A few months ago, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer contacted me about participating in a blog hop featuring her new stencils. Well, of course!
The two stencils I used are called Clouds and Rain. I really enjoyed the open-ended design possibilites.
The first thing I did was lay the rain stencil on a piece of muslin and trace around the raindrops with a turquoise sharpie. Then I hung the cloth and sprayed it with alcohol so that the marker lines blurred. When it was dry, I sandwiched the fabric with tissue, old book pages and glue.
Then out came the fusible web, an iron and some groovy fabrics picked up in Judy Gula's (Artistic Artifacts) booth at Art Is You.
I cut out a whole bunch of raindrops/teardrops/feathers/leaves. Some of then wound up on an old black shirt that needed a facelift and some are on the paper cloth piece. I'm stiching away ...
The clouds were calling me next. I started out using the cloud stencil as a border around a journal page. I used Inktense pencils to trace the stencils and then Crayola markers to push the melting pencil around.
Ok. Not so happy with this so the gesso came out.
"Oh hey! are those little houses marching around a town square?" Yes, I thought so too. Time for pencil and watercolors.
I really enjoyed playing with Julie's new stencils. They are available at The Crafter's Workshop. There are a bunch of folks playing along in her blog hop today. You might enjoy having a look at some of their ideas and blogs. Here's the list for today!
Lori Vliegan
Bianca Mandity
Claudine Hellmuth
Kerry Lynn Yeary
Samantha Kira Harding
Mou Saha
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer
Here are the clouds and rain stencils I used.
Thank you, Julie, for inviting me to play along!
I LOVE these!!! The little houses are so cute & the colours are gorgeous.
Posted by: Kirsten Alicia | 10/18/2011 at 07:20 AM
Wonderful! Love your work Diane!
Posted by: Theresa | 10/18/2011 at 07:29 AM
So creative! Love your final designs :o)
Posted by: Michelle Bernard | 10/18/2011 at 10:48 AM
I love how you incorporated fabric!
Posted by: claudine hellmuth | 10/18/2011 at 10:53 AM
These are great projects. Love them. Thanks for sharing,
Posted by: Johanne L. | 10/18/2011 at 11:01 AM
The layers with fabric and papers - a way of combining materials I would not have considered. I also admire the way you showed the adapting of a result that didn't please you to something bright and playful that did. A treat to see your samples.
Posted by: Marylinn Kelly | 10/18/2011 at 11:46 AM
your colorful raindrops and "cloud town" are absolutely spectacular!!! what a fabulous and creative way to use julie's stencils!! :))
p.s. (i want to live in your sweet little cloud town!!)
Posted by: lori vliegen | 10/18/2011 at 11:53 AM
WOW! Love your designs and medias you used! Love when a happy result comes out something totally unintended - great houses! LOL!!
Posted by: MargieH | 10/18/2011 at 11:56 AM
Love the leaves you made out of the raindrops--the fabric is way cool, and the embroidery makes them so dear! And those houses??? OMG! Love! I grew up in Northern California, where we'd often see what we called "The Flintstone House" from the freeway http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20294897_20652347,00.html. Your village brought back a great memory! Thanks!
Posted by: Lisa | 10/18/2011 at 12:29 PM
I absolutely love how you used the cloud stencil as part of your background and added to it. I think it looks great!!!!
Posted by: Connie | 10/18/2011 at 12:33 PM
Wow! What a great way to use these stencils. Thanks for the tips.
Posted by: Janet B | 10/18/2011 at 01:21 PM
...and when the rainbow worm came up in the centre of the town square she knew she was going to be most welcome.
"All this for me!" she thought. "I wonder who told them I was coming? Surely they don't always paint their houses like this?"
But of course in this enchanted little town, they do.
Posted by: Wendy | 10/18/2011 at 03:34 PM
Thanks for commenting Kristen!
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:43 PM
Thank you Theresa! come back any time.
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:44 PM
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Michelle! The stencils were a pleasure to work with
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:45 PM
Thanks Claudine! Ive been thinking about your piece. I love that little raincloud - such fun!
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:46 PM
Thank YOU for commenting, Johanne! The stencils were such fun to play with.
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:47 PM
LOL! I love the houses! If you use the raindrop stencil, I bet you could create a bird to live in the neighborhood. Thanks for sharing your art. You always, without fail, make me smile. Thank you!
Posted by: Jeannie | 10/18/2011 at 03:47 PM
Thanks for commenting Marylinn. I always hope that it helpful to my readers to see the process ...
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:47 PM
Oh ho! off we go for a party in cloud town :)
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:48 PM
Thanks for your lovely comment! It IS fun to work without an outcome in mind
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:49 PM
Oh now that is funny. They ARE like little Flintstone houses. Thanks for commenting and the link - too funny
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:49 PM
Thanks for commenting Connie. Didnt know where that one was going until it went there :)
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:50 PM
You are most welcome, Janet! The stencils were a real joy to use. Thanks for commenting!
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:50 PM
Oh BIG smile here! Wendy, you are the best. I love this little story :) Thank you
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:52 PM
And back atcha, Jeannie. Thank YOU for all of your lovely comments. Ooooooo ... birdies! love that!
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/18/2011 at 03:53 PM
Wonderful pages.!
Posted by: Darlene Propp | 10/18/2011 at 07:02 PM
Oh so creative! Love what you did with the stencil and making your little houses!
Posted by: Cheryl s. | 10/18/2011 at 07:05 PM
How wonderfully inventive! I love how you used the cloud stencil to create the robots.
Posted by: Katje Lehrman | 10/18/2011 at 10:17 PM
Gorgeous! I love how your showed these on muslin - I've never done this before and am so inspired to try something new.
Posted by: pegg | 10/19/2011 at 10:10 AM
Diana, I thought that the houses kinda looked like a bunch of robot heads just pretending to be houses...
I absolutely LOVE those them! I am a real house mouse too so, those are great. I love the intuitive way that you work. I also work that way. It's always a surprise to see where it takes you, isn't it?
Posted by: carol sloan | 10/19/2011 at 06:42 PM
Isnt it funny? Sometimes I get to the end with no clear idea of where I started or why. Yes, someone else said robots and I could see that to. The houses have eyes - ooooooo scary :)
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/19/2011 at 10:10 PM
Thanks for commenting, Darlene. Im so glad you enjoyed the stencil hop pages.
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/25/2011 at 02:20 PM
Those stencils are a blast, arent they? Thanks for your comment, Cheryl
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/25/2011 at 02:21 PM
Looking at real clouds, Ive rarely seen robots :)
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/25/2011 at 02:22 PM
I hope that youll try it, Pegg. I used a a heavy weight durabond (it was on hand) and wish that Id used a light weight. It is easier to stitch through. I suppose I could have basted them on and used NO iron-on. I hope youll try it!
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/25/2011 at 02:23 PM