Stencils | Stencilling Art

September 9th, 2010

How to decorate a living room on a budget

The center of the home for family and friends to gather should be inviting. The living room is where we enjoy our evenings relaxing and spend time with our family and friends. The function of the living room to be warm, welcoming and relaxing has to be kept in mind as you decorate it. You must also remember that you don’t have to buy new furniture and replace every square inch of carpeting unless of course you just want to. Eventually you may have to replace the carpeting but at the moment it’s not in your budget.

How much time and money do you have for the decoration? Do you have more time than money as most of us do? Are you looking to redo and replace the entire space? Would you simply like to make it more welcoming and personalize it a bit more? How much does your budget allow for you to spend? Will you have to spread out the decoration process to fit it into the budget? The answers to these questions will provide you with the basis for your decorating adventure and have a large influence on what you do with the living room as you decorate it.

Take the time to decide in what order to do the decoration. If you are planning on painting and replacing the carpet you probably want to paint first. That way if you have an accident with the paint you aren’t having to pay someone to come in and clean carpet you just spent a small fortune on. Painting first means that any stains on the carpet will go away when the carpet is ripped up and the the carpet put down.

A fresh coat of paint can be a major change to any room. Paint can make the room look fresh. It’s your house so if you would prefer you can just change the color of one wall or use tape to paint designs on the wall. You may opt to use stencils and place a few designs around the wall. Changing the colors of the walls will effect how the furniture is going to look so you want to be sure that you can live with the result until you get to the furniture portion of redecorating. Instead of purchasing new furniture check and see if you know someone that want’s to switch furniture with you and you’ll both have a new look.

If you have school age children then you can dedicate one wall or section of a wall to their artwork. If there is an entertainment center in your living room then use it to display pictures of family and trophies your children won. Something as simple as repositioning the furnishing can make a big difference in the room itself and the feeling it gives you. Try rearranging the furniture to see

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September 6th, 2010

Decorating Cents

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When choosing a theme or style for decorating your home, there are quite a few to select from. One of the most popular decorating themes today is country home decorating. Possibly it is a most popular decorating theme because it provides warm, inviting atmosphere and all-encompassing friendly feeling. Country home decorating, because of its warm feeling, is enjoyed by those living there as well as all those who visit.
As with any home decorating project, a homeowner must first make a decision where they want to employ country home decorating. Some people choose to utilize this style throughout their entire home while others decide to use country home decorating in just one or two rooms, for example, the living room and family room. Because this style is meant for people who like simplicity and nature, some homeowners may decide to carry the country decorating theme throughout the entire living space.

Country home decorating combines colors which are clean and bright with country furniture and accessories. When choosing colors for country home decorating, light to medium shades of white, yellow, pink, green or brown are good choices. Colors should reflect a rustic or country atmosphere. To add to the painted walls, a homeowner or decorator may decide to use stencils with country characters such as plants, fruits and vegetable. Wallpaper borders are also often used in country home decorating. It is acceptable to utilize these additions but the rule of thumb is – make sure the patterns do not conflict.
Appropriate with a rustic and simple style, country home decorating uses wood – natural wood. When making a decision on a material for a country floor, natural wood is a nice choice. Certainly using natural wood throughout a large area can be costly. When researching for a less-costly way to give floors a country look, a light shade of wall to wall carpet could be considered or laminate flooring. These options should also work well with the country home decorating theme. Other choices for country floors are tile or flagstone. Some homeowners, if they are really creative, decorate their floors with stencils and create patterns. Another very good way to perk up a space is to use scatter rugs. In line with the country home decorating theme, area rugs with an authentic look create a warm and cozy feeling. Quilted, hooked and braided rugs make enhance additions to a country floor.
When choosing furniture to compliment country home decorating, light wood or wicker is suggested. Again, these materials reflect the beauty of nature. If a homeowner or decorator decides fabric would accent their furniture, such as cushions or slip covers, floral patterns or checkered fabrics add to the authentic look.
Accessorizing a space always adds to its beauty. When buying accessories to fit in with a country home decorating theme, it is good to keep in mind the type of atmosphere you are trying to create, a warm and inviting space. Simplicity goes a long way in country home decorating. It is recommended to never use too many decorations and choose accessories that family and friends will enjoy. Photos in simple wooden frames, plain mirrors, plants and scented candles dress up country home decorating. Window treatments should also be simple. Lace or shutters give a cozy country feel. Country home decorating can be interesting and fun. Perhaps the main detail to keep in mind is simplicity. Try not to over-decorate, remember too many patterns will clash. Too many decorations will eliminate the amount of space in a room. Country home decorating creates a relaxing and friendly environment, meant to be warm and cozy.

