Using Stencils with Encaustics Along with Jane Monteith

Jane Monteith here. I wanted to share a few tips using stencils with surface inks and reducing the amount of bleed from under them.

I recently tried using Jacquard's brand new alcohol ink formula. As you may know, I've been a fan of their products for many years, including the Pinata Rich Gold. 

They've now created a smoother, finer type formula which has been renamed to Gold Leaf. There are other colors too, as you can see here.

They work great on the the surface of encaustic because it's non-porous, and alcohol ink is designed for these types of surfaces.

To hold stencils in place, we generally use a temporary tack spray. But with wax we can't really do that because it leaves a residue on the surface.

So, here's the tip.

Start by warming your surface with a heat gun. While your wax is still warm, sit your stencil on top, and using a brayer, roll over the stencil a few times to set it in place. 

This will prevent it from moving and embeds it slightly into the surface.

 

You can now begin painting over it.

Keep in mind you'll see all brush marks, dents and pinholes in your encaustic because of the light reflecting off the metallic ink. 

I used the gold leaf formula with an old paint brush. Probably should have used a better brush. So don't be me. Use a foam brush or a nice soft bristle one. 

Once the surface is painted, leave it to dry and then simply peel back the stencil.

I ended up with a big pinhole in mine because I over heated (wasn't wearing my glasses to see what I was doing). 

But, we can fix that with the ink!

We can also fix any areas that did bleed. There were a few on the outer edges and a little bit in the middle. 

I suggest using a micro-makeup applicator for getting rid of excess ink. I use them ALL the time for things like this. 

I also use Jacquard's Claro-Extender (aka blending solution) because this isn't as harsh as rubbing alcohol. 

It's also great for cleaning the ink off your stencils. 

Once you've removed the unwanted ink, you can go back in with more ink on a fresh applicator and cover areas with more gold. 

You can also fill in any small holes, like the pin hole I created :)

You may decide to scrape away areas, too. I wasn't very happy with the overall look so I created a few guidelines guidelines with my ruler and removed the unwanted sections. 

I ended up with a more interesting pattern. 

To finish, lightly fuse with your heat gun to set it in place. Don't over fuse or the alcohol ink with burn and separate. Just a light touch is all you need :)

Whether you use stencils to create inlays or for surface patterns using inks, they're a great way to add interest to your encaustic work. 

The stencil I have used is called Linework.  It and all of my stencils are on sale until May 28th.  Use code ENCAUSTIC to get 20% off. 

Stay creative.

xo Jane.

Stitches, Stencils & Hoops an up-cycled decor project

It’s time for a wall refresh in my studio!

Hello friends, 

Tina here from Tina Hois Art  

Each season I like to update some of the decor in my art studio. This year I am in the midst of renovations and have a small corner that I craft in so I will update it with just a little somethin~somethin.

I had these embroidery hoops from a previous thrift shop and they inspired me with the perfect idea for my little corner ~ stitched wall art!

Off I went gathering the few supplies needed for this project (see supply list below).

I decided on denim as my fabric and the pretty stencil created by Jane Chipp.

The stencil is titled Seed Heads which is very fitting for this time of year before everything starts blooming. 

Visit the Stencil Girl Products page for this particular stencil and discover a multitude of ways to incorporate it in your art. 

I will be slow stitching it.

STEP 1 :

Trace the stencil on to the fabric with a gel pen

STEP 2:

With your favourite colours start filling in the seed heads and the stem. 

Remember this is about enjoying the process and does not need to be perfect. 

Just like Nature, be imperfectly perfect. 

By the way I am by no means an embrydery expert, I just basically place the needle in the fabric and out 

until my seed head was filled. 

STEP 3:

With a cotton swab add some bleach circles. This will add another layer of interest  to the fabric.

If bleach is not your thing create circles with acrylic ink or simply leave as is. 

STEP 4 :

Select the appropriate size hoop and remember you can always go bigger for a differenc statement.

STEP 5:

Create more texture with adorable seed stitches

I hope you enjoyed this quick and simple project and remember if stitching is not your thing use acrylic ink or modeling paste that has been mixed with your custom colour!

Most of all enjoy the process and be proud of the outcome!

Until next time!

T.

