Stencil Mania at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome. We are moving into the second week of the current challenge over at Frilly and Funkie and our host, the lovely Sue Carrington, has picked one of her favourite tools to set the theme this time around. "Now if you know me, you'll know that stencils are a huge part of my crafting style; in fact I don't know what I would do if I couldn't use a stencil! So for this challenge we want to see your stencils taking centre stage, and the more you use the better!" The winner will earn a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

The vast majority of my stencil collection revolves around Tim Holtz' Layering Stencils and lots of gorgeous Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi stencils (all of which are available through The Funkie Junkie Boutique by the way!) I haven't had a 'Wendy fix' in a while and those stencils were definitely calling to me. I'd already got the beginnings of a background using Wendy's Archival Reinkers technique and a few stencils were just what was needed to get this DL card finished (I know, don't adjust your screens - it's not square!!!)
(click on the images for a closer look)

Wendy has a tutorial for this background technique on this month's Make ART Challenge Blog - Re-Inkers (into which this card will be entered) so I'll leave explaining that bit to the expert! The thing I love most about them is that outcome is always different and the patterns created can help to guide the final design. I grabbed my Archival Inks to work out which colours to use on top of the Cornflower Blue base and set to work play.

Orange Blossom Reinker mixed with more surgical spirit was dripped from either end of the card before I added the first of my stencils. The Spotlight Frames and Masks are fantastic for creating a focal point (hence that oval) and allowed me to use Old Ledger and Checkmate without fear of 'invading' that central space. Having added some ornate stamping I used the Hydrangea SiSi with Newsprint paper and Black Clearly for Art to make the dimensional flower. I know hydrangeas aren't usually this colour but the Tea Rose/Orange Blossom option was calling to me! A touch of Forget Me Not and Orange Blossom over the Fern Green leaves give them even more dimension. A 'faux graniteware' Mat Mini pitcher, a couple of Tim Holtz rub ons and a sentiment from his Life Quotes set completed the card.

I'm going to make this my second entry into the new 'Stamps and Stencils' challenge where the theme is 'Anything Goes'. Sue has assembled a fantastic DT line up and I highly recommend a visit if you haven't visited already.
With the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge having an 'Anything Goes' theme this will fit too.

Finally, please indulge me as I share a (somewhat blurry) photo of two of the 24 attendees at the Back2Craft workshop last Saturday... yes, it's Sandy and Toni (Artistic Craft Dabbler) who are fantastic crafters and lovely people, who will be joining those of us stalking attending Wendy's UK workshop in August! It's such a thrill to catch up with the people you get to 'know' online, and I can't wait to see them both again soon. And thank you to everyone who came along that day to try their hands at stamping, gilding and painting - as always it was great fun.

Now, there's a step by step to prepare for Saturday so I'll be off to the craft room again. Thanks for dropping by, and if you haven't seen it already, remember to check out the International Design Team Call over at IndigoBlu. Whatever you're up to today, take care of yourselves. Jenny xxx