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Julia's March 2021 Stencil Release - Pretty as a Flower!

 

This month's Dynamic Duos design, dubbed "Pretty as a Flower", combines one of my favorite places with one of my favorite people: Maine, where lupine and sweet peas grow wild with abandon, and my mom, who can be a bit wild at times too ! The addition of delicate butterfly and dragonfly overlays makes this design a perfect fit for garden-loving moms everywhere! And with Mother's Day right around the corner, little could be better, right?!

With that inspiration behind us, let me show you what I've just released:

New MARCH 2021 Stencils

Flowers and butterflies are clearly the dominant themes!

And where can you locate these beauties?! I thought you'd ask, which is why I've compiled this handy link list for you. All of these stencils can be found in various spots on my partner Confection Couture Stencils' site:

Also, per my partner's new procedure, the background stencil in this month's background set (pictured to the far left in the image below) is also sold separately! So, if you're not yet ready for fully layered sets, have no fear! You can create plenty of gorgeous floral cookies by using only my Sweet Peas and Lupine Dynamic Duos Background Stencil.

Now, what about my Stencil of the Month Club offering?! I knew you'd ask about that too, so I came armed and ready with the following graphic :

SOM_MAR_2021BORDER

Yep, as always, club members get huge (~20%) savings on a bundle of stencils that includes the current month's Dynamic Duos Background Set and my partner's coordinating single stencil. If you're a frequent stencil user and don't want to miss out on substantial savings, then, by all means, check out my Stencil of the Month Club.

As a way of changing things up a bit, I'm going to cut to the chase by starting with a "style reel" video that shows the many design variations possible with this month's Duos™ set. And here you have it!

Phew, so many options from just two sets, right?! And what I showed is just a small subset of the possibilities. Think of that! Now, if you'd like to see how I put together one of these layered stencil designs, then proceed to this next time-lapsed technique video . . .

Or, if you're a lover of words and still photos, then read on for the particulars of how I work with both sets. First, the background set . . .

Pretty as a Flower Dynamic DuosTM Background Set (7 pieces)SJU0375package_contents_pixelBORDER

The background stencil, a profusion of sweet peas and lupine, is quite lovely on its own . . .

Big BAck Only Shift Least COntext

Here, I've done it in six colors: Spectrum Flow Sky Blue mixed with their white, along with AmeriMist Electric Green, Avocado Green, Electric Pink, Regal Purple, and a custom mix of Royal Blue and Violet in a one-to-one ratio (for the darker parts of the lupine). I positioned much of stencil's central void in the center of the cookie, with the thought that I might put other foreground elements in that space later. But having a few simple cookies in every set makes the overall set easier on the eye. So I ultimately left these cookies as is. Below is the same background stencil on a much smaller heart cookie, which looks elegant too . . .

Background Only Close NIce

But, what garden is complete without a butterfly or two?! Or three plus a dragonfly, in the case of this set! In the following series of four photos, I've airbrushed these elements into the void, without using any masks, because I did not want them to overlap the pretty flowers. You could, of course, do some masking and "plant" a butterfly right smack dab in the middle of the flower garden if you'd like. That's the beauty of having masks!

IMG_9056two flat B FLIES HOR REALLY NICE

I love the streamlined, clean look of cookies when every element is perfectly airbrushed directly on the icing. Oops, let's not forget to add a dragonfly into the mix. . .

ALL FLAT OPENER SLIGHTLTY BRIGHTER

Here's a closer view of my airbrushing . . .

Flat butterflies only SQ NIcer

In case you're wondering how I fit three colors into the teeny tiny, closely spaced openings in the butterflies, it's called precision-airbrushing, and you'll have to come to my next Zoom class to get all of the details! Seriously though, so much learning happens by doing, and the intensive hands-on nature of my online classes can really take your airbrushing skills to new levels. (I announced my April class on Tuesday, and you can find every class detail behind either of the previous two pink links!)

In addition to the three airbrush colorings used in the butterfly (AmeriMist Leaf Green, Regal Purple, and Orange), I dusted the interior white spots with some Canary Yellow Petal Crafts dust. You may be better able to detect that subtle dusted color in this next close-up . . .

DUAL B FLIES VERY NICE CLOSE

As much as I like the striking simplicity of an all-flat look, the butterfly and dragonfly foreground elements, as well as the sweet peas and leaves in the background stencil, lend themselves quite well to dimensional treatments. Below, you'll see an occasional sweet pea and numerous butterfly wings flying off the cookies!

TWO STACKED WITH LOTS OF PAPER NICE SQ USE LESS CONTEXT

How'd I create that dimensional look? Easy! I just airbrushed the elements onto wafer paper, pretty much the same way I'd airbrush them onto an iced cookie, and then I cut them out, shaped them with a bit of wafer paper conditioner, and attached them to the cookies with piping gel.

The following four cookies show other variations with wafer paper butterflies and sweet peas . . .

Cookie Done in Video NICER BRIGHTERtrio of Hearts some paper sq Niceish

IMG_9134SPECKLED COVERED ONE CLOSE VERT NICE

SINGLE HEART FLY STACKED NICE LIGHTER

And, lastly, a super close-up view so you can appreciate the dimensional details . . .

ARTSY BFLY CLOSEUP MORE CENTERED

Now, let's talk about the many additional styles that become available once you layer in the complementary message and frame set. They are substantial, as you'll see!

Pretty as a Flower Dynamic DuosTM Message and Frame Set (6 pieces)SJU0376_package_contents_pixelBORDER

A single, large message cookie among simpler, smaller ones can make a big statement . . .