SUPPLY LIST

Stencil  Seedhead Silhouettes

Embroidery Thread

Fabric

Embroidery needle

Scissors

Embroidery hoop

 

"Make A Chinoiserie Inspired Accordian House using Stencil Club Stencils 5/26 "In the Wind" by Dee Dee Catron

Some materials carry memory without asking for attention. Maple seed pods—the ones we called “helicopters” growing up—are like that. They drift, they spin, and they show up where you least expect them. Quiet, familiar, and just a little bit playful.

Chinoiserie Inspired Accordian House using "In the Wind" Stencils

This month’s StencilClub set, In The Wind, designed by Dee Dee Catron, captures that same sense of quiet movement. The designs are rooted in nature but feel lifted—suspended mid-air. There are delicate maple seed forms scattered in allover patterns, birds resting on wires in a moment of pause, and one stencil in particular that leans into something more decorative, more historical. A repeating composition of birds, leaves, and branches that immediately called to mind the elegance of Chinoiserie—that Western interpretation of Eastern motifs, filtered through imagination and ornament.

I’m Kim Hamburg, a mixed media collage artist, and when I saw that pattern, I didn’t think “print”—I thought wallpaper. Not the kind you roll onto drywall, but the kind you build slowly, page by page, layer by layer, until it becomes something you can hold.

The House That Unfolds

This project became an accordion book shaped like a row of houses—something that feels both architectural and intimate, like a street you’ve walked a hundred times.

To begin, I cut six pieces of 4x6" cardstock into simple house shapes. There’s no template here—just trim a triangle off each side of the top edge until it resembles a roofline. Imperfect is better. You can make as many houses as you like, depending on how long you want your book to stretch.

4" x 6''    Cut Paper Pieces

Cut Each Piece into a House Shape then Paint with Solid Color

Each house was painted with a beige chalk paint—a quiet, neutral ground. I wanted something that would echo aged walls, the kind that have absorbed years of light and shadow. Once dry, I used a lighter tone and a sponge (or foam) brush to apply the Chinoiserie-inspired stencil. Not perfectly. Not evenly. Just enough to suggest wallpaper that has lived a little.

Then came the contrast. Using black acrylic paint and a blending brush, I added the “birds on a wire” stencil—carefully placing it only along the top or bottom edges of each house. It acts as a visual anchor, a horizon line of sorts, holding the softness of the background in place.

Once everything dried, I edged each house lightly with black paint. This step is subtle but important—it defines the shape, gives it structure, and makes each piece feel finished.

Building the Book

The construction is where it all comes together—literally.

Linen Fabric Hinge (double sided tape)

I used double-stick tape (I used the Gorilla brand) and strips of linen fabric to hinge the houses together. Tape one side of the fabric to the back edge of a house, then attach the next house using the exposed adhesive. Repeat this process until all the houses are connected in a continuous accordion.

The fabric hinge gives the structure flexibility and durability, allowing the book to expand and contract with ease. It also introduces a softness—a tactile contrast to the painted surfaces.

The Story in the Details

Once assembled, the real work begins—the part that turns structure into story.

I collaged windows, fragments of imagery, and small details onto each house. A suggestion of life inside. A glimpse of narrative without explanation. I added marks—lines, scribbles, gestures that feel almost like handwriting, though they say nothing specific.

Adding Collage Elements like windows and doors

That’s the beauty of these accordion books: they’re endlessly adaptable. I’ve seen them filled with photographs, layered with fabric, even used as visual journals. Each page can hold its own moment, or contribute to a larger rhythm across the whole piece.

And like those maple “helicopters,” the work doesn’t land in one fixed place. It moves—through memory, through interpretation, through the viewer’s own experience.

All done!

Supplies

• May 2026 Stencil Club Stencil Set by Dee Dee Catron, "In The Wind"
• 4x6" cardstock (6 pieces, or more) 
• Scissors
• Double-stick tape (I used Gorilla brand)
• Scrap fabric (I used linen)
• Acrylic paint and/or chalk paint
• Blender brush and/or foam (sponge) brush
• Collage elements (vintage papers, imagery, ephemera)
• Glue

---

In The Wind is available exclusively to StencilClub members who join by May 15, 2026, and will ship the day you join. Membership includes 25% off all regular collection stencils, a project and PDF from the featured artist, and an additional members-only project from me.