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August 21st, 2010

The Ultimate Shaving Kit Makes Pubic Hair Grooming a Breeze

While recently researching pubic hair shaving kits I discovered a growing phenomena among couples. The couple plans a private, romantic spa evening for themselves at home with a bubble bath, champagne, candles and flowers. After the bath, but before the bubbly, the couple takes turns helping each other groom and shave their pubic hair. I’ve heard stories about both men and women creating pubic hair designs for each other. This I found very intriguing because I know that pubic hair grooming has been an art since Cleopatra so I decided to find a kit and try it out for myself.

The Ultimate Shaving Kit is a pubic hair grooming kit that includes exclusive formulas – Shave, Soothe & Smooth – were designed by a woman chemist to eliminate pesky rashes, ingrown hair, bumps and itching that some people experience after they groom their pubic hair.

The kit won the “Cosmopolitan’s Beauty Award for the Best Bikini-line Beautifier” when it was first introduced and quickly sold out. The creator, Judy Pfleger of Hair Care Down There, recently released new stock available for purchase on-line.

When I received The Ultimate Shaving Kit I was impressed with the cute waterproof aqua carry-all case. The case keeps the pubic hair grooming formulas and tools discreetly stored between uses and there are extra pockets if you want to add some of your own beauty supplies.

The kit includes:

* A style guide.

* The three signature products: Shave, Soothe & Smooth.

* Round-tipped safety scissors with a rubber grip.

* Lightweight and narrow cartridge razor.

* 2-sided magnifying mirror.

* Brush and comb.

* Heart and landing strip stencils and stencil pencil.

* Decorative bindi adhesive jewels to enhance your design.

Shaving your bikini line for the first time can be very scary. I read the instruction guide that explained how to use the formulas and tools and the tips and color pictures of the various styles of pubic hair grooming were very helpful.

By using the three gentle formulas made for pubic hair I discovered that I need not fear nicks, cuts or ingrown hair. The Shave, Soothe & Smooth products are a clear shaving gel (so you can see where you are shaving), a spray that prevents itching and rashes and an aloe and green tea moisturizer to keep skin smooth. These products can be reordered separately so that I restock the kit anytime.

The instructions were very easy to follow and the products did not sting or burn my skin. If you’re like me you’ll start out with a conservative bikini shave and progress to creative designs and bindi jewels when you grow more confident.

My fear of shaving my bikini area was completely unfounded. Hair Care Down There made it simple and safe. I highly recommend The Ultimate Shaving Kit for novices and those who are experienced in pubic hair grooming. It is wonderful to have everything you need all in one place and with a carry case that I will take with me when I travel.

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July 24th, 2010

Interior decorating tips for the home

Allover Wall stencil Scroll. Beautiful wall stencils by Cutting Edge Stencils.

Today I discovered that decorating one’s home can follow principles similar to those on the cooking show “Semi Homemade.”

My husband and I had discussed the bare appearance of the walls in our hall bathroom. In less than one hour I came up with a satisfactory solution.

Browsing in a craft store, I found the inexpensive matted prints offered in nearly any store dcor, discount, craft, pharmacy, even grocery. There’s a huge selection of these items, and they usually are deliberately laid out in the store with a specific room in mind. I quickly found two prints that had a “bathroom” theme.

