Wow, how time seems to fly, especially now that I'm marking the passing of it with monthly Prettier PlaquesTM stencil releases! This month, I've got three new five-piece stencil sets: "Hello Summer", which is also the Stencil of the Month*; "4th of July" with a vintage flair; and "Fun in the Sun" for a little escapism in spring, summer, fall, or winter! I'm also teasing you with a reminder of "Baby", one of several baby shower-themed sets that I previously released. Apart from "4th of July", this month's sets have a decidedly whimsical touch - a pleasant departure (I hope) from my usual elegant look:
As always, all of these stencils can be found on my special page on my partner Stencil Ease's site, here. And the Stencil of the Month Club can be joined here.
Now, let's zoom in on "Hello Summer" for a bit . . . after all, it is the Stencil of the Month*, which, among other things, means terrific savings! (For a reminder of the savings you get when joining my club, please see the footnote under the asterisk below.) I'll have a detailed video about this set in a month or so, but, in the meantime, suffice it to say that it works just like all of my other sets (i.e., stencil over the background and mask; add optional shading; stencil the frame; and then stencil the words). However, it has one small twist. Rather than having just the frame on the frame stencil, that stencil also has a retinue of hungry ants!
This twist was introduced to make it easier to isolate these tiny critters and to superimpose them on the checked picnic tablecloth in the background stencil:
And it worked like a dream, as I hope the following photo attests:
And even closer . . .
I love to go crazy with my color schemes, and, thankfully, it's actually pretty easy to get many colors through my background stencils, all with minimal overspray and underspray. Just remember three things: (1) Use a low pressure setting and light touch on your airbrush trigger; (2) hold your airbrush relatively close to the stencil (meaning about 1 to 2 inches away) when spraying tight areas; and (3) hold it at a 90-degree angle to the cookie. For more details about how I airbrush multiple colors through one stencil, please see my most recent videos in this YouTube playlist and also my "Baby" video, embedded below.
I've used eight (!) colors on this cookie (red for the tablecloth, black for the ants and frame, royal blue for the flowers and message, light royal blue and gray for the clouds, spring green for the grass, light brown for the basket, and yellow for the background highlights), but it can always be done with fewer colors and still look pretty cool. By reducing the number of colors, you'll save on stenciling time. For instance, "Hello Summer" would look equally cute with the tablecloth in red and the rest of the background in black as a silhouette. And while I like to do "4th of July" in red, light blue, dark blue, and silver or pearl, it looks perfectly patriotic in basic red and blue. In short, my sets provide plenty of versatility!
Now, let's close out with "Baby". This set was first introduced back in January or February, but, with its birds chirping on the garden fence, it seems more springy or summery to me. I did it in five colors (light green, brown, pink, light blue, and light brown) below, but I've also done it in just two colors (blue for the birds and frame, and everything else in brown), which gave it a more elegant look. But, again, the colors you choose are completely up to you!
Here's the detailed how-to:
And that wraps up this month's release! I hope you enjoy these summery options. Again, all of my stencils can be found on my partner Stencil Ease's site at www.stencilease.com/juliausher.htm, and my Stencil of the Month Club* can be joined here. If you have any questions about pricing, shipping, or ordering, please direct those specifics to my partner at service@stencilease.com. Any design or technique questions can be directed to me at any time!
Thanks for your support! I hope you are enjoying my line!
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* As a reminder, my Stencil of the Month is part of my Stencil of the Month Club (naturally! 
), which works like so . . . Once you subscribe, each month you'll automatically receive a surprise stencil set (the Stencil of the Month) valued at $18.99 for just $14.99 plus shipping and handling. Members also get an exclusive members-only 15% discount on all stencils and accessories on the Stencil Ease site. After you sign up, Stencil Ease will send you a personalized letter from me that explains when you can expect your stencils each month, how to redeem your 15% members-only discount, and a few other things. If you have any questions about these logistics, please check out the Stencil of the Month Club webpage, or send inquiries to service@stencilease.com. (Note: The Stencil of the Month is also available to non-Club members, but only at full retail price.)
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