Create A Whimsical Infinity Roll for Your Mixed Media Projects

Hello again from Kim Hamburg, a mixed media collage artist who believes there is no such thing as too much paper. Today I’m sharing one of my favorite studio habits — making an “infinity roll,” a continuous strip of dyed and stenciled paper that you can tear from whenever your collage, junk journal, or assemblage needs an extra layer of texture and story.

Infinity Roll

ATC card with Infinity Roll Piece

---

The Infinity Roll

A never-ending strip of possibility for your mixed media projects

There is something very satisfying about a roll of paper.

Not a precious sheet you’re afraid to ruin. Not a perfectly cut background. A roll. Continuous. Practical. A little industrial. The kind that used to live in a cash register.

In the studio, though? It becomes an infinity roll — a stash of ready-to-use collage magic you can tear from whenever your junk journal, assemblage, or mixed media piece needs “just one more thing.”

This month, I decided to make mine monochromatic. I made one in purple and one in teal, and I’m honestly in love with how the edges turned out.

Here are the completed Infinity Rolls -- one in blue, one in purple.

---

Supplies

• March 2026 Stencil Club Set "Wonderfully Wonky" by Cat Kerr
  

• RIT Fabric Dye (any color)
  

• Shallow cup or small dish

• Cash Register Tape (any size)
  

• Sponge Roller Set
  

• Acrylic paint in at least two colors

• ATC Cards -- Blank
  

• Additional collage papers or fodder

• Glue Stick or Matte Medium (or Mod Podge)

---

Step 1: Dye the Paper (Trust the Process)

First, tear off a workable section of your roll — about 3 to 5 feet. That’s the sweet spot. Long enough to feel abundant, short enough to manage without dye going everywhere.

Pour a little RIT liquid dye into a shallow cup or lid. Set one end of your paper strip directly into the dye so the edge can start absorbing color.

Let it sit for about an hour. If you want deeper color, leave it longer. After an hour, flip the strip and let the other end soak.

As it dries, the dye creates this beautiful watercolor bloom along the edges. It’s soft, organic, and slightly unpredictable — which is exactly what we want. Mine dried into these moody purple and teal gradients that feel rich but not fussy.

Let it dry completely before moving on.

Paper Cash Register Roll

RIT dye in shallow container

I flipped the paper over to dye the other half.
Notice how beautiful the dye takes to the paper.

Completely Dry 

---

Step 2: Add the Stencils (Layer It Up)

Once your paper is dry, roll it out across your table.

I used this month’s Stencil Club set — “Wonderfully Wonky” by Cat Kerr. It’s a two-stencil set filled with imperfect, handmade-feeling marks. They’re playful and organic, which makes them perfect for something like this.

Using a sponge roller and acrylic paint, I randomly applied the first stencil across the strip. I didn’t measure. I didn’t space things evenly. I just moved along the paper and let the marks land where they wanted.

Be sure to stencil both sides. That way, no matter how you tear or layer it later, you’ll have interest.

After the first layer dried, I used the second stencil from the set and added another color on top. The layered marks give it depth and movement — and suddenly your plain roll looks like something you bought at a fancy art supply store.

Except you made it.

Using a sponge roller to add first layer of stencil images

Adding second layer with a contrasting color

---

Step 3: Tear and Use

Now comes the best part.

Tear pieces off as you need them.

I used mine to create ATC cards (2.5" x 3.5") and layered sections of the infinity roll onto cardstock. Add collage papers, glue it down, build on top. The dyed edges create built-in softness, and the stencil layers make even the smallest scrap feel intentional.

Because the roll is continuous, you always have more. No pressure. No preciousness.

ATC Cards with Infinity Roll Pieces

---

Why an Infinity Roll?

Because mixed media artists need building blocks.

Because junk journals are hungry for texture.

Because it’s easier to create freely when you already have beautiful components ready to go..

And honestly? There’s something really comforting about knowing you can just reach over, tear a piece, and keep making.

Plus it looks great sitting in your art space ready for the next creative idea.

