✥ Stencil Fleur de Lis Ornament ✥

Remember this one time when I was all, Cutting Edge Stencils rock- and I told you that you should totally enter the giveaway for a free $50 stencil? {Which ends tonight by the way!!} 

In my package from them I received my free stencils- they add $5 worth of free stencils to every order!!

So, I thought a Fleur de Lis ornament would be just perfect. Nothing like a couple free  stencils, an extra glass ornament, and some Martha Stewart glitter to

create a pretty little ornament. Oh yeah- this ornament is actually made from two different Fleur de Lis stencils- I got them in two sizes.

The blue glitter is the larger one and then the silver is smaller.

 If you don't have any small stencils and you want to make your own- you can try printing off your shape, then cutting it out of a thin plastic sheet- like a plastic folder. Instead of drawing in the stencil- I spread a thin coat of Elmer's glue and sprinkled on the glitter- piece of cake!

Make sure you enter to win- and thanks for coming by!

Looking for places to link up your projects? Check out my Party page.

I'm also linked up here.

Damask Stenciled Curtain [Tutorial]

Here's the promised tutorial for my stenciled curtains!
I love this project! It was quite a bit of work because I stenciled 6 curtain panels!
Sounds like a lot of work, right?
Let me tell you, it was 100 percent worth it and I'd do it again in a heart beat!

Why? I needed a large quantity, 6 panels to create the looks I was after. This way I got exactly what I wanted: a beautiful damask curtain on a linen-like fabric with the exact shade of gray I wanted. In my eyes, you cannot beat it!
First, here's a few pics of my inspiration curtains.


This is from Shanty 2 Chic and the fabric is Waverly Bedazzled in Silver. Love it, but it costs $30 a yard (sometimes it's on sale for $20). Um, thanks, but no thanks.

 You can kinda see these curtain panels from The Lettered Cottage in this pic. Similar feel, right? Cream and "greige" on a textured cotton or linen, beautiful and vintage-y.

Last, but not least-Stephanie's curtains- from Frugal Home Ideas.
{PS she's sharing a no sew curtain tutorial on that post}

I choose a damask pattern because I wanted something that looked a little aged, and I thought Anna Damask Allover Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils would do that perfectly.
When I add something new, I am always mentally trying to balance something new {looking} with something old {looking}. I want a room that looks both modern and vintage. For me, damask equals an aged element. I also wanted a soft, scrolling pattern to balance all the hard elements in my space- the metallics, the modern lines, and the typography everywhere.

Materials
6 Curtain Panels from Ikea
Gray Craft Paint - 2 bottles per curtain
Fabric Paint Additive- 2 bottles
Paint Roller and Stencil Pouncers
Stencil
Painter's Tape
Stencil Adhesive

I've done some stenciling before {like the Greek Key Fabric stencil I made}, but I watched the tutorial from Cutting Edge Stencils, just to be certain I didn't have any mishaps. Since I was doing a product review, I wanted to make certain I was reviewing the actual product and not my user error!

[1] Lay out your fabric on a flat surface with paper or cardboard underneath, something to catch the paint that may soak through the fabric. I created a faux flat surface for my stenciling by using a zillion pieces of free cardboard from Ikea. I knew I was going to have 6-8 panels to paint, so I figured that good surface preparation was worth it. {Yeah, I use Ikea's free supplies- All. The. Time.}

[2] Tape down all the side, making sure the fabric is laying flat and not pulled or stretched in any way.
The better you line up your fabric and secure it, the better your results will be. Prep work is uber important.



[3] {If you haven't stenciled a lot before now, watch this video.}
Prepare your paints following the mixing directions. I used Americana in Slate Gray and Martha Stewart's Fabric Additive for paint. See that little gray dot? That was my only test swatch on the fabric. In hindsight, I'd say I'm lucky I like the end result as much as I do! Ack!

[4] Spray the back of your stencil with stencil adhesive, this is especially important if you have a very detailed stencil with a lot of open cutouts. The more you move the roller to paint all that pattern, the easier it is for the stencil to shift. With the stencil spray adhesive I didn't have a single problem with the stencil shifting.
I followed their directions {from the video} about how to load the roller for stenciling and how to roll off any extra paint {see the paper towel with paint on it?} And guess what?! I did not have any paint bleeding under the stencil for my whole project!!



[5] Use a roller to do all-over stenciling like a damask, space out your stencil- you know, plan your attack. I started the top of each panel with the same part of the stencil for each of the six panels, so when you look across the room the pattern would line up.
I used the roller from Cutting Edge Stencils and it worked very well! It's different from other rollers in that it has a rounded end and is made of the perfect foam density for stenciling.



[6] Go back to fill in the top, bottom, and sides. Make sure to line up the stencil with the cutout indicator marks.



You can see  how the cutouts line up perfectly with the already stenciled curtain. This was at the bottom of the curtain and everything still lined up perfectly. I'm telling you- taping everything down is super important!

