Monday, January 27, 2014

BlogHop with StencilGirl & Michelle Ward

Welcome to the StencilGirl Bloghop with Michelle Ward's NEW stencils! I am going to be showing you two things I made with her Spheres Small stencil.  Oooh ~ I love me a circle and I had so much fun playing with this stencil!

In my first project, I took hot press watercolor paper and outlined the stencil in the corner, filling in with my watercolors.  I then cut the paper and turned it into a card I will be happy to give someone! I might even add a quote later or words to the front.





For my second piece, I took a piece of hot pressed watercolor paper and created a page that will be in my 2014 bound journal of art pages.  Kind of like an art journal, I guess, but separate sheets of creations I love, so I don't have those pages in there I don't love.  Make sense?

First thing I did was a wash of aqua green.  I have to admit, my husband is in Miami this week and I was dreaming a bit about the beach, feeling a little envious I was freezing next to my space heater while he was taking in the sun at the beach!  So I did colors of the sea….




After I had my background dry, I began stenciling through random parts making layers in white, blue and deep turquoise until I was happy with the results.




I then cut out book paper in the shape of a vase and a flower. I wanted my flower to be very wonky.  After I was happy with the composition, I glued it down.


I began shading and highlighting with blue turquoise and white around the vase.


I began adding in reds, oranges and white to create dimension in my flower.





I then decided to write my thoughts over the book paper in my own handwriting, more for me than anyone else.  This also gave the vase more depth and the piece more meaning.


I cut book paper out to spell the word INSPIRE, because one of my goals in 2014 is to inspire others and be inspired.


I used my Faber Castell pens to outline and emphasize the word.


I inked the edges of the paper with Bamboo Leaves ink.



I drew in a stem and leaves, and outlined the piece with my black pen and signed it.  Ready for my book!  A quick, easy journal page or canvas for your art room!




May YOU be INSPIREd in 2014!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, be sure to check my other free tutorials on my website at
  Kirsten Reed Designs or just follow me on Bloglovin' and get them delivered to your inbox!

Make sure you leave a comment because EVERY comment on EVERY blog is like an entry to win FREE stencils! Woot woot!  
Giveaway will close Friday, January 31, 2014 at 11:59 pm CST.  Remember to keep hopping along with those artists listed below and the more comments you make the more entries! 
Good Luck!


90 comments:

  1. I love the blending of the stencils to create a beautiful background that doesn't fight with the rest of the design. It gets pushed back just enough to be perfect with the focal imagery.

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  2. Anyone would be thrilled to get your card. Your art journal piece is simply INSPIRING.

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  3. Your Inspire piece is lovely. It's so cool to see your process.
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com

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  4. What a joyful piece. I love how you shared the making of the card and journal page. So fun.

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  5. I love both pieces! Thank you for showing your process, and for the chance to win!

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  6. Thanks for showing how you made the pieces

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  7. I thought I posted all ready but it appears it didn't go through so trying again--- I love the background you created and the whimsy of the INSPIRE piece. I like how you made it more personal by changing the text too.

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  8. love your inspired piece. xox

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  9. I like seeing how your pieces emerge from beginning to end. 'Inspire' is quite thought provoking.

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  10. thanks for shring how you created the background. Like the idea, colors and the end result.

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  11. Felicidades, me encantan las dos muestras que has hecho con la plantilla. Gracias por mostrar el paso a paso, un placer haberte conocido gracias al bloghop. Un saludo

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  12. Thanks for sharing your creative ideas using Michelle's new stencil designs, and for an opportunity to win some :)

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  13. Ooh! Kirsten I love how you have used Michele's template to create both a bold & a subtle look. I can really see how versatile this design would be as part of my collection. Theresa x

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  14. What a fun journal page. Love the layers of green and then using the vase for journaling!

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  15. you definitely inspired me with this post. I love how you created this still life and your watercolor card is also lovely. Thanks Kirsten!

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  16. Kirsten, you always inspire me with your blog posts and art! Can't wait to paint in person with you one day! :)

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  17. So much fun to see two completely different looks from the same stencil. You are so darn creative!!

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  18. Ok.. now this makes me want that warmer weather NOW. I just love these pieces, Kirsten. Two beautiful ways to use that stencil. Love hopping with you.

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  19. You definitely met your 2014 goal with me! I am inspired in a big big way!

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  20. very cool. thanks for the inspiration

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  21. What a beautiful art journal piece you created.

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  22. I had to smile when I saw the finished piece of art. It does reflect warmth and fun. The flower looks so perky. Love the idea of making greeting cards with the stencils. I agree with your idea to use a loose book to keep your art pages. Why have to look at something you are not happy with, alongside things that you love. thanks for sharing.

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  23. so many creative ways to use the stencils. so inspiring

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  24. I enjoyed my visit with you this morning. Thank you so much for sharing your art with these new stencils.

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  25. You've inspired me, great way to use the stencil.

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  26. Beautiful work Kirsten. I especially love the journal page...I love those colours and the use of the book text!