Here are few tips you may want to use:

1.  This is super messy!!  Make sure to lay down paper over your work surface.

2.  You can add water to the dye to make it less intense.

      Instead of RIT dye, you can use watercolor liquid.

3.  You can leave the paper roll in the dye overnight and you will get a really great result.

4.  You can mist the paper roll with water while it is sitting in the dye.

5.  Make sure to let it dry completely before adding the stencil designs.

6.  These make really great gifts for your favorite mixed media friends.  You can actually use an old spool to roll the paper around and then add a fabric bow to hold it together.

---

Wonderfully Wonky is only available to StencilClub Members who join by March 15th and will ship on that day.

Infinity Roll dry and ready to use

You get lots of great benefits as a club member, including a coupon for 25% off all regular collection stencils, a project and PDF from the artist, and an additional project by me that is for members only. So don’t delay!

Get more information about StencilClub

Stencil Club

I would love to see your work. Please tag me on Instagram — check out my IG 

Kim Hamburg Instagram

Facebook   Kim Hamburg on Facebook 

Final look at the completed Infinity Roll -- make sure to tag me when you make yours!

Stencil a Concrete Counter with Guest Artist Jen Cushman

Some days I think the place I spend the most time other than my studio is my kitchen! My husband and I enjoy trying out and taste-testing new recipes together.

I couldn't ask for a better partner when it comes time to remodel. He gets me. 

A concrete kitchen counter has been my dream for the past 15 years. I love concrete floors too.

Shortly before mixing the concrete the contractor we were working with said, "You could stencil the countertop," I knew I wanted to take the remodel to the next level.

I chose the Maltese Mix Stencil because I wanted a geometric design.

I placed the stencil on my outgoing countertop and realized I would need to cut the edges off of the stencil to achieve a random look.

Impressing the stencil into the concrete had to happen on Goldilocks time!

Concrete heats up as it is curing and it must be soft enough to take the stencil impression but not so soft that I would smoosh the design.

We poured the concrete counter into 3 sections that took about 10 minutes each.

Pour the concrete. Level the concrete. And, my most favorite part, stencil in the Goldilocks moment towards the end.

Timing-wise, as I was done stenciling the first section the contractor was leveling the third section.

Making a concrete kitchen counter is not for the faint of heart, but I am thrilled with the end result. It was certainly worth it for me!

Next steps after stenciling: Sand. Polish. Add highlights.

Here are close-ups of the finished countertop:

Thanks for allowing me a few minutes to inspire you!

Jen Cushman

JenCushman.com

Stencil Painted Paper Mobile by Sarah Gardner

Hello there! It's Juicy*S, otherwise known as Sarah Gardner. As I write this, I've just finished the 100th paper mobile for my 100 Day Project! Yes, I made 100 of them! I’m very proud of myself, as you can imagine! Along the way, I encountered a few artist community friends who expressed interest in how I made my paper mobiles, so here I am with my first post as a StencilGirl Products® CreativeTeam member. I’m thrilled to be part of the Team, and happy to share a little of what I learned over the past 100 days!

It all starts with the paper! I’ve been making painted papers layered with color using StencilGirl® stencils to use for my mobiles. Anytime you make a paper and cut it up, something magic happens! The whole looks great, but the cut pieces or shapes always have a unique and artful look all their own.

To make a paper mobile I create two of what I call “art papers” (some people call it collage fodder, Mary Beth Shaw calls them “parts” ;) Simply put, they are papers YOU make to use in your art. I use heavy card stock or even watercolor paper for one of the two, and a thinner paper for the other one.

For the watercolor paper (side one of the mobile), I start with some water-soluble oil pastels from Art Philosophy and a Charvin Pastel Painting Stick, spraying the marks and scribbles with a little water to activate. Then I add some liquid watercolors, just dropping them onto the wet paper.  

I let these dry thoroughly and then start the stenciling! I often start the layering process with the darkest color I have chosen. Here, it’s Viridian acrylic by Lukas and I sponge it through Wendy Brightbill’s, Floral Frolics stencil.