Follow Dee Dee Catron on Instagram @deedeecatron
Explore more at @stencilgirl_products and www.stencilgirlproducts.com
Join StencilClub here: www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencilclub

If you make your own version of this accordion house, I’d love to see where it takes you. Tag me on Instagram @gluepaperscissors_ and share your work—because every house, every page, every mark tells a different story.

StencilGirl® Coin Folder Collaboration Challenge with Tina Walker

Hello lovelies!

Tina Walker here with my latest StencilGirl® collaboration challenge. This month, we have a super fun and interactive challenge - I challenged artists to create a project, any type of project (altered, dimensional, book, or more) using Coin Collector booklets.  Look below in case you are wondering what we are talking about.

 

Ah...you now know what I'm talking about.  ;)

Combine these wonderful little booklets with StencilGirl® stencils - OH MY! When you open up these bad boys, the mind just races with creative possibilities.  Let's see what the artists did with this challenge.

 

TRACY KRUEGER

 
"I knew for this challenge, I wanted to do something involving flowers since Spring is right around the corner. Shrinky Dinks are an absolute PERFECT substrate for StencilGirl products! I paired my shrinky dinks with pressed flowers in resin and floral acetate pieces from Tina Walkers etsy shop and I think it turned out beautiful!"

 

 

Wow, oh WOW, oh wow!

This type of project NEVER crossed my mind.  How creative and fun

Stencils Used:

Stencil Club Feb 2018

Stencil Club Mar 2013

Mosaic Flowers Repeat

 

MICHELLE KOSCIOLEK

 

"My quarter coin book made the perfect base for a special birthday card!  I used white and gold gesso to coat the entire book.  Stenciled with StencilGirl Stencils Ray Circles, Circle Rays, and Wall of Words using Dina Wakley paints (malachite, sedona, cheddar, tangelo, apricot and lemon).  All chipboard pieces are custom designs from Stuff by Belle for this special milestone card. Minimal products but they make quite an impact! You can find more images of the finished project by clicking the link for Stuff by Belle."

 

I would LOVE to receive a card like this - it would instantly make me happy!

 

Stencils Used:

Ray Circles

Circle Rays

Wall of Words

 

ANN BARNES

"Using the openings of the coin folder as portals to view into the next layer, each page displays a different "type" of flower field. As the pages are turned one can look forward or backwards into the different "fields" by turning the circular pieces. The final spread is a field of lavender. "

 

Another incredible project by an incredible artist!  I am diggin' the dimension!

 

Stencils Used:

Botanical Wildflowers

ATC Mixup Botanical

Garden Montage

 

JESSICA WALTHALL

 

"I decided to make an artist book, and I started by chopping up my coin folder and cutting out some of the holes. Next came layers of gesso, vintage paper, acrylic paint with stencils, mark making, stamping, and a couple wax seals. I bound it all together with torn strips of a vintage flour sack."

 

 

I can't decide if I love the colors or the patterns, or the overall design the most.  This is simply stunning!

 

Stencils Used:

StencilClub Mar 2026  

 

SHEILA FLENER

 

"I removed the center section of the coin book and made a bookcloth to cover the spine. I made a flag book using face images and the following stencils: Number Chaos, Small and Inky Circles Stencil, because they referenced coin shapes and numbers related to cash."

 

 

This book is so architecturally intriguing...I love Sheila's art - she is so inventive. 

 

Stencils Used:

Number Chaos

Inky Circles

 

and MOI!

 

TINA WALKER

 

My head was going in a 1000 different directions with this challenge, but they all revolved around a book - because, why not?!?!  ;)

 

and how cool is a book with holes, lil' cubbies, and places for fun little bits?

 

I used my stencils in various ways - gelli prints, key focal points, such as numbers, extra-large embossed page, rust paste, to backgrounds.  All the wonderful ways to use stencils.

 

Here's some close-ups of my pages...

 

 

 

I loved pulling out some of old school, traditional scrapbook techniques, such as glitter and embossing.  I forgot how cool these were.

 

Stencils Used:

More

Gaol Stairs

Stone Face 

Art Deco Alphabet 

Loren Ipsum

Garden Joy

Letter Mania

 

If you want to see a video p-through of my finished book, please visit me over on IG for the short reel.

 

I hope this lil' challenge inspired you to pick up some Coin Collector folders and make some art!  Please tag me if you do, I'd love to check your creations out!

 

That's all for today!

 

XOXO