Gift it or Grid it Challenge from Shel and Peg

Hello,

Peg & Shel with you today. We are so happy to share a few gift and wrapping ideas with you. This time of year we are always looking for an easy gift to take to out host/hostess and friends, so let us share with you some quick and easy ideas.

We are using L736 Leafy Doodle Border, S708 Leaf and Clover Prints and L422 Herbs stencils. StencilGirl® carries many leaves, flowers and nature stencils. Did you know you can shop by category? It is so convenient. 

Peg Robinson's Gifts, Tags, Bags, and a Dispenser

In the picture above and in my video, I'll show you how I created gift bags, a decorative journal to gift in a bag, a pleasing gift tag and a decorated soap or cream dispenser. I chose to work with Archival inks and Gina K Glitter paste. Isn't that green shimmer lovely?

The bags are inexpensive sandwich bags in a kraft brown paper and a wax paper much like glassine.

The tag can be used to adorn homemade flavored vinegar or oils recycling old wine bottles. You can purchase soap and lotion dispensers at the discount store and decorate them with glitter paste and stencils. 

Did I mention the decorated sandwich bags are great wrappers for gifting stencils to your crafty friends?

Shel's Wrapping Gifts Up!

For the November Gift It/Grid It theme I focused on up-cycling beautifully stenciled gift packaging using the three stencils. 

For the first one I used spray inks and the Leafy Doodle Border stencil to make my own gift wrapping paper our of craft paper that comes in ordered boxes as packaging. Iused the same stencil & spray to make a belly band and tag for the package.

The second project was created with a used box that some essential oils came in. As it was just plain craft colored box I stenciled it using some acrylic paints with the Leaf and Clover prints stencil. 

I like this stencil because you can use the designs on top of each other to add highlight or shadow with different colored paint. This box can be used again and again and doesn't have to be wrapped. 

I made a matching tag to tie on the ribbon.

For the final gift packaging project I used a paper sack from the grocery store produce area with oranges in it. I used a regular dye based ink pad and the Herbs Stencil to cover the bag in stenciled rosemary leaves. Then I used a piece of cardstock to create a topper for the bag to keep it closed. You can also use the stenciled topper as a tag to write a greeting or the to/from information. 

I hope you found my stenciled packaging upcycling ideas fun and useful and give them a try this gift giving season.

Well, we hope this helps you with your last-minute gifts this season. Thanks for checking us out and a big thanks from Shel and Peg at StencilGirlTalk. 

Enjoy the holidays.

Peg & Shel

Stencils used:

Leaf & Clover Prints 6" x6" Stencil by Jennifer Evans

Leafy Doodle Border 9" x 12" Stencil by Valerie Sjodin

Herbs Stencil 9" x 12" by Jessica Sporn

Easy no-sew stenciled friendship pillows DIY

Greetings & Salutations! 

A friend is in from out of town so I am off to a sleepover or maybe an all-night conversation. 

Not only am I bringing my pillow (because there's nothing like your own pillow when it's not your bed) I am bringing pillows for two of my best girlfriends - one I don't get to see often because she lives up north - shhh! don't tell them! It'll be our secret for a little bit.

Project time: About 4 hours total

1. Gather:

• Scissors
• Measuring Tape or Ruler
• Fabric
• Batting
• Stencils I used on pillow 1: Retro Comets by Mary Beth Shaw, Loose Woamn #1 and #2 (small) by Sue Pelletier, and words for The Dance of This Life.
• Stencils I used on pillow 2: The small stencil for the January 2015 StencilClub Set, by Mary Beth Shaw and dancers and words from The Dance of This Life by Carolyn Dube
• Acrylics
• Paintbrush
• Optional: Acrylics and Fabric Paint Medium or Fabric Paint (I decided not to use fabric paint in an attempt to keep it simple.)

2. Measure 2 pieces of previously washed fabric ( I used muslin I had on hand and it took the paint beautifully!) the size you want your pillow to be plus 3" all round for fringe.

3. Cut out the square, rectangle, or circles. Also, for a square or a rectangle, cut a 3" x 3" square out of each corner. You don't need to do this for the circle.

4. Stencil at least one side - you can do both if you want :) I stenciled the edges of the fringe in 2 different colors and am I ever glad I did because it made pairing the fringe up to tie so much easier.

4a. Sponge on 4 background colors in an uneven number of spots. 
4b. Place your stencils and use 2 new colors to paint the background designs.

4c. Stencil a greeting in black.
4d. Stencil figures in black or white. (Depending on the stencil you may need to fill in the blanks with a paintbrush.)

Pillow 1: 

Pillow 2: 

5. Place the two pieces of fabric together and cut fringe that is 3" long and about a 1/4 inch wide. I carefully measured the fringe on the first pillow. I eyeballed it on the second one. For larger pillows, you could pin them strategically together so they will not move. I planned to do this, but for the approx 10" x8" pillows I made it was not necessary. 

