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.
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| 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.
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| 4" x 6'' Cut Paper Pieces |
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| Cut Each Piece into a House Shape then Paint with Solid Color |
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.
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| Linen Fabric Hinge (double sided tape) |
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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