I then visited three more aisles in the same store, where I picked up a set of markers, a stencil, and some picture-hanging hardware. I went home, unwrapped the prints, markers and stencil, and chose a few appropriate designs on the stencil, and markers in colors that complemented those of the prints. With a steady hand, I colored in the stencils around the edges of the white mat. That took about 10 minutes total.

Then I chose the locations where I wanted to hang the prints. My picture-hanging hardware included sturdy wire. The prints were not heavy, since they had no frames. I simply cut wire to fit the width, attached it to the back of the prints with packing tape, hammered nails into the walls, and the prints were hung.

In total, this project took less than one hour and cost less than $20.00. I also need to add here that I am not “the artistic type.” However, my hall bathroom looks much better than it did yesterday. These are simple home decorating ideas that are available to anyone.

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June 30th, 2010

Decorating a nursery on a budget

Preparing a room for your baby’s arrival can be extremely expensive. Retail stores often charge high amounts for nursery decorations, but there are ways to create a perfect space for your new baby without spending every last dollar in your checking account. Always on a budget, I was forced to use my imagination more than my wallet when coming up with nursery decorations for my children. I realized that expensive does not always mean better, and that often times you will enjoy the nursery more after putting a little thought and time into coming up with original decorative ideas. Four creative and inexpensive decorating ideas are listed below.

Tip 1: Make your own wall decorations.

Creating your own wall decorations can be simple and a lot of fun as well. You need not be an artist to design your own murals and pictures for the walls of your nursery. Stencils are a cheap and easy way to decorate walls and require little or no skill to use. Look online for stencils that coordinate with the theme of your nursery. Another idea is to create your own artwork to frame or hang in groups around the room. This can be done by cutting out characters or images from gift bags, printing out free coloring book pages from the internet, or even displaying children’s place mats in your nursery theme on the walls. There really is no limit to the ideas you can come up with when it comes to wall decorations.

Tip 2: Make your own rug.

Most craft stores sell kits for decorative rugs in many different designs or themes. Most of these rugs can be created with little skill or effort. While generally not as sturdy as standard area rugs, they are solid enough to handle the limited traffic of a nursery. These rugs can be used on the walls as well as on the floor.

Tip 3: Create art out of shower invitations, photos, and cards.

A lovely decorating idea, and one you will want to hang on to even after your baby grows up and moves out of the house, is to create a framed display of mementos of your pregnancy and your baby’s entrance into the world. Make a collage of your baby shower invitations, cards you have received, newborn and pregnancy photos, wrapping paper from your baby gifts, and even ultrasound photos, and frame it for hanging on the wall.

Tip 4: Mix and match with clearance items.

Every item in your baby’s nursery does not have to be specifically created for the nursery. Instead of buying curtains in the theme that matches your baby’s crib bedding, look for coordinating curtains on clearance at your local store. This same idea applies to bumper pads, diaper stackers, and lamp shades. If your theme is farm animals, for example, buy curtains in a solid color that matches the colors in your bedding. This will save you money in the future as well, as these items can be used later in other rooms or for your toddler once he or she grows out of the nursery.

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June 28th, 2010

Christmas crafts: How to make salt

Salt dough ornaments are a fun and creative way to decorate your home this holiday season. Even the littlest of hands can create masterpieces that will last a lifetime. Are your teens short on cash and looking for a special gift for family and friends? A salt dough ornament can make the perfect gift. Your imagination is the only limit.

BASIC RECIPE

3 cups of flour

1 cup of table salt

1 cup of warm water

Supplies: Rolling pin, cookie sheet, butter knife, bowl, wax paper or plastic wrap, straw, toothpick and cookie cutters or stencils of your choice.

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 300 degrees

* Mix your flour, salt and water in a bowl

* Kneed the dough until it is a soft workable consistency (approximately five minutes.)

* Using your rolling pin roll out your dough to a half an inch in thickness.

* Use your cookie cutters to cut out your shapes.

* When using stencils you will need a butter knife to cut out your stencils (it’s best to use stencils on the edges of the dough and you can add a few drops of water to the dough and roll it out again.)

