Our Favourite Stencil

Our Favourite Stencil

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
As promised, this week I am looking at all the things you bought  in the sale last week,
and trying to provide you with some ideas and inspiration.
Last Tuesday we sold out of the Colour Burst Powders very quickly. Nonetheless, here’s a little play session,
which might give you a new idea or two…
Our dear friend Mel drew this stencil a while ago now,
together with a number of other seed heads and pods.
They’re all brilliant, but Mel and I both agree that this one, 
the seed heads one, is our fave.
Right.
Ready for a play?
Lay the 7″x7″ stencil down on a piece of 7″x7″ Clarity stencil card.
Spritz the whole thing with water.

Puff a few puffs of Colour Burst at the wet stencil.
Then lightly spritz again.

Now in theory, you’re supposed to lift the stencil and go
oooh! aaah! 
Didn’t happen.
Way too much water. 
When I said lightly spritz, I meant lightly spritz.
Not hose it down Gray!! All bled under the stencil.
A right merry mess.
Note to self: less spritz!
So that little masterpiece went destination BIN.
But then I looked at all the wet puff powder on the stencil,
and I thought to myself…
mmmm…. I wonder….

So I laid a piece of 7″ x 7″ stencil card straight down on the wet messy stencil,
and a kind of promising result.
Plenty more mileage where that came from!

Spritz stencil again without adding any extra powder puff.
Let’s see what happens when it starts to fade…

Wow! Now that’s better!

This time, let’s try a different idea.
Same grubby stencil.
Puff a little green and blue at it.
Spritz with water again.

This time, lightly spritz the piece of stencil card with water 
before you lay it down on the soggy stencil.
Love it. Let the colour bleed and spread.

Revive the stencil with a little water spritz,

Just keep pulling prints. Dry ones, wet ones, damp ones.
Use the stencil as a stamp.
It is so arty!
And no two are ever the same.

Ran it through the E-Bosser too.
That’s cool.

Now for something different again.
Dab a black dye-based ink pad like Black Soot over the stencil,
on the same side all the puff powder has been.

Remember this one?
I’m going to lay the inky stencil face down on it.

and run it through the E-Bosser.
I do love my E-bosser.
Don’t do dies. Never have.
But I do love my E-Bosser for embossing.
I use it like a mangle, not a cutter. 

What do we think….

Excellent!

Trim the sides and mount on black…

Trim back and mount on white, to lift it.

Happy with that.
Enjoyed that stencil session with Colour Burst too.

Lesson for the day:
WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT.
And if it happens to be a soggy stencil caked in Colour Burst,
then that’s your challenge!
For me, that IS the definition of creativity.
Not knowing exactly where you are headed, 
but using your imagination to develop the arty process 
as you go along.
And then, when you get to the end, you feel satisfied and content.
No matter what others say, YOU are OK with it. 
Mel has drawn a fab new stencil with various seed heads. 
She’s already given me the artwork, 
but we haven’t had time to turn it into a stencil yet. 
But when I went round Mel’s for the day the other day, 
I was puzzled, because she had loads of prints piled up using this stencil!  She had been so excited to try it out, couldn’t wait for us to get our act together, so she had hand cut it out of card to use it. Exquisite. 
It was taped to the window, drying out, 
and looking really well loved!
Now THAT’s what I call an artist!
Love & hugs,
Barb
xxxx

42 thoughts on “Our Favourite Stencil

  1. Great blog as usual Barbara. My other half is really into stencils at the minute, but he loves your Groovi to, he has joined your worldwide Groovi FB page and put some of his work on there and is so chuffed at all the likes and comments from your good self and others on there….keeps him out of trouble and my hair, ha.ha xxx

  2. Love stencils what if run through die machine first then use colour burst will try later will post my picture. Of to get eyes checked as problems with right eye better run have good day love Joy xx

  3. Fabulous blog today Barbara! I love the colour bursts as they don't always do what you think they will! Have you tried them with shaving foam yet! They work really well!
    Sounds like we've got more fabulous things coming up soon!
    I'm just taking a break from parchment samples to read your blog and have a coffee. It's really cold here today….Frost is still thick where the sun hasn't reached!!!
    Stay warm and safe. Love and hugs! Xxxx

  4. I'm always amazed by how many different prints you can get from one stencil and a selection of bursts. Wouldn't have put the black on the blue/green stencil – looks great though. Hugs x

  5. Hi Barbara, brilliant ideas and inspiration. I need to store this blog with a very bright highlighter in my brain, with me being brand new to bursts or anything like them. Thank you for taking the time and for sharing, much appreciated. Hope your new facebook group is going well for you. And hope you are well and having a good day. Love Brenda xx

    This is Giving Tuesday today. No I'm not asking everyone to give away their beans!!!😉 Just, how about an extra effort of Random Acts of Kindness today/this week, spread the happiness Barbara gave us all at the weekend. Thank you xx

    1. Thanks everyone xx

      Wow Barbara and all Team Clarity. I've just received my order placed in the early hours of Friday morning. Amazing service. You guys are all amazing. Thank you all sooo much xx

