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What better way to prepare for Spring than to customize your own pair of sneakers with Stencil1! Take a look at Crafty Lady Abby‘s painted sneakers using Stencil1 stencils! Check out the full tutorial here! The stencils that were used in this project can be found in our Stencil1 store. check out our Asian Mum Curved Petals Stencil, Exotic Mum Pointed Petals Stencil, Mum Stencil, Blossom Stencil, Fern Stencil, and the Butterflies Stencil 3-Pack, 2 layers

Abby did an amazing job turning a plain pair of sneakers into a colorful work of art. She’s well known for her projects that combine the latest trends in fashion with arts and crafts. These are a pair of sneakers that will definitely turn heads for all the right reasons!

Be sure to check out Abby’s blog for her other creative and unique projects for inspiration this Spring season! We want to see your DIY sneakers using our stencils! Snap a picture and share it with us @Stencil!

It’s National Vans Customization Day here at the Stencil1 studio! We want to original style when Spring hits so we purchased some Vans and put our mark on them. See here how we did it so you to can be one of a kind!

Spray low tack spray adhesive on the back of the stencils so they stick to the shoe surface.

Tape off  the soles so you only paint the canvas part of the Vans.

We are all taped up and ready to paint!

The stencils we used are the small Mum stencil, the Asian Mum Stencil, the Exotic Mum stencil, and the Moroccan Petals stencil.

The flexible mylar material wraps around the shoes easily…

Lightly fill in the open areas with paint color of your choice.

On another pair we used white fabric paint.

Peel the stencil away carefully and see your work.

Keep applying the stencils, placed to your liking and varying colors if you like.

Here’s shoe #1!

And from the second pair, we add some subtle pattern.

Now, inspired by Japanese textiles, we are adding some white mums to these new blue denim Vans…

We are going with a dry brush technique, very little paint,  to get a distressed look.

like this!

Here’s a vocabulary word for you if you don’t know it …wabi-sabi, the term represents Japanese aesthetics …centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete”. Words to live by here, embrace the imperfections.

No one else has these, isn’t it cool to be original?

The three new pairs of Vans, customized and ready for Me, Lilian and Catherine, the Stencil1 crew!

We hope this inspired you and if you customize your kicks with our stencils please share some images with us @Stencil1

Out with the old and in with the new! Ready to revamp your wardrobe for the warmer months ahead? Try revamping that old shirt of yours with this DIY and turn it into your own personalized work of art. 

The materials you will need for this DIY project are painters tape, Spray Adhesive, three colors of paint, a shirt, paint brush, cardboard, and our Penny Farthing Stencil

The first step is to iron your shirt and get rid of any wrinkles that may hinder the stenciling process. After that, place your cardboard inside the shirt to provide a stable surface during stenciling.

Place tape along the bottom of the shirt to create a guideline when moving your stencil. This prevents your design from coming out crooked.

Apply Spray adhesive to the back of the stencil. Now place your stencil wherever you want the design to begin, and choose your first paint color to work with.

Begin stenciling the design onto the shirt!

Once you’re satisfied with the coverage from the paint, slowly peel away the stencil.

Pick your next color to work with, and repeat the process, moving along the tape you had set earlier.

Continue with as many colors as you want, following a pattern or going free style!

As you continue the project, you can either wash your stencil and brush in between each step, or leave the prior paint on the stencil to create a distressed gradient effect.

Once you’re satisfied with the placements of your design, remove the painters tape and voila! Your personalized shirt is ready to wear.

Now that your old shirt is personalized and looking brand new, take it out on a stroll with your bike this Spring! Don’t forget to share your projects with us @Stencil1!

Spring is not too far away! Get ready for the warm weather, bright colors, and beautiful flowers with a new how-to from Stencil1! Freshen up your walls with this lovely frame featuring our new Mum stencils and an inspiring quote to get you through the last few weeks of Winter!

Things you will need: A frame, Stencil1 Sprayers, Stencil1 Small Single Image Stencils, brushes, and paint.

First, stain your frame with a Stencil1 Sprayer. This will give the frame a nice, pigmented finish. Here, we’re using the color, Tan. Brush the ink along the frame until all sides are evenly coated.

Once your frame is dry. Grab your first stencil. Here we are using the Asian Mum stencil. Place the stencil in your desired location on the frame.

With a brush and the paint color of your choice, start painting away using a dry brush method. Dip your brush into your paint, then dab the excess paint on another plate or paper towel to prevent any bleeding underneath the stencil.

Next, grab another stencil. Here, we are using the Exotic Mum stencil, and repeat!

Play around with different stencils and placements. Here, we are using the Mum stencil.

Add more color to your frame by stenciling with different color paints.

Lastly, add a photograph or an inspiring quote to your frame and hang it somewhere really nice so you and everyone can see!

Don’t forget to share your frame with us @Stencil1!