Fender's Mom: Stencil Wall Art DIY

dC and I just recently refreshed the look of our dining room (more to come on that) and I found that there was a large empty space after I retired some of the old cheap artwork that used to don the wall. I've been loving freezer paper stencils lately and decided to try making something of my own to fill the void!

If you'd like to try too, here's what you'll need:

freezer paper

a computer image

printer

pencil

utility knife

self healing board

fabric with a fine weave

iron

fabric paint

paint brush or sponge

lots of patience while it dries

1. Start by printing out the image you'd like to make into "art." I chose a mature deer head that was detailed enough, but not too detailed that tracing and cutting would be difficult.

2. Place a piece of freezer paper over the image and trace it. If you are a fantastic artist, you could either skip this step or even create your own image. I am not, and will rely on old school tracing to get the job done!

3. Using your utility knife with a self-healing board beneath, cut out the image.

4. In the meantime, be sure to have your iron heating up to the highest dry setting your model has. Place this paper over the fabric you've chosen.

5. I chose to use a cream linen fabric left over from making myself a Princess Leia costume eons ago! The color went well with my new curtains and it was a way to bust through my fabric stash! Gently press the freezer paper onto the fabric, trying not to fold or move any of the detailed parts. Ensure there is a good seal between the freezer paper and the fabric so that your image will be sharp!

6. Protect your surface before you begin painting. (I may or may not have a deer head on my ironing board!!!) Using any color of fabric paint you choose, paint over the stencil getting into all of the nooks and crannies. Follow the instructions for drying that you paint suggests. I made sure to at least wait 4 hours before removing the stencil! This is where the patience come in.