[7] Let your curtains dry overnight, at least, then iron them to set in the paint. Since mine were the Lenda curtains from Ikea they also needed to be either hemmed or ironed with the fabric tape to create a hem. Not bad for 10 bucks a panel.

Would you believe I did not have a single mishap using this stencil, not one "oops", or "uh-oh"?! You know I need at least two tries to get a project right almost every single time I try one- well not this time!! Slow and steady, friends- slow and steady!

There was one setback- none due to the stencil or the stencil painting process.

 I didn't know how much paint I would be using AND even if I did, I still bought out every bottle in each store that sold them locally and therefore, ended up running out {three times!} 

So, now YOU know, for a stencil as complex as a damask- you will need 2 bottle of craft paint per panel, ok? OK.

My only other negative comment, cleaning the stencil is so not my favorite. There, I said it. It just wasn't fun. But I've heard they have a "stencil cleaner" - so now I would highly recommend getting it, if you're doing an extensive stenciling job.

Now, for things that rocked...

First, the overlapping stencil was nearly impossible to mess up. The indicator cutouts telling you where to line up the stencil worked great. Not a single problem and I had to move the stencil between 20-30 times per panel! I know what you're thinking... sounds like a lot of work, but it totally worth it and with the roller it went pretty quickly.

Second, look at how crisp the lines are! Isn't that awesome! You cannot tell that the curtains are painted. There was NO BLEEDING under the stencil!! NONE!! 

Wanna see some befores and afters?  I think the dining room is a more dramatic change, since there were no curtains before. I LOVE the change!! It feels so much softer and a lot less like a condo.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

This angle probably bothered me a TON more than it could any of you, since you're not living in the space. The prior curtains were silk- nothing to complain about right? But they were way to plain with white builder paint and I was dying for a change. This was worth the wait, I love them!
 BEFORE:


AFTER:

It took me 1-2 hours to complete each panel. I think I am probably a slow "stenciler" {stenciler=one who stencils, probably not a word?}, but I had a feeling I would be. I just get so precise when I'm doing a project. Great results are worth the time spent, as 6 custom curtains would have cost some serious coin.

Look how pretty the curtains are with the light coming through!! I am a little obsessed with making things so I can get exactly what I want. I don't mind putting in the time, better that than money and then I get the exact look I'm after. I love my end result and already have another stencil idea swirling around in my brain!

Everyone that has come over since the panels have slowly made it up cannot believe they are painted! I almost can't either- except for you know, all the hours I crawled around the floor on cardboard with roller in hand!

Would you believe I also made the curtain rods, too? 

It was super cheap and easy, only 20 bucks for both! You can catch that tutorial here.   

✥ My Stenciled Curtains & a Cutting Edge Stencils GIVEAWAY!! ✥

UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED
Here's the curtain tutorial- if that's what you're looking for!! 
Oh, and here's the tutorial for the curtain rods, including the bay window!

Hello ladies! I've have been painting like crazy over the last few weeks. Not because the project was huge, but because of the holidays- I had to start and stop a million times. But I love what I ended up with-  6 custom curtain panels for under 100 bucks! {serious!}

Not only do I love my end product, but  I am so ridiculously stoked to tell you guys Cutting Edge Stencils has agreed to give one of my readers a Free Stencil { $50 value + free shipping!}

Cutting Edge Stencil has an awesome reputation for making both trendy and classic designs.  Most of us have seen a stenciled wall or pillow, but check out these ideas-(all gathered from Cutting Edge on FB)

 Those aren't slip covers, they're not even fabric! Did you know you could paint and stencil leather? This was done with the Marrakech Trellis Allover Stencil {and I die for that kitchen!}

 Floor Stenciling, DIY RUG using Ikat Samarkand stencil?!! Oh my completely gorgeous-ness!

The ceiling! 

The ceiling, I love it. 

This is the Allover Trellis. 

There's also some great ideas on the page, for stenciling an entryway or even a coiffured ceiling!

And a different bathroom idea, who would've thought, stencil a shower door! Seriously great idea done with the Zamira stencil!

Here's one of their newest stencils, Athena Allover.

Doesn't it look a lot like my DIY Greek Key stencil for the the drum shade fabric I made?!

Basically, I love this brand of stencil!

 

Because [1] they have stencils that look like almost any fabric you are in love with- so you can copy the look!

 [2] they go above and beyond to make sure us DIY-ers have awesome results by providing free instructional videos and a channel we can turn to for tips, tuts, and techniques.

I like Cutting Edge Stencils on FB because that way I can find out about all their new products, sales, and giveaways. Not to mention see all the great projects others are doing and share your own projects! {more blog exposure!!}

To WIN a $50 Credit to purchase your own Cutting Edge Stencil plus Free Shipping  {followers only please ☺}

☛ Check out Cutting Edge Wall Stencils and come back to tell me what pattern you {love!}

Additional Entry

☛ "Like" Cutting Edge Stencils on their Facebook page, come on back and let me know you did so!

Don't forget to leave your email address on each entry.

