I ordered some new stencils from dear Ginny's Emporium earlier this week and they arrived in a couple of days. So fast! Ginny lived out here in LA before making her big break for Cleveland with her sweetheart John. We started our blogs within days of each other. Ginny also has an Etsy shop with some stencils not carried in her Emporium, which, if I didn't already say so, is quite fabulous.
Coffee Break Design stencils are such good quality and really sturdy. I spread them all out today in the late afternoon and got busy in my book. Wave after wave of giddiness washed over me.
The flock of birds and skyline. Much, too much, too much.
I am a big fan of experimenting with stencils. I don't know why I never devoted a book solely to quick & fast work. It's pure PLAY. A big stack of new stencils, a few cans of spraypaint, and a warm day. Perfect.
I've also taken to cleaning my paint brushes off on the pages in my Coil Bound Stencil Tryout Play Book. That's where that dusky carnation pink color came from. Who cares if it matches anything or not? Not me.
My neighbor gave me these vintage Japanese stencils a few months ago. She got them at a flea market. They are all cut on thin brown paper and each stencil is sandwiched between layers of cardboard. I keep them in an old plastic zippered bedspread bag out in the garage.
My sister alerted me to these Portugal posts over at one of our favorite UK bloggers, Jane Brokett. HERE is the first one. And HERE is the second. Naturally, both are about food.
The Japanese five petal blossom stencil looks rather like the design you get if you cut okra and use it to rubber stamp. Is that tryout book your previous calendar? It is fun to see how the coils develop over repeated and varied dusts of spray color.
PLAY is always good.
Posted by: susan w | Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 07:55 AM
Love the stencilfest! And Ginny's Emporium, WOW!
I always wanted to own an emporium. ;)
Posted by: Donna | Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 08:15 AM
cool! love the words...did you get the one of the woman with a topknot? love the running men too and with your interpretation...fabulous! smooches
Posted by: Leau | Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 11:06 AM
LOVE, LOVE....LOVE the skyline with the birds. Flocks of birds make my heart flutter. I'm headed over to emporium to see what is up....
Posted by: Elizabeth | Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Love the skyline and the flock of birds. I just got a new pkg of transparencies over the weekend so new stencils are in my future.
Posted by: Janet | Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 04:48 PM
You did something again! I love these things you alert us to! To which you alert us! As someone who is too anal and hyper-critical of self and others, most often Dick Clark, I desperately NEED your sense of play and your perspective. So, stop it.
YAY, again! GREAT pages. If this is the Ginny of whom I know, I'm zipping over there right now. If it isn't, I'm zipping over the right now!!
Posted by: Chris | Monday, June 29, 2009 at 11:55 AM
more play time today! sharing some over yonder....
happy to be in your inspiration-al sphere these few weeks!
Posted by: Stephanie | Monday, June 29, 2009 at 04:00 PM
Wow, Mary Ann...what a nice thing you did for me and my Emporium. All my stencils are made by Coffee Break Design, but some he does exclusively for me.
You are the best, as we all keep telling you.
Love and hugs to you! Ginny
Posted by: ginnycartersmallenburg | Monday, June 29, 2009 at 07:12 PM
Love the pages.
Funny thing about cleaning brushes on a page. I do that often, on the page facing the one I am working on because I always mix too much paint, and I invariably find the "clean up" page more interesting than the intentional one. I think it's kind of like doing blind contour drawing.
From what I understand, this will be your second trip to Lisbon. Must be a very special place!
Posted by: anna maria | Monday, June 29, 2009 at 08:12 PM
so glad to know about these stencils....and especially loving the birds. i just love it over here....
Posted by: daniela | Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 12:13 AM
i found my way here from renee's blog...i used to edit a stenciling mag for many years...i am doing new things and experimenting wildly painting my dropcloths and turning them into purses and accessories...i will be teaching my technique at John Campbell Folk School next may...so glad you have directed me to more stencils to use...great job....i look forward to connecting with you more....hugs and blessings, rebecca
Posted by: Cre8Tiva | Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 03:22 PM
WOW! These stencils look SO cool!
Posted by: Mixed Media Martyr | Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 04:12 PM
I like the stencil work (and esp the idea of wiping your brush on a blank journal...I am so cheap and hate to waste anything!) but it was the link to those pasteis! I feel like a crack head with my mouth salivating at the thought AND image. I could easily talk dh into a September trip....hmmm.
Posted by: Maureen | Wednesday, July 01, 2009 at 06:45 AM
Love your blog and your journals...was so inspired by the stencils that i just ordered the "sisterhood" set...the others were sold out...I'll have to keep an eye out for more esty additions to grab some more when they are available. Thanks so much for the link and your inspiring journals....love the RED...have a safe trip to Portugal. Fondly, Roberta
http://con-tain-it.typepad.com
Posted by: Roberta | Wednesday, July 01, 2009 at 07:59 AM