Next, a Charvin heavy body acrylic in Eva’s Pink, using Wendy’s Peony Blooms stencil.  

Then, Lukas Naples Yellow using Cynthia Silveri’s Broken Line Columns stencil. 

Finally, Golden Titanium White through Cecilia Swatton’s Pressed Leaves stencil.

 

I'm loving how this paper is coming along. It’s a little busy. Sometimes, what works best to tame a layered and colorful piece like this is to add a whitewash, but I decide to use a colored wash because I don’t want my white Pressed Leaves to disappear. I water down already-fluid Golden High Flow Acrylic in Quinacridone Red and brush it over the entire piece. I swab a little of the paint up here and there, especially wherever those white leaves want to peek through.

The last step to complete this sheet of art paper is to add splatter with an FW Pearlescent ink from Daler Rowney in Waterfall Green. I put the ink in a dish and add a little water so that I know I’ll get a good splatter.

Now to make the second paper and what will be the reverse of the finished mobile. I decide on a fairly thick piece of vintage ledger paper. I use the Pressed Leaves stencil again, but brush/paint through the stencil with a combination of the same liquid watercolors and ink that I used for the first paper. I also include an acrylic ink from Dr. Ph. Martin's in Iridescent Orchid to add a little brightness and shimmer to the watercolored leaves. I add some splatter with the leftover paints and then take a look.  

I want the papers to coordinate, so I feel like I need to bring some of the dark green into the second paper. I do this with another acrylic ink (Liquitex in Phthalocyanine Green-Blue Shade) and a dip pen. I save the little scoops from my collagen powder ;) and use this to dip my pen. I outline all the stenciled watercolor leaves. To finish, I add some splatters with this ink.

The papers both have to be thoroughly dry before I can cut them for the mobile.  While they do, I paint the mobile string to match the papers.

You can use any shape for your mobile. I created my star templates out of sturdy cardboard (notepad backing) and they are a little worn out from all the mobiles I’ve made with them!   Since I have been adding song lyrics to my mobiles, I’m showing you how I do that. I print out the lyric, planning a word or two for each ‘star’. Then I choose the size and shape of the star according to the size of the word/phrase. I trace around my templates on the reverse side of the art papers, making sure to use the same number of the same shapes for each paper. 

Can you guess the song these lyrics came from?

And here’s a little tip: 

I marked the templates with an ‘X’ on one side. So I trace around the templates with the ‘X’ facing up for the first paper, and down for the second. That way, I can match up the mirroring shapes when I glue the stars together around the string to create the mobile!

I’ve gone through about 30 glue sticks making my 100 mobiles! I apply glue to the wrong sides of both cut-out stars and add a little to the string that will be sandwiched between the two. I start at the end of the lyric, gluing the end of the string between the two cut-out stars. Then I move up the string, gluing the stars in backward (lyric) order. 

To create a loop for hanging, I trim the string if necessary, and glue the end of the string next to itself between the last two star shapes.

Next, I glue on the lyrics.  

The final touch is to trim the stars so that they are even, with no mismatched points or corners.

Now it’s ready to hang with the other 99! 

Thank you for visiting StencilGirl® Talk!

XOXOXO

Sarah

Juicy*S is my DJ name. I'm not a DJ. I would love to be a DJ. It's one of my fantasy dream jobs, really. I got this name when my sister, my friend, and I were slinging paint and working in our art journals, drinking wine and keeping track of the funny things we were saying on a "sign-in" sheet...just craziness. We all ended up with a DJ name that day. I started my first art blog with this name, and I've had it ever since.

I have found that being creative, that making stuff, is a very fulfilling and beneficial activity for me. Creative play, and art journaling in particular, has become my self-care practice. It's so exciting for me to share what I'm excited about, and helping others find their own creative practice is one of my goals in life!

You can find me on Instagram @juicy.s.art and my website is: Juicy*S Art

I also have a YouTube Channel and an Etsy Shop.