How to Transform a Metal Bucket with Distress Oxide Sprays, a Mask and a Stencil

Hello everyone! Jane Bellante back for another fun tutorial—this time, we’re turning an ordinary metal bucket into a whimsical, one-of-a-kind mixed media piece using chalk paint, distress oxide sprays, and some of my favorite stencils and masks.

If you're looking for a creative way to use your stencils and masks again and again while achieving fresh new looks every time, you're going to love this DIY decor project. Not only will you see how distress oxide sprays create stunning effects on curved surfaces, but you’ll also get ideas for layering rub-on transfers and adding finishing touches that tell a story.

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Materials Used:

• Metal bucket

• Chalk paint (2 coats)

• Distress Oxide Sprays (greens + blues)

• Open Bare Wisteria Vine Mask

• Rub-on transfers (I used a vintage Alice in Wonderland theme)

• Emotions and Feelings 2 Stencil by Carolyn Dube

• Permanent ink

• Makeup sponge

• Protective gloves (trust me on this one!)

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Step 1: Prepping Your Surface with Chalk Paint

I started with a plain metal bucket and painted it with two coats of chalk paint. This gives you a great matte base that helps the distress sprays really pop later on.

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Step 2: Using the Open Bare Wisteria Vine Mask

For this tutorial, I’m reusing the Open Bare Wisteria Vine Mask—one of my absolute favorites. I love showing you different ways to get more out of your tools. This time, instead of pastels, I used Distress Oxide Sprays.

A quick tip: wear gloves! I didn't, and I had stained fingers for days—but the results were totally worth it.

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Step 3: Spraying and Layering Color

I used three colors of distress oxide sprays: one green and two blues. I held the mask against the curved surface of the bucket (which did get my hands messy!) and sprayed in layers to build up rich, vibrant color.

As you spray, some areas will naturally blend, giving you that signature oxidized look that makes these sprays so addictive.

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Step 4: Don’t Waste That Spray—Make Prints!

One of my golden rules: never waste leftover spray on your stencil. After spraying, I immediately pressed a piece of paper over the stencil to create a print. These get added to my stash for future art journal pages or collage work.

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Step 5: Rotate the Mask & Repeat

I continued this process—rotating the mask around the bucket, spraying, and making prints—until the entire surface was covered in a colorful, organic pattern.

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Step 6: Adding Vintage Transfers

Once the oxide spray background was dry, I began adding rub-on transfers. I chose a set of vintage Alice in Wonderland images to tell a visual story around the outside of the bucket. The contrast between the whimsical characters and the bold background was magical.

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Step 7: The Final Touch – Stenciled Word

To wrap it all up, I grabbed the Emotions and Feelings 2 Stencil by Carolyn Dube and used a makeup sponge to dab permanent ink through the word "curious." It couldn’t have been more perfect for the vibe of this piece.

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The Finished Piece

This transformed bucket is absolutely adorable—a curious, colorful nod to creativity and storytelling. I’m in love with the way the oxide spray background brings the whole piece to life, and the Alice in Wonderland theme adds a playful layer of narrative.

Whether you’re creating home décor, art journals, or mixed media magic—remember that your masks and stencils are more versatile than you think. Try them with pan pastels, oxide sprays, acrylic paint, and more!

Want to Watch the Full Video Tutorial?

If you're a visual learner or want to follow along in real time, you can watch the full step-by-step video tutorial right here:

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Thank you so much for watching and reading! I hope this inspired you to look at your masks and sprays with fresh eyes. Don’t be afraid to get a little messy—just maybe wear gloves next time!

Find me at janebellanteart.com and @janebellante on all social media platforms.

How to Create Stunning Layered Effects with Stencils and Masks on Black Paper

Hello everyone! Jane Bellante here. I am so grateful to be back with an art journaling tutorial.  Have you ever struggled with getting crisp, layered effects when using stencils with pan pastels, sprays, and mica powder? If your designs smudge, lack contrast, or disappear into the background, I have the perfect technique for you.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through my step-by-step process for creating depth, dimension, and rich, layered effects with stencils on black paper. Then, you’ll see how I bring a steampunk bird to life with Color Bloom Sprays, Pan Pastels, mica powders, and embossing ink.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated while stenciling with mixed media, this method will change the way you create.

