Decorating Tools

Recently, there have been multiple people posting pictures to Lucy’s Facebook group of their models decorated with stone walls or partial stone walls. Though there are multiple ways you can make stone walls on your models, my favorite is always achieved by using grit paste and a stencil. I am working on a building pattern where I want a deconstructed stone wall look, so I made my own stencil. If you want a stencil that can be used over and over again cut the stencil out of stencil material or other plastic. If you don’t have any stencil material, however, you can make a one-time use stencil out of cardboard.

My friend Lucy Foxworth of Paper Glitter Glue has just announced her Whimsical Fairy House Challenge where she will post 12 different designs from May 5th to May 16th. I have committed to making two of the designs, and the first one I finished designing I used stone arches on my model. I searched all over the internet for a stone arch stencil design that I could use, and finally gave up and made my own. Then while discussing my pattern with Cheryl, who often tests my patterns for me, she expressed an interest in making the arches out of brick instead of stone. Hence I have included a brick arch design.

Earlier this month I held a Halloween House class at a local store. One of the participants was making my new Sparrow House and wanted to add shingles. There isn’t time during the class, but I referred them to my website and told them they could find shingle patterns there and cut them by hand and add them at home. Once I got home, I realized that while I had included shingle patterns in several of my house patterns, they weren’t that easy to find. I decided that I needed one post that included all of my shingle patterns.

I just finished my pattern for the Village Pub, based on the Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin, Ireland. Since the pub had a stacked stone wall front, I decided I wanted one too. There were several ways I could make the stones, using either my texture folders like I showed you when I made Villa Torre, or using a debossing tip, as I did with Hiorne Tower. I really love the look of stenciled stones made with grit paste, however, so I decided it was time that I make and share a new stencil pattern.

I just started my model for my next free building pattern, the last of the castles I am designing for Lucy Foxworth’s Make A Castle Challenge. It has some stonework, and there are several ways I could make the stonesk, using either my texture folders like I showed you when I made Villa Torre, or using a debossing tip, like I did with Hiorne Tower. I also have the new stencil I cut when I made my version of Lucy’s Chateau. However, I decided it was time that I make and share a new stencil pattern.

As promised, a chimney stone stencil. Also known as the blog post where my husband informs me I used the wrong type of stone stencil on my Ivy Cottage stone chimney.

I love to use brick and stone textures on my aluminum can buildings. Recently, Meg Danforth posted a picture of her version of the January Putz House Monthly Post Office in our new Facebook group, and I immediately wanted to remake the building with a brick texture out of aluminum cans. Meg used a stencil and Tim Holtz Distress grit paste to make her bricks as she made her building out of cardboard. To achieve a similar look with aluminum cans, I need to use an embossing folder. However, I have been unhappy with the commercial brick embossing folders I have found as the bricks are very large and the size is quite unrealistic looking on Tim Holtz Village sized buildings. So I went looking for information on how to make my own embossing folder. I am very pleased with the result. Once I had made a brick pattern for an embossing folder, I decided I might as well make a stencil too. The building I am designing for the April Putz House Monthly pattern is one where I will want to make my cardboard model with a brick façade so I will need to use the stencil soon.