Snowmen, Cardinal, and Santa Claus: Displays of Joy

I'm never one to hurry a year up. After all, I am past 55, so I need for the years to slow down a bit. With all of the global challenges this year, however, I find myself wishing for the quiet of the winter holidays to arrive more quickly than usual. As I shopped in the major craft stores, I noticed that quite a bit of decor is created in display frames. I thought it would be interesting to create my own holiday decor in display cases using StencilGirl stencils. In this way, I can create my own designs that include elements that mean the most to me and my family. This process is also useful for any other holiday or commemorative event such as graduation, a baby's birth, weddings, or simply a celebration of life and the change of seasons.

THE JOYFUL STENCILS

Snow Storm Stencil by June Pfaff Daley (L082)

Christmas #1 by June Pfaff Daley (L580)

Christmas #2 by June Pfaff Daley (L581)

Christmas Cardinal and Holly by Gwen Lafleur (S514)

Christmas Poinsettias by Gwen Lafleur (S515)

Snowman by Jennifer Evans (S542)

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

Display cases (I used 9 x 9 cases.)

Peel & Stick Glitter Foam Sheets

White cardstock

Markers (I used COPIC.)

Embossing Powder (mostly clear but some colors as needed)

Embossing Pad and Pen (I used Versamark.)

White Gel Pen

Black Gel Pen or Micron Pen

Buffalo Snow Iridescent Flakes

Mini Pine Cones

Pop Dots

Heat Tool

Aleene's Tacky Glue (or similar)

Small scissors

LET'S GET CREATING!

Step 1: Choose the stencils for your designs.

Step 2: Cut the foam the size of the display case backing, peel off the backing protector, then adhere to the display backing.

Step 3: Stencil and emboss any material that you planned for the backing such as snowflakes, stars, or words and greetings on to the background that you just attached. 

Step 4: Use the markers to stencil the components of your display. Remember to use a light touch as a heavy-handed application can saturate the design to the point that it is unrecognizable. Some stencils are created by multiple lines rather than a full picture. In those cases, use the marker to outline the basic shape then go back in and color the rest of it in. This is true for the cardinal, as one example.

Step 5: Cut the components out. For components that have uneven edges, be sure to use a zipper pattern when cutting so that you retain as much of the original unevenness.

Step 6: Emboss with clear embossing powder. Doing this will make the colors pop and provide an additional layer of strength to the pieces.

Step 7: Add additional embossing as needed. I used it for the cardinal's wing, the middle of the poinsettias, the reindeers' collars, and Rudolph's nose. 

Step 8: Place pop dots on the backs of the components. Remember that to create levels, you will need to use more than one pop dot layer. For example, the cardinal has three pop dot layers.

Step 9: Place a dot of tacky glue on the last pop dot then adhere the components and allow to dry.

Step 10: Add Buffalo Snow Flakes, pine cones, and other elements to the bottom of the display case.

Step 11: Insert the backing once the design is completely dry.

Step 12: Display your lovely creation!

While I didn't include this step, you could also add tiny lights to the creations. Simply punch a small hole in the foam and wood backing, thread the tiny lights through the hole and arrange within the Buffalo Snow Flakes and pinecones, and attach the battery pack to the back of the display case.

And for you visual creators, here's a brief video of some of the steps for each of the displays.

Anne Marie

WANT TO CONNECT WITH ME? CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW. 👇

Mystic Spring Studios 
Facebook

Instagram 

YouTube

MSS Blog 
Twitter 
Pinterest
or email me at annemarie.mysticspring@gmail.com.

The Journey

There is great hope that Spring is just around the corner! If only we could get the winter boom out of the way! Still, we can look ahead to warmer days, and days spent on the water. To celebrate that ever-inching possibility, I have created a canoe and paddle using basswood and some fabulous stencils. The canoe is a great gift for the canoe aficionado or the outdoorsman. But, hey, don't limit it to just the men in the household. Women are aficionados and outdoorsy, as well.

Materials:

StencilGirl® Stencils:

Journey by Roxanne Evans Stout 

ATC Mixup #2 by Mary Beth Shaw 

Basswood 3/32 x 8 x 24 inch  (Balsa Wood is also fine, but it needs very gentle care as it breaks easily.) 

Box cutter

Pencil

Sanding block

Rust-Oleum® Wood Stain Tube (This is what I used) or Minwax Wood Finish

Acrylic Paint in your chosen colors

Leather Cord (about 1/8” wide or slightly smaller than the hole you punched)

Clear Gorilla Glue

Air dry clay

Crop-a-dile or other hole punch that can go through wood.

