Crazy about stencils

[charkinsmom]

My most recent addiction is stencils. I have a quest to see all the beautiful designs. So far I have found...
Crafters Workshop including Balzer Designs, Dyan Reavley, Dina Wakely
Stencil Girls
Michelle Ward( a few of her stencils are on Stencil Girls)
Heidi Swapp(I found these at Michaels)
Kite by Judi Kins
Donna Downey
Artist Cellar
Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi
Christy Tomlinson for Pink Paislee
Studio Calico - Huey's Masks
Martha Stewart
Plaid- various plastic and metal
Dreamweaver- metal stencils
Polly Pals - brass stencils
Istencils

Please add to this list.

[QueenOfInkland]

Hi. My name is QueenOfInkland and I'm a stencilholic (too haha)....

Joggles now has their own line of stencils:
http://www.joggles.com/store/catalog...cPath=473_1355

[charkinsmom]

Thanks. They look great.

[QueenOfInkland]

Yw. This is such an enabling thread

[iamvics]

http://rangerink.com/?product=claudi...tudio-stencils

http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/stencils--masks.html

http://www.istencils.com/

[iamvics]

http://rangerink.com/?product=claudi...tudio-stencils

http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/stencils--masks.html

http://www.istencils.com/

[LizSwickley]

I love http://www.lastingimpressions.com/

[charkinsmom]

Oh. I forgot about Lasting Impressions. So cute.

[sheabella]

I'm a stencilaholic too!!

[florencebeads]

I found a site that hosts a lot of artists: StencilGirl Products
There is so much there I love...

I also have taken to using my Sihlouette to cut out my own stencils out of clear plastic made for teachers to laser print overhead transparencies (a la Office Max). They are great fun because, since they are thin, you can stamp right through them.

[planet43]

Thanks for the links!

[Ladybug13]

How do you store them? Have been collecting a variety of sizes (6x6, 81/2 x11, 12x12). they currently sit in a pile on my desk. Any ideas?

[texasjodylynn]

MFT has a new line of stencils as well.

Stencils

I don't have a good storage plan right now. So far, I am keeping them in a basket on my stamp desk with my score buddy and acrylic blocks. LOL

[phyllis610]

How about a clip it up for storing the stencils. small ones fit on the spinner and the larger ones can go on the cord. Hobby Lobby has their own brand of Clip It UP.

[asuncionshija]

I don't have very many (yet!) but I'm jumping on this train! I've been searching for a while for "different" stencils - they're harder to find than I would have thought. Thanks to iamvics for her link to istencils!

[Kristy Tyra]

Can I be an enabler also? lol Use transparencies or even the thicker plastic on packaging and cut your own stencils with your Big Shot. If you have a Cricut or something similar, they will cut the lighter weight transparencies. Wow you can make some beautiful and detailed stencils! I do wish I could come up with a good way to store them. I keep changing it.

[crazy4atc]

I am a Stencilholic too!!!
I used to stencil clothing and walls in the 80's,loved using Buckingham Stencils(no longer in production) and now I am really into stencilling in Journals and for my ATC's.
I especially like using them with the fabulous Gelli Plate,so many fabulous backgounds so easy to make.
I would really like to buy some of the Andy Skinner stencils but they don't seem to be readily available except in Britain. Check out the Gelli Plate blog for tons of great Stencilling ideas.

[GypsyRoseStamper]

Regarding storage, I thought I had seen an entry on Claudine Hellmuth's blog showing how she stores each stencil in a looseleaf notebook page protector stiffened with cardstock. Having them all in notebooks and being able to classify by theme or manufacturer does sound appealing, especially if all your stencils are not the 12 x 12 size. Mine are still in a jumble in a cloth covered basket. If I make some transparency stencils, I will probably have to come up with better protection for them.

[Dee Ann 1]

I'm a fan of Dreamweaver Stencils which are often very detailed and work well with stamps. They also have developed a variety of techniques well beyond dry embossing!
Dee Ann

[Maus]

You can make your own with manilla folders by using punches or cutting them out. To make them last longer, soak them in olive oil - like we used to with the original bone folders - overnight, wipe off the excess and let them dry out. I store mine in a notebook like Gypsy Rose said. (You know you can also make your own Gelli plate, too!)

[Rebecca Ednie]

Subbing

[QueenOfInkland]

You can also buy stencil material and make your own but I suspect you have to probably use Sizzix steel rule dies or their equivalent. I got some of this material but I haven't tried to make my own stencils yet.

