StencilGirl Guest Designer Judi Kauffman

Marylin's Elephants

By Judi Kauffman

Thank you for inviting me back for another Guest Designer gig!

When I saw Nathalie Kalbach's Elephant March stencil I knew it would be the perfect starting point for some projects for my friend Marylin. Her elephant collection is ever-expanding. I made a 12 x 12 panel that easily fits a standard frame. While I was at it, I made a batch of cards for her to send to family and friends.

To my eye, the Tribal Leaves stencil by Kae Pea seemed like a good fit with the elephant, allowing me to play with lots of pattern on pattern. When you choose stencils for your project, if you want a pattern that isn't so strong and bold, pick a small all-over repeat or go for an interesting texture (like crackle).

CARDS

1. Using Snow (Titanium) White acrylic paint, stencil the head, trunk and front leg portion of the elephant onto 4.25" x 5.5" pieces of dark red speckled cardstock.

2. Doodle, embellish, cut, and layer as shown or as you prefer. (All of the materials I used are in the supply list.)

3. If you don't like red elephants, go for a more realistic color palette like black on light taupe, or use the colors I chose for the 12 x 12 panel - a mix of White and French Gray Blue stenciled onto a base coat of French Gray Blue.

12 x 12 PANEL

This mixed media panel is ready to frame in a shadow box with a depth of at least 2". The elephants, background and foreground layers are corrugated cardboard. The sparkly elements are stenciled, embossed, and embellished Shimmer Sheetz.

1. Base coat two 7" x 11" pieces of corrugated cardboard with French Gray Blue. Let paint dry.

2. With a mix of Snow (Titanium) White and a touch of French Gray Blue, stencil the elephant twice, one on each piece of board. Let paint dry.

3. Using a craft knife and cutting mat, cut out the elephants, leaving a narrow curvy border on all sides.

4. Cut a 12 x 12 piece of corrugated cardboard for the background.

5. Using Traditional Raw Sienna, randomly stencil Tribal Leaves over the panel. While paint is still wet, move the stencil and randomly add more Tribal Leaves pattern with Snow (Titanium) White. Add more depth to the outer edges of the 12 x 12 panel using Gold Metallic paint or alcohol ink and the blanket section of the Elephant March stencil. Distress the edges by sponging on sepia or espresso brown ink. Let paint and ink dry.

6. If you don't like a lot of glitz, paint or draw an eyeball onto each elephant, tear corrugated cardboard for the foreground (no further embellishment needed). Assemble the panel, using 2 or 3 layers of corrugated cardboard for dimension between the elephants and between the foreground layers. Trim the elephants at the left and right edges of the panel to maintain the 12 x 12 square.

7. If you DO like a lot of glitz and want to duplicate the panel as shown, follow the rest of these steps:

8. Add a 3mm Lure Eye sticker to each elephant for a sparkly eyeball.

9. Using Gold Metallic metal paint or alcohol ink, stencil the blanket, head piece, and ankle bracelets for one elephant onto Amethyst Gemstones Shimmer Sheetz. Stencil two extra pieces for the head piece. Cut out, adhere all but the two extra pieces to the elephant using double-sided adhesive tape. Adhere the two extra pieces using foam dots for dimension.

10. Add Purple Glitter Dots to the headpiece and blanket.

11. Emboss and sand a piece of Fire Opal Gemstones Shimmer Sheetz. Cut out ten pieces from the pattern and adhere to the blanket using foam dots for dimension. Trim at the edges where only partial shapes are needed.

12. Tear corrugated cardboard for the foreground. Assemble the panel, using 2 or 3 layers of corrugated cardboard for dimension between the elephants and between the foreground layers. Trim the elephants at the left and right edges of the panel to maintain the 12 x 12 square.

SUPPLIES FOR CARDS AND 12 x 12 PANEL

StencilGirlProducts Stencils:

ElephantMarch L191 by Nathalie Kalbach, Tribal Leaves L213 by Kae Pea

Paints:
DecoArt Americana Acrylics in French Gray Blue, Snow (Titanium) White, Traditional Raw Sienna

Inks and Pens: Ranger Industries - Tim Holtz Metallic Mixatives in Gold, Adirondack Earthtones in Espresso; Sakura of America - Pigma Micron 005 Black, Gelly Roll Medium White, Gelly Roll Moonlight Purple

Papers and Peel-offs: Elizabeth Craft Designs - Glitter Dots #7018 in Purple/Silver and Turquoise/Silver, Lace Border #1275 Black, allover pattern embossing folders E116 Mini Mosaics (for card) and E111 Flower Mosaics (for 12 x 12 panel), Amethyst and Fire Opal Gemstones Shimmer Sheetz; Graphic 45 - By the Sea Collection 8 x 8 "Set Sail" paper (striped background for elephant card), Botanical Tea Collection Cardstock Stickers (to spell name on elephant card); Speckled red and solid black cardstock

Other: Stanislaus Imports - 3mm and 5mm Lure Eye stickers; Craft knife, cutting mat, stencil brush, sponge applicator, corrugated cardboard from a sturdy box, sanding block, any brand machine for using embossing folders (Big Shot, Cuttlebug, eBosser, etc.)

Bonus Project

Elephant Walk Photo Cards by Judi Kauffman

 

I thought it would be fun to turn the photo of my 12 x 12 stenciled mixed media panel into some note cards. I cropped it to a horizontal rectangle and printed 4 per sheet on 8.5 x 11 Epson glossy paper. Using Sailboat Blue ink (Ranger) and the blanket portion of the Elephant Walk stencil, I sponged pattern onto top-fold Kraft brown A2 size note cards. For some of the cards I trimmed the photo print right up to the edge. For others, I left a white border on the print. For all, I added two embossed and sanded Shimmer Sheetz motifs, adhered with foam squares for a bit of dimension. (The embossed motifs were leftovers from the 12 x 12 project)