1.       Start your project by drawing the sides and bottom of your canoe on the basswood. My version has 2 inch by 13 inch sides and a 1.5 inch by 9 inch bottom. 

2.     Lightly sand the edges so that they are smooth.

3.     Mark where you want your holes for the leather insertion on the tops and edges of the canoe. Ensure that the holes are not too close to the edges to avoid forcing the edges to snap. Punch the holes.

4.    Glue the canoe together using Clear Gorilla Glue. I place a stapler on one side and a heavy item on the other side of the canoe side to keep the side in place while drying. Allow to dry at least 24 hours.

5.    Soak the entire canoe in hot water so that the wood softens. You can then tie some of the leather cord (in a color that you don’t like) around the ends and leave it to dry completely. The canoe will be easier to shape that way. Be sure to put something in the middle of the canoe to help keep it open and rounded. I used glue bottles.

6.    Remove the leather cord from the ends when the wood is completely dry. Depending on the type of wood stain you use, you will now either stain and then stencil on top of the stain (Rustoleum), or you will stencil and then stain (Minwax). Let dry completely.

7.    Place a glue bottle in the interior of the canoe (or something wide enough to prevent the canoe from folding in on the top) and lace one end of the canoe. Start at the bottom. When you get to the top, wind the leather around the tip and tie it into a knot. Lace the tie the other end. (This photo does not show the stenciling. Hang tight. . .it's coming!)

8.     Roll out enough air-dry clay to make the paddle. I suggest a piece about four inches long and one inch wide. Impress the small leaf from the ATC Mixup #2 stencil onto the bottom portion of the clay piece. Cut the paddle design out and allow to completely dry. Paint it to match the color that you used for the stencil design on the sides of the canoe. Conversely, you can paint it brown and fleck it with some patina embossing. When dry, glue the paddle in the canoe at one end or the other.

Now that you have the canoe all put together, place a complementary piece of tissue paper into the canoe and add some of your guy’s favorite candy, cookies, brownies or jerky. This is an excellent birthday, Father’s Day, or summer get-together gift.

Design tips:

·         You can change the design and color so that this same creation can be gifted to a female. Unicorn Spit would be great for this option!

·         A printout of plane tickets or vacation reservations can be rolled up and secured with a ribbon and placed inside the canoe.

·         Instead of the canoe paddle, you could add a leaf or feather.

·         Remember that although this is made from wood, it is very thin wood and can break. Handle with gentle hands.

·         For an added effect, emboss the bottom edge with embossing powder to give the canoe a “used in the water” effect. You can also emboss parts of the paddle for the same look.

Anne Marie

WANT TO CONNECT WITH ME? CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW. 👇Mystic Spring Studios 
Facebook
Instagram 
MSS Blog 
Twitter 
Pinterest
or email me at annemarie.mysticspring@gmail.com.

StencilClub Voices paint with Woman of Mystery stencils

Hi! It's Carol Baxter and we are excited to introduce new StencilClub Voices for May and June! Anne Marie Fowler, Hope Comito Malott, and Kim Villareal opened their art journals and more to the set of stencils Pam Carriker designed for May 2017. 

Woman of Mystery: Eye of the Beholder, Wheel of Hope, and Face Value offered each of us a face to build an artistic dream on.

Vintage Bliss, Train of Thought, and Chanting ~ Anne Marie Fowler

Materials: Wood Plaque, Paint (I used cranberry, yellow, pink flash, dark blue, black, white), craft cord, molding paste, liquid leafing, Viva Paper Pen, black Stickle, Wheel of Hope stencil, word stencils, paint brush, palette knife, and circle stencil for black circles.

Steps:

1.      Use molding paste on the Wheel of Hope stencil to create texture and dimension.

2.      Hand draw a heart at the opposite end and build up molding paste to create the shape.

3.      Lay down a background using the first three colors listed above.

4.      Draw the heartbeat rhythm. Paint it using liquid leafing and highlight the main circle stencil and heart.

5.      Use the dark blue to flick drops onto the canvas.

6.      Add the small black circles using a circle stencil.

7.      Add the words using the word stencils.

8.      Using the end of a bamboo brush (or similar round object), create the small white circles.

9.      Add the graphic in the middle of the circle stencil and highlight around it with black Stickles.

10.   Drill holes in the side of the plaque.

11.   Paint the sides black and add the craft cord for hanging.

12.   For added effect, add gold pearl dots using a Viva paper pen.

Anne Marie says: "I absolutely loved being a part of the Stencil Club Voices for May. I surprised myself in the process because what I had envisioned in my head initially at the beginning changed dramatically in the end."

