Cardstock Stencil Tutorial

With all the fun ways to get crafting during the holidays, I especially enjoy creating signs, blocks, and banners. An easy way to add letters or shapes to your projects is by using a stencil. Unfortunately, usually when I'm out looking for supplies for my projects, I can't find the stencil design I have in mind, or the fonts are a little wonky and aren't really working for what I need.

Thanks to Silhouette, I figured out an easy way to create a stencil that is customized for your specific project, and only takes a few minutes. Plus, you won't even need to blister your fingers from cutting out the design yourself with a blade or scissors.

Silhouette has a really nice, high quality adhesive backed cardstock that works wonderfully for projects, but also makes for a wonderful stencil! No more stencils slipping while you're painting, or paint seeping under.



I made some Halloween blocks, and wanted them to have hand-painted lettering. I measured each block, then sized each letter in the Silhouette Design Studio. Then, I arranged them and cut them out on some adhesive-backed cardstock.

To stencil, simply peel the backing off the paper, and use the negative portion of the letter cuts. Be sure to keep the smaller parts of the letters (i.e., O, A, P, etc) To make sure that the letters were going to be painted in the right spot, I placed the letter on the block, then added the negative to the block and peeled the letter off. Press the edges of the paper firmly to help prevent any paint bleeds.

Using a sponge brush, get paint on the brush and gently tap off excess. Dab the brush onto the stencil area, painting away from the edges. This should help prevent the paper from lifting and letting paint get under. Let dry, then slowly peel the paper off. You might be able to reuse the stencil a couple of times, but it's probably best to use a new piece every time.

There you have it! Stenciling couldn't get any easier.

Be sure to take advantage of the Silhouette Specialty Bundle Promotion from October 15th until October 24th:

1. Silhouette CAMEO®, plus 1 cardstock essentials pack, 1 pack printable adhesive kraft paper, 1 pack printable clear sticker paper, 1 pack temporary tattoo paper, 1 pack printable cotton canvas, 1 pack chipboard, 1 pack printable silver foil, 1 pack printable magnet paper, and 1 pack double-sided adhesive: $269.99 ($113.91 off the retail price)
2. Silhouette Portrait™, plus 1 cardstock essentials pack, 1 pack printable adhesive kraft paper, 1 pack printable clear sticker paper, 1 pack temporary tattoo paper, 1 pack printable cotton canvas, 1 pack chipboard, 1 pack printable silver foil, 1 pack printable magnet paper, and 1 pack double-sided adhesive: $129.99 ($133.91 off the retail price)
3. 30% off ALL Specialty Media, including: Adhesive-Back Cardstock, Double-Sided Adhesive, Glitter, Magnet-Paper, Kraft Paper, Printable Cotton Canvas, Printable Foil, Printable Sticker Paper, Chipboard, and Tattoo Paper

To take advantage of these awesome deals, you’ll need to visit Silhouette and use the promo code: FARTSY
(discounts valid thru 10/24/13)

I received product from Silhouette to review for this post. All opinions are my own.