.

With a staple gun, just staple the mesh on around the back of the frame. If you don't have a staple gun (it's totally worth the $10 purchase) you can use brass thumb tacks and some hot glue. Put some glue on the back of the tack and then press it into the frame to hold the mesh (the glue will keep the tack from popping out). Then go around and cut all of the excess off with some wire cutters. BE CAREFUL! This stuff is sharp! And that's about it. Time for hanging.

I hung my pictures with some embellished paper clips, and some Basic Grey cards I scored at SNAP!.

Then to add a little more variety and color, I added some free Project Life-sized printables I found here & here, and a miniature version of one of my own prints.

I know Instagram printing can be pretty pricey, so as a bonus, I've created a few templates and a tutorial on how to print your own at home, or wherever you normally have your photos printed. You can find the free downloads and tutorial over at My Fabuless Life.

Embellished Picture Clips // Repurposed Kitchen Cabinet

Striped Straw Jar with DecoArt Glass Paint Markers and Diet Coke

0 · Aug 14, 2013 · 5 Comments

This post brought to you by DecoArt Glass Paint // For the 2nd time in 10 months we are MOVING!! Needless to say, I am excited to finally be in a home that fits our family better, but the idea of packing up and moving again is not very appealing AT ALL! We knew this move was going to happen soon, so we didn't unpack a ton, so this move should be easier than last time.

One thing I did learn last time, is that you need to create a system that really works for you. A system that is productive, smart and provides yourself and your helpers with LOTS of rewards. For me, one of my favorite treats is a Diet Coke. I just LOVE the stuff! I would drink it like water if I could get away with it. I love the flavor, I love the bubbles and quite frankly there are times when there is nothing better on this planet than a good, cold Diet Coke. Because of that, it is a great motivating treat for me. More than almost any little treat. If I know that a Diet Coke is at the end of the chore, my git-up, gets a going.

That's why for this move I created a Diet Coke Station with a few fun little items to dress-up the station to motivate myself and all of my helpers during the drudgery of packing…

I used my handy chalkboard clipboard and then dressed-up a Ball jar with some red stripes for my straw jar with DecoArt Glass Paint Markers and then set-out to move mountains. The striped jar was super simple to make, here is what you will need to do…

Supplies for the Striped Straw Jar

Ball wide mouths 1 1/2 pt. jar
DecoArt Glass Paint Markers – Americana Glass Paints are available at Michaels, JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores, Pat Catan's Craft Centers, A.C. Moore, Beverly's, and other fine craft retailers. Click HERE for more information on Americana Glass Paints.
Tape – I used a thin washi tape but any type of washi or painters tape will do.

Instructions for Striped Straw Jar

Before you begin, you need to prepare your glass jar by cleaning it with alcohol and let dry. Then apply the tape to the jar to create your desired stripe look…

I wanted nice thick stripes but you may like a different style, so don't tie yourself down to my look. Next, the super easy part… Color on your paint using the DecoArt Glass Paint Markers. No mess, no fuss, they are perfect for this kind of project!!

Carefully remove the tape once you are finished and let dry for a few hours. Add your stylish straws to the jar (I found mine though Pick Your Plum) and voilá… Grabbing a Diet Coke has just been kicked up a few notches!

Looking for a great deal on Glass Paint? DecoArt has a rebate just for you guys!!

// Click on image to find full rebate offer //

Looking for some more inspiration? We have a whole slew of talented bloggers who have also come up with some fun DecoArt Glass Paint projects. Click through to find all kinds of Glass Paint love…

Disclaimer // I am part of the DecoArt Core Bloggers and have received payment for this post along with free product. I am also a Brand Ambassador for Diet Coke and have received free product. However, all thoughts, ideas and opinions are my very own!

DIY Polka Dot Notebook for Back to School

2 · Jul 31, 2013 · 10 Comments

This post brought to you by DecoArt // Back to school is right around the corner for my kiddos and it's time to start working on dressing up our school supplies. I am Target's biggest fan and have been since birth, so… A few trips to Target is a must before school starts. I've been loving the Greenroom line of school supplies and found a fun notebook that I thought would look extra special with some gold polka dots!

Doesn't it look extra special now? This is a perfect project for your kiddos to create some fun notebooks for themselves or to create a fun teacher gift for their new teacher. It's super easy, here is what you will need…

Polka Dot Notebook Supplies

Find a fun notebook.

Select a coordinating paint color from the full line of DecoArt paints. I used Americana Multi-Surface Satin in Muted Gold. These paints are available at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, A.C Moore and other fine craft retailers.
Large Foam Paint Brush.
Cardboard diamond that I cut out myself.

Polka Dot Notebook Instructions

Open up your notebook and lay as flat as possible on a protected table.
Use your paint cap a your paint supply, this way you don't have to create any waste. Just pour little bits of paint in the cap and when you are finished, just rinse it out, dry completely and replace on the paint bottle.
Take your large foam paint brush and dip the tip of the handle into the paint lid and load with a small amount of paint. Then using your cardboard diamond as a guide (a trick I learned from one of my contributors Haley from Life is Sweet) carefully place your polka dots.
Let dry over night to ensure that the paint has completely dried. My polka dots were pretty thick so that couldn't see the notebook through the paint so it took a bit for it to dry.

Like I said before, this would be fun for your kiddos or for a teacher gift for the first day of school.

On August 14th I will be sharing this fun printable tag with the Printable Club that you can use to create a super fun teacher gift for your kiddos new teacher.

Pair your polka dot notebook with a coordinating spiral notebook, some fun pencils and a Target gift card and you'll have one happy teacher!!

Disclaimer // This post brought to you by DecoArt. I am a member of the DecoArt Core Blogger Team and did receive product and payment for this post. However, all thoughts, ideas and opinions are my very own!