Materials: Journal, Black ink, Mod Podge, Paint (Buttercup, Black Cherry, black, white, flesh, lilac, yellow, grass green, dark blue), White outlining pen, Face Value stencil, London Tube and Moscow Metro stencils by Mary Nassar (August 2016 Stencil Club), train, landscape, and conductor hat clip art

Steps:

1.      Stencil the face on to the journal page using black ink, add the neck by drawing it, and paint both using flesh, lilac, yellow, and white. Use the Black Cherry for the lips and around the eye. Paint the eye blue.

2.      Draw hair and paint black.

3.      Using the white outlining pen, draw lines on the hair to simulate shine and movement.

4.      Paint the area around the face and body with Black Cherry and spots of Buttercup.

5.      Using Buttercup, stencil the London Tube and Moscow Metro designs to your liking. If you get too much Buttercup, switch to using Black Cherry for effect.

6.      Glue the hat, trees, and train down using Mod Podge.

7.      Draw the leaf on the hat and paint it green.

8.      Write the theme on the hat band.

9.      Use the outlining pen to add highlights to the objects.

10.   Using thinned white paint (or gesso), flick spots to add interest.

11.   Infer a train tunnel by using the outlining pen to draw white tunnel walls and train tracks.

Materials: 4 x 12 traditional wrapped canvas, paint (dark plum, beached sand, turquoise, white), liquid leafing, Eye of the Beholder stencil, cross stencil by Mary Beth Shaw (January 2017 Stencil Club) graphic of goddess, word stencil, masking tape, foam roller, soft gel (gloss), paint brush

Steps:

1.      Using a foam roller, apply dark plum on the canvas by going in different directions and leaving small areas unpainted.

2.      Add swatches of beached sand and turquoise to the areas not covered by the dark plum. Repeat process until the background is to your liking. Note that the mix of dark plum and beached sand creates a lighter purple background.

3.      Stencil the eye on the canvas using the dark plum. Ensure that it is darker than the rest of the canvas.

4.      Once the canvas is dry. Mask off a ¼ inch line using the masking tape and paint a line from top to bottom using the liquid leafing. You can also use gold paint.

5.      Freehand a flourish at the top of the eye using the liquid leafing or gold paint. You can also find many flourishes on the internet to use as a mask on the canvas.

6.      Adhere the goddess at the bottom using the soft gel.

7.      Stencil the crosses across the bottom using either black or a merging of black and dark plum.

8.      Stencil the word across the top left using black paint.

9.      Flick white dots on the canvas.

Golden Eye ~ Kim Villareal

Kim says, "My students thought that the face from the stencil looked a bit like me, I kind of worked off of that when creating this piece.  I fire spin as a side job/ hobby, so I included the glow and soot look from a fire in the colors.
  "The base materials were acrylic inks and rubber cement. Charcoal, goals leaf, and vinyl pieces were used to finish the piece."  

Ready for Words ~ Hope Comito Malott

Hope says, "The main design idea came from using a mix of stencil, stamps, ink, and metallics in my journal. I layered vintage sheet music and coloring book pages using gel medium. A thin coat of white paint gave a nice light background for the transparent delusion sprays and distress inks. Gold metallic spray drizzled down the edges and Spatters of turquoise, green, and gold helped to color the background and unify the color scheme. For the stencils I used distress inks in turquoise and greens with a top layer of stays-on black ink offset just slightly. It was messy and fun making a sort of grungy mess in my most favorite colors. I really love this StencilClub set of stencils!"

Radio Waves Card ~ Carol Baxter

Anne Marie, Hope and Kim made such awesome job with their inspiring pieces, I had to stop as I was putting this post together and make art. Thanks Voices! You rock!

Primary colors... okay, the blues are off but the pale blue and aqua Glimmer Mist spray worked great with the yellow and red. 

I accented with black paper paired with the small stencil and book paper paired with the mini.

I used the "top" of the large stencil to add a little bit of detail to the borders.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Ready to build your own dream?

Want to see what StencilGirl StencilClub and Pam Carriker have in store for members? You can check out Pam's Reveal HERE.