[charkinsmom]

I would love to see some home made stencils. I have been wanting to make my own as well.

I guess you could also use paper doilies or lace from the dollar store also.

[florencebeads]

The stencils I made are not much to look at; I used my Silhouette cutter to cut shapes out of laser printer overhead transparencies. I have used spellbinders to make stencils as well. They are made of clear plastic, so I wrote on them sloppily with a sharpie, so they wouldn't disappear on my desk.

These stencils are great fun to work with because the ink slips right off them onto the paper. You know how Tim Holtz uses his trusty craft mat to distress the edges of his paper? It works so well because the mat is slick and does not keep any of the ink. The same is true for the overhead transparency acetate. The other thing that is really great with the transparency stencils is that they are thin, so if you stamp through the holes, the image from the stamp prints right to the edge. I like to swipe the excess color from the stamped image through the stencil onto the paper as well to add texture. Here are some examples that went well for me:
You Look Smashing by florencebeads - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers
Come into my Garden by florencebeads - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers
Happy stamping!
Florence

[~LN]

Great posts!!

[teachinjo]

So what do you like to do with the stencils? I have just found them to be wonderful for art journaling. I think I will make some smaller backgrounds for cards too.

[teachinjo]

wondering how you are making your own gelli plate? I put a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil into a gallon ZipLock bag . It worked great, but seeped from the bag when I store it for a week....

[Starlytte]

Um, don't look now but...Scrapbook.com has Prima stencils 25% off: Prima Marketing Templates

[crazy4atc]

I have had my Gelli for 2 years now and find that for less then 30.00 it was extremely good value. The smaller 6x6 size is even less.
I cannot see the savings in making your own by the time you buy packages of gelatin each time,then you must store the whole cookie sheet in your refrigerator til you use them again,eventually i understand they mould. I know that I would never have that much room in my fridge to store it there. The Gelli an be used over and over again if you take minimal care of it should last a lifetime. When you thinkj about it the cost of the Gelli is less then the cost of one die.
Thanks again to everyone for all the great links to various Stencil companies.

[charkinsmom]

I just found this site. http://www.thestencilsmith.com/

This weekend I had a great time using all my stencils on my Gelli Plate. You can see all my creations on my blog paper flowers

[crazy4atc]

The ones from the stencilsmith are rather pricey,guess they are meant for wall stencilling as the sizes are rather large.
Michaels is now carrying a nice assortment of Heidi Swapp stencils,very inexpensive 5.99 for 12x12 and I think 3.99 for 6x6 in US,plus you can use your coupons on them.
Red Lead also has some different stencils that are reasonably priced.
Thanks to all for great all the great links and ideas!

[Rebecca Ednie]

I don't think Red Lead Paper works has been mentioned as a source of stencils and tho they might carry some from other companies I know some are their own designs. They just showed some new ones shaped like women and girls in dresses recently.

[jjhere]

I use my stencils for art journaling and sometimes on tags. Thinking I'll get around to working on some canvases too. I need more hours in my day!

[jjhere]

Hey! I created a new thread for this a little bit ago, but it just occured to me that you stencilholics might have an answer for me. What is the difference between embossing paste and modeling paste? I know they can be used in similar ways. Are they essentially the same thing?

Thanks!
Julie

[iamvics]

Another way to use stencils: Dry Embossing with Stencils - YouTube

[Stamp Muse]

Viva Decor and Momenta also offer stencils

[GypsyRoseStamper]

Anyone ever run cardstock through a laminator and try to cut a stencil with thin dies? Will it cut?

[jjhere]

I haven't tried it, but I wonder if wet media would seep in where the cut is and mess it up.

[GypsyRoseStamper]

I did try the cutting out of laminated cardstock but haven't tried Step 2, the use of it with paint or ink media. It cut fine using thin metal die in my Vagabond and an extra metal shim added to the plate. I also was able to get a good cut using the Cricut on laminated cardstock---did not have change to the deep-cut blade.

Chances are I will stick to the stencils I already have, but it's nice to know that I could use a thin die to make a stencil if I really wanted it.


In the meantime, I want to remind myself to toss the negative cardstock selvage from die cutting into my stencil box for future one time use.

[Rebecca Ednie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsyRoseStamper

Anyone ever run cardstock through a laminator and try to cut a stencil with thin dies? Will it cut?

Why run Cardstock through? Can't you just run the laminating sheets through empty? Then die cut them? Or does something prevent you from doing that. You can also die cut acetate sheets to make masks and stencils. We did that in our Copic Pen and ink class this past weekend.