Giveaway is open to USA residents only and is open until December 14th @midnight.Winner will be chosen by random.org, I will contact them by via email and they have 2 days to write me back!

I am so excited to pick a winner! Hope you guys liked all the stencil ideas, it makes me want to start creating! 
I'll be back in a day or so with a tutorial for painting curtains!

DIY Greek Key Fabric [with printable]

This one time I was shopping daydreaming about shopping at Horchow online.

Mostly looking for duvet inspiration when  came across this pillow.

source

Since you've read the title of this post, you've probably inferred I am referring to the Greek Key beaut. I love the symmetry, simplicity and how you eye automatically travels through the lines. There's not even a price for the pillow I like, but the other two are 250 bucks a pop. 

Two. Hundred. And. Fifty. Dollars...Each. {umm, no thank you}

Armed with the pillow as my inspiration, I decided to make my own fabric.

I came across this super fun website that helps you make your own Greek Key patterns. It is honestly awesome. They give you so many options, you could make any pattern you want in just a few minutes. 

WANNA PRINT ME?!

Here's the one I came up with, it's pretty close to the original. I made it a square pattern and used it at 10x10 inches, but you could use it at whichever size you'd like.

Materials Plastic sheet/folder (or stencil sheet)Natural Fabric with Tight Weave (cotton or linen) Paint of desired colorFabric Medium {from Michaels'- purchased 2 but used 1/2 of one}Spray AdhesiveExacto Knife & Paper Cutter (or stencil-burning tool)Greek Key Stencil

Iron

Instead of buying the stencil sheets and the stencil burning tool, yadda yadda- I used what I had on hand.

A plastic folder.

With a little deconstruction, I had a piece of plastic to experiment on.
I just used my trusty spray adhesive to attach the template to the folder, then got to work.

The stencil is designed for the black part to be removed. I used an inexpensive paper cutter to do all the straight cuts. I marked how far forward and back I could move the blade {without cutting into the white portion of the template} with a piece of white electrical tape. See in the pic below? That way I could do speedy cuts, because there really is a lot of them.

After I had done all the cutting vertically and horizontally I used an Exacto knife for some of the corners. It took me the entire episode of Project Runway to cut it out. 

A nice chunk of time- but still worth it for 

(1) the money saved &

(2) I got exactly what I wanted. 

I wasn't loving the patterns I found online, so getting the exact pattern in the exact color is a HUGE value for me. The bigger the pattern is blown up to use, the quicker and easier it will be to cut out. 

Also, if you made your own, you could simplify it quite a bit. 

As usual, I ignored the amount of time it would take and went full speed ahead towards getting a very close copy of my inspiration. Here's what I used to for the color. 

I was dying to try out the much-talked-about Martha Stewart paint line. I chose Beach Glass in Satin and mixed it with some white paint, to lighten the color a bit. I also picked up Fabric Medium and Pearlizing Medium. I bought everything from Michael's, on sale and ended up using about  1/2 a bottle of each of them (less the white paint.)

Follow the directions on the back of your paints in order to combine them properly. You can only see the shimmer in these pics of the paint while it was wet. Dry, the shimmer is super subtle and doesn't show in the dry paint pics I've taken.

Use a tight weave, natural fabric to paint on. Mine is an inexpensive cotton that feel like a 200-300 thread count sheet.

I used spray adhesive to attach the stencil to the fabric. I sprayed a light coat on the back of the stencil so the fabric wouldn't get very sticky. {You could use regular spray adhesive or stencil adhesive, both will work}

If you're following my lead and using a folder the adhesive is a must. 

The stencil will be in two pieces- the inner scrolls and the outer frame and lines- so you need to secure the inner scroll work to the fabric, though I still held it down as I dabbed/stippled the paint brush. The paint didn't bleed under the stencil at all, I was really impressed.

Can you see the clump of paint on the left side?

If you get one, it's probably where the acrylic didn't get mixed into the fabric medium. Just scrape'em off while the paint is wet.

Drying time is 24-48 hours. If you need to do any touch-ups the next day you should be fine. When I did there wasn't any color variation between the old and newly applied paints.

After the drying time, you need to iron the fabric to heat set the paint. Follow the directions on your specific brand of fabric medium. You should iron the reverse side of the fabric, without steam.

Want some IDEAS for your new 4 dollar Greek Key FABRIC? OK!

Pillows {of course}

 

Curtains {or Shower Curtains}

 

Headband? It's kinda chic.

PLACES to use your new, free STENCIL?

Walls. Mimic the look of mucho expensive wallpaper.

  Floors. This Greek Key rug is gorgeous,  but DIYing a runner or mat would probably be a little more realistic!

This smaller rug is $147 on Amazon I'm sure we could make it for a fraction of the price.

Add a Greek key border to pre-bought sheets or bedding, to make them look instantly expensive and gorgeous!

Here's a close up of my new fabric. It looks legit- right?

I can't wait to show you guys the end product. I love, love, love it! You can find it here!

Don't forget to grab the printable pattern & to check out the website to make any Greek Key design you want, it ROCKS!