* If you are going to hang your ornament use a toothpick or a drinking straw to put a hole at the top of it.

* Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours

* Let the dough sit for at least 30 minutes or until it is cool and dry feeling to touch.

MICROVABLE DOUGH

2 cups of flour

Half a cup of table salt

1 cup of water

* Mix together

* Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes

* Let the dough sit for an hour before rolling it out.

NO-BAKE SALT DOUGH

3 cups of floor

1 cup of table salt

1 cup of boiling water

Half a teaspoon of Vaseline

* Place ball of dough in a bowl and cover, let sit for 2 hours when the dough is dry it is ready to be rolled out and ornaments made.

Helpful Tips

* Add food coloring to your dough before baking.

* Scented ornaments use a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, or a few drops of scented oil.

DECORATING YOUR ORARAMENTS

Supplies

* Acrylic paint (assortment of colors)

* Paint brushes

* Toothpicks (for small areas and to write with if you want to personalize the ornament.)

* Ribbon (to use as a hanger for your ornament)

* Craft glue

* Scissors

* Flat beads, charms, buttons or any other item you would like to use to decorate your ornaments.)

* Glitter

* Clear sealant (to preserve your ornaments) comes in a spray can and brush on bottle.)

CREATIVE IDEAS

* Christmas tree ornaments

* Snowflake garland

* Nativity Scene (great project if you have small people and animal cutters or stencils.)

* Gingerbread House (Cut the dough into squares to make your house, and glue together, you can glue real candy (just put a sealant on them first to the house.) Make sure you keep out of reach of little hands when it’s finished.

GIFT IDEAS

* Personalized Ornaments (write their name and the year and a personal message on the back with a toothpick.)

* Picture Frame (Cut a circle or square spot out of the center of the dough and place your picture inside and use a piece of self laminating paper on the back to keep the picture in the frame.

* Candy Box (Cut six squares the same size, and glue five of them together for your box and use the last piece for your top, you’ll to attach a handle type pre-made ornament to the top to remove the cover.)

These are just a few simple and quick ideas for great personal gifts especially for the people on your hard to buy for list. Just decorate them geared towards the receivers likening and wrap them up.

You can create almost anything with salt dough let your imagination be your guide and create one of a kind ornaments and gifts.

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June 28th, 2010

Installing Headlight Covers

Headlight covers are one of the accessories that are most often used by car owners and enthusiasts who have vehicles and cars that they show off at car and auto shows. However, practicality wise, headlight covers are not usually used by ordinary motorists on their vehicles. These accessories are usually just to add a more stylish appeal and design to car show entrants. They are also often added to give the vehicle a more aesthetic appeal.

To have headlight covers for your auto show entrant, you can simply purchase headlight cover kits from your trusted auto parts dealer. There are two kits that you actually have to purchase. One kit would be that that consists of a cover and the molded clips. The other kit would be the one that holds decal patterns, plus stickers, and labels.

Each of these kits contains instructions on how to use them as well as how to install them. Go through each one and be familiar with the pieces of information provided. These would assist you when you would be doing the actual installation. When you are about to start the process, gather the following tools and materials: a lens cleaner, a squeegee, masking tape, soap solution, and vinyl decals. You would be using these as you go along.

First clean the surface of each headlight lens. Then, put on the cover on the car. Put up the decals on the lens on the locations where you choose them to be. Mark off these locations. Use tape on the outside of the headlight cover to show you the locations. Remove the cover then and spray the lens with soap solution. By doing such, the stencil will be held in place.

Next, apply the stencils on the lens. Place then on the location and areas where you actually want the light to shine through when the cover is already installed. Keep in mind that once you put on the cover, the rest of the areas would be covered in paint. Once you accomplished the location of your stencils, run the squeegee over the stencils. Work outward from the center and this action removes any air pockets.

The face of the lens should be masked off. By doing such, you are preventing any kind of overspray from getting on you vehicles shield. Next, clean the lens with glass cleaner and then allow it to dry. Once dry, apply the paint. When the paint is dry, use a razor blade or a sharp knife to lift off the decals and the stencils. Make sure that you do this carefully. Then, place the lens on the vehicle and clean it with plastic or Plexiglas cleaner.