IMG_9186 NICE HOR TO MOM

In this case, the message and frame were airbrushed and stenciled directly on the cookie icing. The pale pink background within the frame was done using the shading stencil with a longer-distance shading technique, also a topic I cover in my upcoming cookie class.

T MOM SUPER CLOSE V NICE

In the case below, the message was made as a fondant appliqué and then set above the cookie on a small bit of fondant . . .

earth laughs new

Again, another big cookie that makes a bold statement among the rest of a set . . .

IMG_9199 2 TO MOM HOR USE

This message is also a fondant appliqué, but it's attached directly to the cookie with no fondant in between, so it's a little less dimensional (but no less pretty) than the earlier one . . .

to MOM HEART SQUARE NICE SOME CONTEXT

Below is the same cookie with yet another message, which demonstrates the beauty of fondant appliqués. I can change them up to my hearts content before committing anything permanently to the cookie, which helps me land on the best possible design. In this case, the fondant appliqué was also contoured (set to dry inside a paper towel tube before attaching it to the cookie) to give it a graceful curve . . .

MOM HEART ALT MESS NICE

And, last but not least, I leave you with a cookie that has it all: the background stencil's garden, the design's namesake message ("Pretty as a Flower") on a fondant appliqué, and a dimensional wafer paper butterfly!

P as f Sq v nice BRIGHTER WITH LOGO

'Til next release, may your cookies blossom with these new sets. (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun!) And may you enjoy your entry into spring!

Key Links:

If you have any technical questions about these stencils, just email me at sweetlife@juliausher.com or leave a comment below. Please, however, direct all ordering and Stencil of the Month Club questions to my stencil partner, Confection Couture Stencils, at service@confectioncouturestencils.com. Thank you!

Attachments

Images (24)
  • Julia's March 2021 Stencil Release, on a Spring Tabletop: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Julia's March 2021 Stencil Release, in a Nutshell: Cookies and Photos by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Julia's March 2021 Stencil of the Month Club Offering: Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils; Graphic Design by Confection Couture Stencils
  • Pretty as a Flower Dynamic Duos™ Background Set Contents: Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils; Graphic Design by Confection Couture Stencils
  • Background Stencil Only: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Background Set Only, Now on Smaller Cookie: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Foreground Elements Now in Use!: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • A Dragonfly Foreground Element Too!: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Closer View of Foreground Elements Airbrushed Directly on Cookie: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Closer Still!: Cookie and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Dimensional Wafer Paper Foreground Elements!: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Another Dimensional Wafer Paper Butterfly on Top!: Cookie and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Small Dimensional Wafer Paper Butterfly and Sweet Pea: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Another Design with Dimensional Wafer Paper Elements: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • And Another! So Many!: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Dimensional Wafer Paper Butterflies, Close-up: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Pretty as a Flower Dynamic Duos™ Message and Frame Set Contents: Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils; Graphic Design by Confection Couture Stencils
  • Messages Now in Use!: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Closer Look at "To Mom" Message: Cookie and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • "The Earth Laughs in Flowers" Message in Use: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • "To Mom" in Another Frame, on Another Cookie: Cookies and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • Close-up!: Cookie and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • "Mom" Bunting on Same Heart Cookie: Cookie and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils
  • The Design's Namesake Message: Cookie and Photo by Julia M Usher; Stencils Designed by Julia M Usher with Confection Couture Stencils

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Comments (15)

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@LisaF posted:

Amazing as always Julia. The colors are perfection.❤️

Thanks - I am always disappointed after the photos upload to this site (or any site, really), because the photo quality and colors seem to change a lot. They are prettier in the original photo form and in real life (if I can be so bold as to say that )!

Thanks, Heather! Hope all is well!

Thank you so much, dear Julia. ♥️           Well, my husband and I have moved 1000 miles north from our home last December to be with our son who is suffering serious kidney and eyesight failure due to diabetes which he has had for 19 years now. He is in treatment for both issues and will, God so willing, undergo an eye operation in two weeks time. He is getting better, but on a very strict diet.

So I’m afraid that is why my cookies, which I miss so much, have been put on standby. But trusting God and looking forward to putting my hands on them in the near future. Huge hug, dear Julia ♥️

Thank you so much, dear Julia. ♥️           Well, my husband and I have moved 1000 miles north from our home last December to be with our son who is suffering serious kidney and eyesight failure due to diabetes which he has had for 19 years now. He is in treatment for both issues and will, God so willing, undergo an eye operation in two weeks time. He is getting better, but on a very strict diet.

So I’m afraid that is why my cookies, which I miss so much, have been put on standby. But trusting God and looking forward to putting my hands on them in the near future. Huge hug, dear Julia ♥️

Oh no! I am sending best wishes for improved health for your son! Stay strong!

Simply beautiful Julia!! The color combination is perfect for spring and Mother's Day. It definitely takes a LOT of practice to precision airbrush as you've done to perfection. I keep working at it (LOL). Thank you for always creating something beautiful (with some challenging detail work). ❤️❤️❤️ Hugs...

Simply beautiful Julia!! The color combination is perfect for spring and Mother's Day. It definitely takes a LOT of practice to precision airbrush as you've done to perfection. I keep working at it (LOL). Thank you for always creating something beautiful (with some challenging detail work). ❤️❤️❤️ Hugs...

Thanks for the kind words, Carol! Hope all is well on your end!

@Amysuz posted:

I just bought this. It is Mary Poppins perfect.. perfect in every way!!!! Cross my fingers and toes that I can come close to how beautiful it looks.

Thanks so much! I really look forward to seeing what you create, so please do share!!

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