Stencils are my latest craze

One good thing about crummy weather and it being slow at the shop, I create more. I have been making journals all week, out of composition books and I pretty them up with paper and tags and stamps. They are fun and a great gift at only $18.00.

Today I pulled out some small wood pieces and decided to play with them and see what I could come up with. I made a cute little sign..

and a small collage of my daughter in her tutu with 'dance' from the dictionary and some added elements to give it depth.

I liked how it turned out and so did Abby. The best part is using what's around the shop and seeing what I can come up with. Yesterday I decided I wanted to try stenciling, as it's pretty prevelant in mixed media what with all the layering that goes on. But stencils are kinda hard to find so I decided to make my own. Initially I didnt have the proper tools, I had an old blade and our cutting board with which I made a basic bird, which is on the cover of the first journal above. Today I found my new exacto knife and cutting pad and I was fired up to make much better stencils. Here's what I made. I started with an easy one...

then progressed quickly...

I loved this one and was pleased how it came out....recognize it??? "The silly walk" from Monty Python

and my finale was Mona as in Lisa. Here's my first attempt...

oops, where's her mouth?? Then I got the mouth shape out and.....

Wa-La, a masterpiece! I was truly shocked how well it came out. So I am on a stencil roll now. I love that I can use these over and over, and making them only costs .20 I mean how cheap is that?! Just transperancy paper and a knife, and of course patience. Which isn't really my virtue but when it comes to certain things I can exhibit some. Hope you enjoyed my show and tell...I am sure I shall be making plenty more art as it's nothing but rain and even snow in the forecast...when life gives you rain make a sun stencil and create your own landscape!