Making stickers with Stencils

Stickers are all the rage at the moment - but they can cost time and money to get the right set-up. So why not try making stickers with what you've already got?

What you're going to need for this project:

• Matt sticker paper - we use Pepra "Matte Sticker Paper" which are A4 sheets (50 sheets at the time of writing this are £7.49 from Amazon)
• LoveAll Crafts VW Inspired Camper Background Layering Stencil
• Something to colour the stencils with - we used Distress Inks in Weathered Wood, Black Soot, Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, Wilted Violet, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry, Chipped Sapphire, Lucky Clover and Candied Apple
• Some kind of tape to tape down the stencil - we use red painters tape
• A thick black pen (Optional - but we like to use Pigma Micron Pens - size 08)
• A pen to colour the headlights (this can also be inked but we use a Hybrid Metallic Copper Pen in this project)
• Holographic Paper (Optional but a great way of taking your stickers to the next level - we're using Gearific Transparent Holographic Overlay Vinyl Sheets (£14.99 for 30 sheets from Amazon at the time of writing of this blog)
• Scissors to fussy cut - we use the Tim Holtz Micro Serrated Scissors

Lets Get Crafting!

1. Take a piece of your Matt adhesive paper and put the first layering stencil down in the corner

2. Colour with your material of choice - we're using Distress Inks because they give vivid colours and are very easy to lay down a good amount of colour

3. Put the next layering stencil down, taking care to line everything up. 

4. We would like the tops of our campers to be white so we're going to use a black pen to trace around the outside of the stencil. You can ink this stage if you'd like it to be a colour.

5. Put the third layering stencil on

6. Colour - we've used a Distress Ink in Weathered Wood for the whole of this layer. I also like to go round the circles with a black pen but this is entirely optional.

7. Put the fourth and final layering stencil down.

8. Colour. We've used a black pen to outline the windshield, a copper pen do do the headlights and Black Soot Distress Ink for the tyres and number plate.

9. We went around everything with a thicker black pen because I love a black outline and thought the thinner line was a bit weak.

10. You could stop here, fussy cut and use them  as stickers..... orrrrrrrr you could go to the next level and use some holographic transparent vinyl....

11. Peel off the transparent vinyl and place over the top of the matt sticker paper - remember if you want to write anything on the number plate do this before you use the vinyl as this will seal the image.

12. Fussy cut and revel in the amazingness of the stickers you've just created....

You can use them in journals, scrapbooks, cards and more!

When is a Tree not a Tree? When it's a Wreath!

 

The LoveAll Crafts Tree Stencil can be easily turned into a wreath builder - and wreaths aren't just for Christmas! Here's how to do it...

What you'll need:

* LoveAll Crafts Tree Stencil

* Inks - I'm going to be using Distress Oxide Inks in Iced Spruce and Rustic Wilderness

* A card blank (bought or made) - my card is 5'x5'

* Some kind of sentiment/topper - I'm using the Bold Tidings 1 stamps from Stampers Anonymous

* Small gems (or you can use nuvo drops of similar)

* A pencil and eraser

* Painters or Masking Tape

Let's get crafting!

1. In pencil, lightly, draw a circle. This will be the middle line of your wreath so make sure there is ample space on both the outside and inside.

2. Take the tree stencil and use masking/painters tape to tape off some of the tree. Try to make sure you don't have any half leaves as these will leave a funny design on your wreath

3. Place the stencil down on your pencil circle line, trying to keep an even amount of foliage on each side of the line. Don't worry if it's not exact - the more organic the better! Ink in your choice of colour.

 

4. Move the stencil to the next part of the card and keep repeating until the wreath is built. It doesn't matter if there are gaps, you can fill them in at the end.

 

 

5. Clean the stencil fully then turn it upside down (so the tape is facing towards the card) and repeat with your next colour. I like to turn the stencil the other way just to get slightly different shapes.

 

 

6. Repeat as many times as you want with as many colours as you want. I find 2 or 3 layers does a lovely job though. Use a clean eraser, once the ink is dry, to remove any pencil lines left over.

7. Add embellishments. I'm using some red gems bought from The Range but you could use nuvo drops or similar, or draw on some berries, die cut them, use 3D berries - whatever you'd like to do!

 

8. I'm going to finish off my card using the Bold Tidings 1 Stamp set from Stampers Anonymous, some Gold Embossing Powder from Wow Embossing and my Stamp Easy platform.

 

 

9. Ta-dah!

and to prove a wreath can be used at any time of the year, here's one I made using Kitsch Flamingo Distress Ink, Tattered Rose Distress Ink, Dew Drop Galaxy Gold Ink, some feather stamps from the Pink Ink Design Unicorn stamp set, a sentiment from Tim Holtz Ideo-ology and a butterfly topper from my stash.

The possibilities are endless! Enjoy!!

September 2021 release : Moon Layering Stencil - Tutorial 2 - A "Moody" Moon

Being a Cancerian I love everything lunar. If I can get a moon into my artwork, it makes me very happy. I used to make moons with scraps of paper until it hit me - stencil it! So here is the Moon Layering Stencil Set and a how-to on one of my favourite ever techniques.

I found this technique through a tutorial from Prairie Paper and Ink - there's a blog post and a YouTube video. Amy's blog is chocked full of awesome ideas and tutorials so definitely take the time to potter around!

Tutorial #2 : A Moody Moon Effect

What you'll need for this Card

* LoveAll Crafts Moon Layering Stencil

* Distress Oxide Sprays - Chipped Sapphire, Cracked Pistachio and Pickled Raspberry

* Distress Oxide Ink in Chipped Sapphire

* Distress Spray Stain in Antiqued Bronze

* Watercolour Paper - I'm using Hobbycraft 190gsm watercolour paper

* Versafine Black Onyx Ink Pad

* Lavinia Stamps - an old fairy stamp and Moon Pods

* Tim Holtz Idea-ology sentiment sticker

* 6x6 Card Blank

* Water Mister or Spray Bottle

* Stamping platform or acrylic block

Let's Get Crafting!

1. Put down the inner mask of the size moon you want to use. I'm using the large moon in the stencil set. You can either tape it down or just lay it on the card. It doesn't matter too much if it moves.

2. Place in a spray box or somewhere you can make mess with your sprays. 

3. I'm starting with chipped sapphire, then using cracked pistachio, pickled raspberry and finally the antiqued bronze. Be generous with the spray and build it up to your desired look. I'm spraying, adding some water, blotting with a paper towel and then repeating to build up the layers.

4. Remove the inner mask stencil.

5. Spray the whole thing with water. Spray with the bottle facing into the moon so you're spraying around the moon, facing the middle of the moon. You want to activate the distress oxide and make it move across the moon space. The paper might curl a bit when wet so use a stick or similar to hold the middle down.

6. Keep adding water and drying to get your desired moody effect.

7. Cut to size (just a little shy of 6x6)

8. Time to stamp! I'm using a Stamp Easy platform but you can use an acrylic block. I'm also using Versafine Black Onyx Ink.

 

9. Distress the edges with a bit of Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide.

 

10. Embellish. I love a bit of sparkle so I'm using Liquid Pearls in Petal Pink and Buttercup.

11. Add a sentiment - this is a Tim Holtz Idea-ology sentiment sticker

12. Ta-dah!