 

Tip: I have scissors I ONLY use for fabric and scissors I only use for paper. Friends who sew tell me this is a good practice. 

Time to be knotty!

6. Tie 3 edges on each pillow. 

Tip: I found this easier to do holding the pillow against the table top than just holding it in my hands.

7. Stuff pillows and tie off the remaining ends.

Adorable if I do say so myself!

8. Toss pillows in the dryer on low heat for about 10 minutes to set the paint.

9. Present each friend with her pillow :)

Here's a toast to Lynn and Diane! Spending time with them never fails to fill my heart with hope and laughter!

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. 

It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. 

We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

– Albert Schweitzer

Take a look at a few more projects from your art friends on StencilGirl Talk - your maker muse is sure to be set alight!

Happy stenciling,

Carol Baxter

Love & Friendship Photo Frame Surprise by Belen

Hello friends! I have a fun "What's Old Is New Again" post to share with you today.

February is fast approaching and it's a time to celebrate those special people in our lives. Sure, it's often a wife, husband, life partner... but I think it's also the perfect time to give those besties of ours some love too! I'm talking that special friend that means the world to you. The one that laughs with you, cries with you, and won't bat an eye as you power through a pint of ice cream while you recount the woes of a rough week.

I say we do something nice for them and this is what I'm going to share with you today,

I went to my local Goodwill and stumbled across the perfect item to revamp. It's a friendship photo frame.

It's a good-sized frame of nice quality and I picked it up for just $5.00. Score!

Once I got it home, I took it apart and gave it a good cleaning. Next, I masked off the areas that I wanted to preserve and I gave the mat board a coat of clear gesso.

After letting that dry for a few, I added some color using acrylic and gold gesso.

Next, it was stencil time, my Fave part! I used a lovely copper color of paint with the large stencil from Carol Wiebe's July 2017 Floral Facets StencilClub Set.

Using more of that gold gesso and the Brick Factory stencil by Daniella Woolf I added in some more texture.

Because I'm absolutely wild about Carolyn Dube's Scribble Scratch Handwriting stencil, I added in some of that design using black acrylic and then just used my fingers to add in some solid splotches of color in copper.

All that's left is to add a photo but I didn't want to include that here for fear of ruining the surprise for my friend! Guess we'll have to wait on that, but I do hope that I've managed to inspire you to revamp some of your old belongings or take a stroll through your local thrift store and find some new ones.

Have Fun & Happy Stenciling!
xo, Belen

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! And what better way to get in the Christmas spirit than using StencilGirl to help with holiday decor and gifts. Cindy here today for Team Tuesday to show you how to use your stencils to make a quick and easy stitched kitchen towel for the holidays.

I usually pull out paint and ink to use with my stencils but today I'm using them for another love of mine...stitching! StencilGirl stencils make the perfect starting point for any stitching project. Today I'm going to show you how to make a cute and easy kitchen towel that you can use for decorating or give as a gift.

Let's get started.

You will need the following supplies:

• Kitchen towel - I used one that I found in the embroidery section at Walmart (pictured in photo above). However you could purchase one from the kitchen section too.
• Embroidery hoop - not required but it helps a lot to have it in a hoop.
• Embroidery thread - I used DMC size 3 because I love the chunky texture it creates.
• Embroidery needle
• Pencil
• Washi tape or masking tape - optional
• Stencil of your choice. I used Christmas #3 Stencil from StencilGirl (pictured below)
• Scissors
• If you are new to embroidery you may want to check out this page at DMC for instructions on stitches.

First decide where you want to place your design on your towel. I decided to do the Christmas lights at the bottom of the towel. So I measured 3 inches up from the bottom and put small pieces of washi tape across the towel to help me keep my stencil straight. If you are using an embroidery hoop you will want to make sure your design in far enough away from the edge to insert in your hoop. I was not able to use my hoop toward the corners but it was easy enough to stitch without a hoop on that part. I just prefer to use a hoop if I can.

Then trace your design through the stencil with a light pencil mark. You will be stitching over the pencil marks so they won't show when you finish.

Here's what my design looked like after tracing. Remove your tape when you are done.

Place your towel in your hoop and start stitching. I am doing a simple backstitch around the lights.

To fill in the lights I am using a simple satin stitch.

For the light strand I am using a backstitch and a satin stitch for the light connection. As with all my art I am not worried about my stitches being too perfect. I like the imperfect hand made look.

When you finish it should look something like this. Eeeek I love how these cute little lights turned out!

I stitched in colors that I like to decorate with during the Holidays. I collect vintage ornaments so this sweet little towel goes perfect with some of the pink ornaments I've collected.

It would also make a wonderful Christmas gift. I hope you enjoyed this little project and remember you can use non-holiday designs to make the perfect gift for that special someone.

Now I think I'm off to stitch more stencil goodies! The possibilities are endless!

Thank you so much for being here! I hope you have a beautiful and creative Holiday Season! Stop by and see me anytime at my online home.