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Creating a Dynamic Background with Color Bloom Sprays

I started with a black paper journal and my Color Bloom Sprays. These sprays are fantastic for building vibrant layers, especially on dark surfaces. I randomly sprayed three different colors, letting them overlap and blend naturally.

Don't stress about placement—just let yourself play! The organic blending creates the magic.

                                          

Once the page was fully covered, I dried the sprays with a heat tool. You can also let them air dry, but the heat tool helps move the colors around, creating unique textures.

Step 2: Layering with Pan Pastels for Depth

Next, I grabbed the Open Bare Wisteria Vine Mask and my Pan Pastels in magenta, gold, and a deep orange shade. These colors show up beautifully against the metallic spray background.

Using a makeup sponge, I carefully pressed the pastel through my stencil while holding it in place to prevent shifting. This step is where the real depth and texture begin to build.

Turn your stencil as you go to avoid a repetitive pattern. This creates a more organic look.

I kept layering and experimenting with color until I achieved a bold, dimensional effect.

Step 3: Adding a Steampunk Bird and Stencil Detail with Mica Powder

For the focal point, I used a fussy-cut steampunk bird printable. 

Using Versamark embossing ink, I sponged the ink through the Circle Rays 6 Stencil, then brushed on mica powder for a brilliant metallic shine.

Mica powder sticks beautifully to embossing ink! This step adds a luminous glow that makes the design pop.

Once my steampunk bird was glued down with a UHU glue stick, I realized the mica powder transferred onto my fingers. To bring everything together, I sponged more Versamark ink directly onto the bird, then dusted on more mica powder for a cohesive look.

Step 4: Adding a Poem and Finishing Touches

To complete the spread, I created a small poem and printed it out. Once cut into strips, I auditioned different placements before gluing them down.

If you print text from your computer, it may look too stark against your page. To blend the poem into the design, I used Fossilized Amber Distress Ink with a small brush to tint the edges of the text strips.

As I worked, my fingers picked up some magenta Pan Pastel, which transferred to the poem strips—a happy accident that added an extra blended effect!

You can watch the whole step by step tutorial on YouTube right here:

Final Thoughts

This project was so much fun and an easy way to explore layering with multiple mediums. If you’ve been hesitant to experiment with stencils, mica powders, and pastels, I hope this inspires you to try them in your next spread!

Stencils Used:

Open Bare Wisteria Vine Mask

Circle Rays 6 Stencil

Key Takeaways from this Tutorial:
✔️ Use Color Bloom Sprays to create a vibrant base on black paper
✔️ Layer Pan Pastels through stencils for rich texture and depth
✔️ Mica powder + embossing ink = a luminous metallic shine
✔️ Blend printed text into your page with Distress Inks

Where to Find Me:
📌 Website: janebellanteart.com
📌 Instagram: @janebellanteart1
📌 Facebook: @janebellanteart

Let me know in the comments—what’s your favorite way to layer mixed media in your art journal?

Happy creating!

Jane Bellante

Industrial Sofa Table

Hello again friends!  Jane Bellante here.  I recently went to a 3 day class taught by Mary Beth Shaw at the magical Shake Rag Alley in my home state of Wisconsin.

While I was there, I completed a series of 4 abstract collages that got me thinking about another vintage tool box I still had leftover from my shop that closed in 2021.  I had great aspirations of up-cycling it into a table, and I thought this could be the perfect finish for it.

I started by ordering some pin legs from Amazon.  These are pretty inexpensive and you can get multiple sizes to fit your project.  The legs were attached so I got started with one thin coat of DayDream Apothecary's White Base and Mixing Medium.  I knew I was going to be using multiple papers on this piece, so a white base coat was just the thing to make these papers stand out on the wood base.

Then, I used a lot of soft gel to attach the "Chloe" decoupage paper from ReDesign by Prima.  I wanted the chest to look as though it were wrapped in this paper, so I had to carefully cut and glue on the edges and where the top opens.  My hand was covered in dried glue, but it was worth it. 