For the most trusted and most reliable source of superb and quality accessories, there is no other car parts and accessories supplier than Auto Accessories Giant. It has a well-stocked collection of GMC Truck accessories and accessories for other brands.

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June 28th, 2010

Kids crafts: Painted T – Part 1

My daughter was having a sleep over for her birthday and I wanted something for the girls to do. I decided on a craft project that would let each girl make their own sleep shirt. Using paints, glitters, stencils and stamps seemed to be the best way to give them a wide selection of design options.

I went to the craft department and picked up a selection of washable paints. I got a variety of puff paints, glitters, glow in the dark, gels and a large selection of colors. I picked up stencils and foam stamps in all kinds of styles including; flowers, animals, characters, design patterns and just anything that caught my eye that I thought the girls would like to put on their shirts. I also got lots of paint brushes so there would be enough for everyone and every color. Most of these supplies can be found at any discount store or dollar outlet. The brushes do not have to be high quality or expensive because they will not be reused after this craft activity. I also got several packs of mens plain white t-shirts in large enough sizes so the girls could sleep in them.

I got all the supplies together and made space on my kitchen floor for each girl to have room to work. My floor is linoleium, so I wasn’t too concerned about the paints getting on the floor, but we did have some cleaning towels on hand for spills. We placed all the supplies in a basket in the center of the girls to make it easy for them to share all the different paints and stencils. After giving each girl their own shirt they couldn’t wait to get started.

I let them be as creative as they each wanted to be. They used stencils and the stamps to make designs on the shirts and they also used the brushes to paint their names and other things on the shirts. They all used different color combinations and styles to express themselves. It was a lot of fun and each child used their imagination and creativity to make a work of art that was useful too.

When they were all complete I took the shirts and clipped them with clothes pins to a line in my laundry room. Once they were dry each girl took their shirt down and when it was time to get ready for bed they couldn’t wait to put them on. Each girl took their shirts home as a self designed work of art.

So next time your daughter has a group of friends over and you want a nice project for them to work on try this idea and they will enjoy making the shirts and wearing them as well.

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June 28th, 2010

Product reviews: Crayola Color Wonder products – Part 1

Crayola Color Wonder Products is a product that parents will love, because its colorless paints and inks are not messy. This is the latest invention by Crayola that allows your child to draw, and paint without the mess. You won’t have to worry about your child getting ink on his hands, or getting ink all over the floor. This new product has specifically designed clear inks, which only appear on the Crayola Wonder Paper. There’s no actual ink or paint, in any of the Wonder Products.

One of their latest products is the Crayola Color Wonder Sprayer. Your child can create beautiful airbrush artwork with this product. They will get a kick out of being able to spray paint using the cutout stencils or enjoy drawing on the clear paper provided. The stencils have cutouts of a dragon, outer-space, castles, and knights.

This set comes with a Color Wonder sprayer unit, 4 color cartridges, place-mat, and a 12 Page Wonder paper tablet, 1 black broad line marker, 1 yellow broad line marker, 3 create a scene stencils, 1 color Wonder pop-up 3-D dragon figure, and 1 Color Wonder Magic reveal crayon. The tablet comes with 9 pages of clear paper, and 3 preprinted color books pages. The sprayer unit requires refills cartridges, and 4-C batteries which are not included with this product. This is recommended for children ages 5 and up. This set $ costs 19.99

The sprayer unit also has the dinosaurs and Unicorns kit. This kit comes with 1 broad line marker, 5 cut out stencils featuring dinosaurs and unicorns, 1 sheet of stickers, and a 15 page mini tablet. This kit costs $10.99, and does not come with the sprayer. All sprayer units must be bought separately from the kits. Other kits include the animals/ faeries, and cars/princesses.