    2. Hi Brenda that's a lovely idea, I will do two tomorrow to make up for it. Hope you are keeping warm and enjoy playing with your new goodies. Sending hugs to you and Daisy xxx

  6. What lovely samples today. I was lucky enough to bag some colour bursts before they sold out so will "bank" this idea for when I get chance to craft again xx

    1. Hi Chris,
      Yes I got some too and had a play with them straight away! They are so cool! Hope you're staying in the warm as we don't want you catching cold before Friday. Love and hugs Alison xx

  7. I love my Colour Bursts and use them quite a bit with shaving foam! The effects are pretty amazing! Love this post today and loving the stencils you have used too. Have to have a play day with stencils soon. Thank you for sharing.
    Hugs
    Linda xxx

  8. Ooh like what you've done with my fav stencil, might just have to give this 'version' a try but will use Brushos instead (had them since…forever!) and couldn't justify getting Bursts at the mo. Not tried them with shaving foam (dare I say I've not tried anything with shaving foam!?!?!). Looking forward to my 'Gray Day' parcel arriving – just had e-mail to say it's on its way…. yipee… will be able to finish my Christmas cards off with word chains.

  9. Hi Barb,
    I got the Bursts from you and was well impressed when I had a play – don't know why it took me so long to buy them! Love the seed head stencils and have used them all loads. Really like what you've done today although I was a bit unsure when you said cover the stencil with black! I should've known it would work. Looking forward to seeing Mel's new stencil – she is one very talented lady. Love and hugs Alison xxx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Hope you're all managing to stay warm – hasn't it turned really cold? Just finished off my last Christmas card – a build a wreath one. I am really pleased with it. I decided to do it on the silver parchment and coloured it in on the front with metallic markers and it is lovely. Even Dave remarked on it and said he liked it – good job really cos his is similar but bigger!! Sending love and hugs to you all, Alison xxx

    2. Hi Alison yes it's cold here again today and it's got colder again tonight. I've been mounting some groovi trees today and thought they needed a little something extra so put a few touches of sparkle pen on them to geive them a bit of a lift. I haven't played with my wreath yet, still got those cards to do! Sending hugs xxx

    3. Hi Alison. Yes really cold here too. We went to Leyburn today for lunch. An early birthday day out. We were going to go for a walk too but it was a bit too cold for me xx

  10. Hello Barbara, who would have thought a print like this would turn out as it has at the end. The outcome is amazing especially once it has been mounted. Must remember to work with what I've got! I too love my e-bosser as a mangle rather than a cutter. I wouldn't have thought of using it with stencils until you showed us a long time ago. I hope your prep for Hochanda is going well. Look after your neck. Looking forward to what you have in store for us. xx (third time of trying to post in the right place. Ugh!!)

  11. Great prints using the bursts and one of my favourite stencils. I have the bright set of bursts and think in the new year I may have to get the other set too. I love watching the colours explode when they are spritzed. Xx

  12. I have had this stencil for ages but could not get to grips with it. I tried a few different things but they ended in the bin. I will definitely have another go following your tips.

  13. Hi Barbara & ladies, hope you all are keeping warm today as it has been very cold but beautiful out there, it has looked good with the frost on the fields and a mist over the sky.
    Sorry to go on , I have this stencil and just love it, I bring it out quite often for a quick car and add a stamp to finish off I use my stencil brushes I get a lovley shading with them.
    Hope you are all ok.
    Hugs to all.
    Lynn xx

  14. Thanks for all the ideas Barbara, not knowing how something will turn out is really exciting and so satisfying when they work. I love this stencil too. x

  15. Hi Barbara
    Oh wow isn't this fun! I must remember this one for the new year when I've got time to have a good play. I've had my colour bursts for ages but haven't used them much. This stencil is beautiful, Mel is such a clever lady, I'm looking forward to seeing her new stencil. Thank you for telling us to use stencil card, I thought it should be watercolour card so you've saved me making another purchase ( more money for Clarity goodies!). Have a lovely evening.
    Love Diane xxx

  16. Hi Barbara, These prints look fabulous, you have a fantastic imagination, and can 'see' things that I wish I could 'see', and you have lots of 'backgrounds' now to use.
    Lots of love from Patricia xx

  17. Hello Barb,
    Love this and will have a go when I've cleared the C card making. At the moment I'm cutting out 400 baubles and trees for my daughter's school because I have nothing better to do ha ha. She works there in the office, she's not a pupil!!
    Looking forward to the next "how to" or "ideas to try".
    Maureen xx

  18. Hello Barbara,

    Just wanted to let you know that Jeannine was really kind and helpful to me today. I had been having problems with ordering from the new website. Jeannine telephoned me to ask if I had managed to place my order. She was very helpful, especially considering that I could hardly talk due to a nasty throat infection.

    Her kindness has made a strong impression on me. It was totally above and beyond what I ever would have expected. You are fortunate to have such a genuine, caring person on your staff. My day has been brighter because of her.

    Thank you for your daily blog and for all the inspiration you give.

    Helen xx

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