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Yes, You Can Cut Your Stencils!

carolyn-dube-cutting-stencils-600bI wanted a tall tree with full branches of wonderful leaves in my art journal.  But I didn’t have that- or did I?  I made some surgical “adjustments” to the Branching Blossoms stencil to get the look I was after.  I used scissors and the very fancy tool called an index card.

Why did I want a tall tree so badly? It was all because of my morning walks.  The last several days there has been the most amazing colors to the trees at the park.  Thank you rain!  I wanted to capture one of those tall beauties in my journal.

Watch Yes, you can cut up your purchased stencils on YouTube.

Yes, you can cut up your purchased stencils!

I didn’t get the art journal page finished and that is okay with me. This page may sit like this for a day, a week, a year or more.  I have given myself permission to play in my art journal without the pressure to finish everything right now.  I encourage you to give yourself permission too!

Yes, you can cut up your purchased stencils!

 

 

 

 

 

{ 11 comments… add one }

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  • Ruth L October 8, 2014, 1:48 pm

    Wow Carolyn, you created a new stencil out of an existing one, loved your tall tree vision, it beautiful!

  • Phyllis Y October 8, 2014, 5:10 pm

    Genius! Amazing how much beauty you can create with two colors and a stencil. Still working on giving myself permission to play and to let my projects be open ended. Got a long way to go on that, but you’re helping me so much–thank you!

  • Joan October 9, 2014, 10:59 am

    Hi Carolyn, I have been trying to sign up for your newsletter but can’t find any place to enter my info on that page. I did sign up for “Use Your Words” in June, but that wasn’t sufficient to get me on your newsletter. I checked my spam folder to be sure, but nada there.

    Please add me to your newsletter list, I really want to be inspired and get the goodies!

    Thanks,
    Joan

    • Carolyn Dube October 12, 2014, 7:22 pm

      Not sure why it’s not showing up for you but there is a sign up on the right side bar on the blog too.

  • Kathy Gledsdale October 9, 2014, 11:39 am

    So very pretty and a lovely stencil too.

  • Susan Carol October 9, 2014, 1:32 pm

    2 stencils for one – just need to be brave with the scissors! The tree looks wonderful.

  • Vicki Ross October 9, 2014, 3:05 pm

    Love this, Carolyn! We all need reminders that ITPS (it’s the process, stupid). xxoo
    vicki

  • Mary in IL October 9, 2014, 4:05 pm

    thanks for reminding me not to be afraid to alter stuff (cutting stencils in this case) !

  • Andria October 14, 2014, 5:33 pm

    Great video, Carolyn! I love how the silhouette of the tree looks against that inked background…striking! And I love the “daring” of you cutting your stencils… so nice to remember not to be constrained by our art materials!

  • Liz October 20, 2014, 11:20 pm

    Thanks for the permission to just play and not worry about finishing!

  • Sue Clarke October 26, 2014, 7:45 pm

    Great! I so enjoy this time of year and watching the trees change color while I’m out walking with my dog. The blue and green that you used were just right and the page came out so pretty.