There is also a wide range of paint kits available for your young artist, such as the Glitter Paint set. With this product your child can draw beautiful pictures, and then color them using the ink-less paints. This set also has glitter that stays on the paper. You’ll get 3 paint filled paintbrushes, and 3 sheets of Color Wonder Paper. This product is recommended for children ages 3 and up. The cost of this product is $12.99. Other kits include the Paint and Mega coloring sheets, under the sea paint em’s, finger-paints coloring book, and Watercolor and paper. The paintbrushes require a refill cartridge, and the prices will vary depending on what you buy.

In all Crayola Wonder is a great product for young kids that like to draw, but tend to generally make a mess. I like that you don’t have to worry about rinsing out the paintbrushes once you’re done. This product saves a lot of time and energy, because you don’t have that much to clean up after-wards. The only downside to this product was the fact that the markers do bleed out a bit. I’m concerned that a younger child may stick the marker in his mouth, and get sick in the process. If your child is under 5 years old, you may want to keep him away from the markers. Another thing that I didn’t like was the fact that you have to buy refill cartridges, and batteries with this product. The batteries should be included with this product.

However, I did like the fact that this product came with a tote bag, and a little slot in the bag for your pencils and markers. I also liked that it came with tablets. I didn’t have to worry about the work books and art supplies being misplaced. The Color Wonder Products may be just the tool needed for your next aspiring artist. So why not give it a try?

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June 28th, 2010

Let Plaster Art Get Your Drywall Business Through The Winter Slow Season

4 years ago, I began designing, manufacturing and marketing a line of raised plaster stencils and ornamental molds. My focus was to introduce the art of raised stenciling to the general consumer, creating a new market for common stencils, which I did quite successfully.

However, as news spread of the revival of this lost art, I began to receive more and more calls from drywall contractors and builders across the nation quizzing me about the possible application of these techniques in their drywall/plaster business.

The typical slow down in winter due to harsher building conditions (and now the recent downturn in the housing industry) commonly left a gaping hole in revenues for businesses of this nature.

Smart drywall professionals began seeing Raised Stenciling and the application of Ornamental Ceiling and Wall designs as a way to bridge the gap between busy seasons and increase their revenues through this easy and inexpensive craft.

Plaster stenciling simply involves smearing common wall mud (joint compound) over the stencil openings, removing the stencil and allowing the design to dry which creates an ornate raised design on walls and ceilings.

Ornamental molds are just as easy! Spray the mold with mold release (a silicone based spray that prevents the plaster from sticking to the mold), filling it with plaster of paris mixed with water, allowing the plaster to harden then applying joint compound (used as the adhesive) to the back of the hardened piece and holding it to the wall until it bonds.

Various mold designs are combined in artistic ways to create ornate ceiling medallions, ceiling corners, wall border designs, wall and ceiling frames and to turn plain fireplaces in to ornate beauties.

The investment in stencils and molds can be minimal and as everyone in the industry knows, plaster of paris and joint compound are extremely cheap, allowing you to create a high ticket service for very little expense.

Professional creation and installation of an ornate plaster ceiling design can produce as much as $50,000.00 from the high end client and can be scaled down to the simplest frame around a light fixture for lower end consumers or builders.

How do you market such a service? Thats easy. By doing some of these designs in your own home, you can quickly begin a beautiful portfolio to show builders and clients.

Visit plaster restoration websites on the internet for lay-out ideas.

Dont forget that areas such as above doorways, windows and exterior doorways also benefit from the beauty of this easy treatment, along with fireplace designs.

In conclusion, do yourself a favor and look in to the possibility of extending your business services in to the area of decorative art to help you through the slow times. What you may find is a much more lucrative main staple in your business service line-up for the remainder of your career.

Victoria Larsen 2006

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Posts tagged ‘Stencils’

How to decorate a living room on a budget

Decorating Cents

The Ultimate Shaving Kit Makes Pubic Hair Grooming a Breeze

Interior decorating tips for the home

Decorating a nursery on a budget

Installing Headlight Covers

Kids crafts: Painted T – Part 1

Product reviews: Crayola Color Wonder products – Part 1

Let Plaster Art Get Your Drywall Business Through The Winter Slow Season

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