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  27. Great use of the stencils. So much inspiration on this blog hop!

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  28. Love your use of watercolor with this stencil. I have just started using watercolor and am enjoying learning how to use them.

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  29. Wonderful way to use this stencil.I have so enjoyed this blog hop. Everyone's work is so different.

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  30. I really like all the softness you were able to create in the background of your second piece. Thanks for sharing.

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  31. I really like how your background evolved.

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  32. You've certainly inspired me. That stencil made a great background for your lovely flower vase.

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  33. I really like how the flower in the vase piece came together. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  34. Kirsten, fun to see you work through your projects. I love love love the background of spheres with the turquoise and blue. Very Under The Sea.

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  35. Love how you created your background and the vase and flower just popped!

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  36. I keep an art book (actually a really big photo album) that holds all the pages and samples of techniques/processes that INSPIRE me! Also appreciate the way you made the book paper letters! THX for sharing and inspiring:)

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  37. Now I'm dreaming of sand and sea! I really enjoyed watching you build your background. Your colours work so well with the stencil to create a water effect.

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  38. Love both pieces! You gave me an idea for a project I´ve to make; thanks!!

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  39. I live at the ocean for the winter months and the colors are very inspirational. Your projects turned out beautifully. Thanks so much for the process photos.

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  40. Just beautiful. Thank you for the ideas.

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  41. Two new inspirational uses of a fun stencil...Graphic and Subtle! Thanks!

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  42. How wonderful. I loved the way you just kept adding things and they were all great. Thank you for sharing your artistic process for this page. Great insights for me. Thank you.

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  43. enjoyed seeing the inspire project come together, like the colors too.

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  44. This was so fun and inspiring to watch all of the layering of paint with the stencil and collage! You made it look so fun!!! Thank you!!

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  45. I love your collage with the words…my favorite art of mixed media is incorporating text literally and figuratively into the work!

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  46. I love your projects with the new stencils.

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  47. This is my first blog hop and I have to say seeing all the fabulous possibilities with these stencils is so inspiring. This blog hop has been a blast and very inspirational. I love collage so this is right up may alley.

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  48. You make it look so easy (I know it's not!) :) Love the stencil pattern. Thanks for sharing:)

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  49. wonderful! love seeing all the different interpretations of the stencils!

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  50. this is a very beautiful piece and you have inspired me. sure looks like looking through a lattice on a veranda in Miami. I wanna go.

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  51. I love both pieces and your colors are wonderful and happy!

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  52. I love the pieces & found them to be inspiring. Watercolor and stencil,don't know why I thought only of acrylics. Also like the idea of pages you put together for a artbook/journal.

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  53. Wow, I love your artwork using Michelle's new stencils. I would love to win a set. Thank You.

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  54. ah ha, you have definitely inspired me, I love that vase and flower.

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  55. You DID inspire me! Thank you :)
    textilerecycler (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  56. I love what you made with this stencil!
    ...Raine

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  57. Very inspirational, thanks for sharing it!

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  58. If your goal is to inspire, consider 2014 a success!

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  59. Great stuff and an inspirational blog hop!

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  60. What a great flower - love the use of the book text and the colors. Thanks for sharing!

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  61. Kirsten, Love the teal color, my fav this week! The book paper is a great idea too!

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  62. what a beautiful background for an art journal page. the colors are lovely.

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  63. I love the "inspire" piece in particular. Great use of the stencil!

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  64. great journal page - you did inspire me! Thanks

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  65. Love this stencil and love seeing it used!

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  66. I love your tutorial, you are so amazing!

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  67. This was true to your word: INSPIRING!! I love the book page cut-out letters; really adds so much to the page. Thank you for sharing your wonderful creativity!

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  68. i could totally feel the sand between my toes!

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  69. I love what you've done - especially the book paper flower and the letters!

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  70. Love this use and your colors are gorgeous!!! Thanks for the inspiration

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  71. I am obsessed with using book pages as focal images. Thanks for another great idea

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  72. Love the idea and look of the writing on top of writing in the vase. The pop of red in the flower, too. This turned out so very nice. I am feeling saturated with inspiration from all of you.

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  73. Very creative and you did inspire me. Thank you.

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  74. I love how this turned out…and I really love the idea of using the stencils to create the background - I am inspired! I need these stencils

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  75. Beautiful ... just beautiful! Thanks for sharing ...

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  76. Inspired as always! And I need more stencils! Lol! Thanks Kirsten! :)

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  77. Well I must say you have totally inspired me!

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  78. Success... inspired! Thank you. Loving the background colours of second project.

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  79. Both of your pieces are really beautiful. The card is very effective and with a greeting added would be a pleasure for anyone to receive. The stencil certainly created a very interesting background for your journal page. I do feel inspired after seeing your blog. Thank you for sharing.

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  80. WOW. Both pieces of art are really nice. I will say the "Inspire" card def has inspired me! Great job. =)

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  81. what a great background you created! Great stencil

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  82. The ideas are wonderful. Love the stencils.

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