Stencil Craft Ideas To Take Your Objects From Drab To Fab

Stencil Craft Ideas You’ll Be Dying to Try Out!

Looking for some really cool stencil craft ideas to embellish the ordinary “stuff” in your domicile? Things like Kleenex boxes, wall hangings, and flower pots can have a second life with this classic technique.

Stenciling is the perfect artform for those occasions when you want to add a little “something” whatever that means to you personally, to something you own… but maybe not have to go full-out Picasso 🙂

Also, just about any budding artisan can learn to stencil!

It’s almost idiot-proof….the greatest emphasis will be on deciding where your stencil design needs to go and doing a neat job applying it and then maybe considerations like repeating the stencil design in a pattern.

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Just recently, I viewed a new class on Bluprint on this craft and I had all kinds of a-ha moments! I got some pointers for up-ing my game, plus I was exposed to a whole world of ideas…things I could do with stencils I hadn’t possibly thought of!

Stenciling a Lampshade

Plain white lampshades can get a major “updo” with a well-applied stencil design! I have 2 of them I’d like to show you. A simple white lampshade can go from boring to bedazzled with just this technique 🙂

This is the same lampshade with front and back patterns. I think it turned out very well, to be honest…couldn’t resist a little humblebrag.

I used art brushes in varying sizes for these cute sea scene stencil, because I wanted to use lots of different colors. If you prefer to create a mono-color design, the use of a small roller will work good too.

Remember to remove your stencil carefully as this will minimize any potential paint “fuzzies” or goofs left behind; especially with fabric surfaces.

And here’s the second one…I took a different angle and used a “scattering” approach. I used cute heart-shaped stencils  in a hither-and-yon pattern.

It is the same one that went over my handmade mason jar lamp. Yep, you can do this too!

DecoArt Americana Gloss Enamels Sample PackFolkArt 36050 4.5″ Paint RollerBilipala Laser Reusable Stencil for DIY Decor

Stenciled Wall Hangings

The following image shows one of my works. I used spray paint and made the leaf patterns myself with cardstock...Trees are kinda hard to draw sometimes as they have all this detail to them and I wanted a shortcut that would still produce a sorta realistic tree that didn’t look too “flat” or anything.

I made a few stencils; some with single leaves, some with clusters, and walla! It worked great. I did the same for the woman to the left. 

You can purchase some that are ready-made like these, or you may be able to download printable ones for free if you do a little digging around.

Also, don’t forget to pick up some painter’s tape to hold the stencil in place!

Design Flower and Clay Pots

The application of stencils is great way to jazz up a plain looking plant pot! I did just that for this project here and for it I actually ended up making my own stencils.  One time I was able to locate some designs and I could draw similar versions on my own to use…I got some cardstock and cut out the designs (a little tricky with small details).

I then used paint markers to fill in the tiny details on the pot (the kind you have to shake up with the ball inside) I would encourage you to use those instead for more detailed stencils if you have them – it does make it easier.

Stenciled Tissue Box

A Kleenex or tissue box is a great object to stencil because it’s linear and the design will come out well. I had a wooden tissue box that I’d already done a painted gradient on, but I wanted to embellish it a little more.

This is the paint I recommend here.  I like the results; only thing is it kind of left a little bleed around the edges. Sometimes it takes some practice! If you’d like to gain a better feel for what is possible with stenciling, I encourage you to check out Bluprint.

There’s a gajillion craft classes you can stream and view for a low price…Plus you also get access to printable templates, materials lists, and helpful hints too from pros in the field!

I was amazed at what I didn’t know about the craft that I could improve upon..including the box above! I’ve learned that you have to be a little more sparing with the paint…make sure it dries thoroughly too.

Stenciling on Woodcrafts

Nonporous surfaces tend to be the easiest, but semi-porous surfaces work great too. You can use cloth; the heavier the better (e.g., burlap, denim, canvas). Anything you do on wood, though, will have real staying power.

This jewelry rack I made for my necklaces is made out of a scrap of wood I found and did all the legwork of sanding and painting years ago. It looked a little plain, so I embellished it with a few cute stencil cutouts and a little rhinestone bling too.

Summary

Some of the best stencil craft ideas are going to come from ordinary objects – so you won’t have to look far and wide for opportunities. Tissue or jewelry boxes, birdhouses, wall hangings and tablecloth runners offer some great possibilities.

You can create continuous patterns, or like the lampshade above, “scatter” the design a little bit.

The sky is definitely the limit 🙂

So, budding artisans, if you haven’t tried stenciling already, what are you waiting for? A treasure trove of awesome stencil craft ideas await you as long as you’ve got paint, stencils, objects and a keen eye for design!

Post Updated: June 8th, 2019