After the decoupage paper was dry, I used the DayDream Apothecary White Base and covered up some of the images on the decoupage paper so they would kind of disappear into the background as I added more layers. 

Enter the "Dream, Imagine, Inspire, Create" 9 x 12 mask by Trish McKinney from StencilGirl Products.  I thought about applying this directly to the piece, on top of the ReDesign "Chloe" paper, but I really wanted some bold separation, so I used some double strength wet tissue paper (that I actually purchased from Mary Beth at her class).  I love this paper so much as it is not as flimsy as regular tissue paper, and can hold up to a lot of moisture (which is really good in my final steps to this piece that involved my garden hose!!).

I made two full sized papers with the "Dream, Imagine, Inspire, Create" mask and DayDream Apothecary's black paint called "Graffiti Pop".  Then, I tried ripping out some pieces to collage into my piece.  Even with brushed on water, I found that it was hard to rip this paper, so in some instances I just used my scissors.  Then I pieced in the paper so it looked like ripped graffiti.  

I am obsessed with DayDream Apothecary's neons so I grabbed the "La La Love Ya" and the white base again. I wanted a very soft drippy effect, so I started with my spray bottle of water with the white paint.  I soon realized that my half broken spray bottle was not enough force to get the paint moving the way I wanted it to, so since I was already outside for this paint pour- I used my garden hose to complete the effect. Last, I painted the closue black to help it pop a bit more.

I then top coated with Paint Pixie's Forcefield and applied 4 coats of their Sheer Beauty Glaze to give this up-cycled piece a glossier look.  

I really love this transformation!  I took a worn out tool box and turned into a fun table with storage.  I hope you'll give something like this a try for yourself! Heck- you can even grab your garden hose too.  

You can watch the entire step-by-step video right here:

Supplies Used:

StencilGirl Products:

Dream, Imagine, Inspire, Create mask by Trish McKinney

ReDesign by Prima

Chloe decoupage paper 

DayDream Apothecary Paint  

La La Love Ya

Graffiti Pop 

White Base and Mixing Medium

Paint Pixie:

Forcefield Top Coat

Sheer Beauty Glaze

You can find me at https://www.janebellanteart.com and @janebellanteart on all social media platforms.

Happy creating!!

xo, 

Jane

StencilGirl® Art Journaling by Frieda Oxenham

Over the past few years, we have all gained more appreciation for the place we call home, having been forced to spend so much more time there, so this spread is a homage to where we live, wherever that may be.

Here is the tutorial:

1.     In an 8 x 8” black paged sketchbook drip white acrylic paint onto the pages and more it around using a scraper and/or brush

2.     Using black acrylic paint and a cosmetic wedge, stencil through stencil Dream Imagine Inspire Create, or any other StencilGirl® text stencil of your choice.

3.     Using red acrylic paint and a cosmetic wedge, stencil onto the spread through String and fill in some of the circular areas with the same paint and a brush.

4.     Add more paint to some of the areas created in step 3. I used a mix of opaque and transparent paint in teal and yellow, finishing with white acrylic. Then remove the paint partially through the various patterns on the medium stencil of the January 2019 StencilClub.

5.     Add more teal paint to the pages.

6.     Drip green pearlescent ink to the pages and while still wet add some white gesso with brush or finger. Remove some of the paint again as in step 4.

7.     Using red acrylic paint and Circles Circles add circles to the spread.

8.     Using stencil 1 from the July 2022 StencilClub stencil the houses  both small and large onto a piece of deli paper using black acrylic paint and a cosmetic wedge.

9.     Tear out one of the large houses and glue it onto the right-hand page overlapping one of the red circles, using matte medium.

10.  Tear out the row of little houses and glue to the bottom of the left-hand page.

11.  Add more stencilling to the spread using red and teal paint and the medium stencil from the January 2019 StencilClub.

12.  Rub white gesso over selected areas of the spread to blend them together. I use my fingers, but a brush or cosmetic wedge will do the job too.

13.  Glue on your chosen text outline with a black marker, trace the red circles with a pencil and outline one of the little houses with a red Sharpie.

14.  Edge the pages with red paint.

© Frieda Oxenham 2023