Shading with Stencils and Woven Ribbon Frame Tutorial

Today I have a very pretty home decor project to share.  I had a difficult time photographing this to show it to it's best advantage.   It uses the Folk Flowers stencils from the occasions mini catalog and the gorgeous Soft Suede grosgrain ribbon.  

With stencils it is so easy to add subtle shading to a design.  Using a sponge dauber, colors naturally blend from one to the next creating a gradient of colors.  I was also experimenting stenciling on vellum and will be posting those projects soon.  The softness of the shading on vellum is so lovely!  For today's project I stenciled on Sahara Sand cardstock to create bolder colors to coordinate with the darker frame.

The frame is an inexpensive square wooden frame.  The polka-dot ribbon is reversible which when woven creates an interesting pattern.  The texture is just yummy!  The design in the center is removable so I plan to make other fun focal images to be able to change this frame to fit the seasons.

A couple small tips for using the stencils: 

1. Secure cardstock to stamping surface with tape or temporary adhesive.  

2. Position stencil over paper. (Easy to do because the stencil is see-thru.)  Tape the edges of the stencil to hold it in place.

3. When shading the design, start outside the cut area of the stencil and begin to swirl the dauber on the plastic, gradually moving into the cut out areas.  (You can see below the ink on the edges of the stencil.)

4.  Concentrate more ink at the edges, lessening the pressure on the dauber as you move inward.

5.  Start light and add more ink as you go.  It takes very little ink to color the images in small areas.

Here is a close up of the shading:

Woven Ribbon Frame Tutorial:

1.  On the front of the frame, mark the center of each side with small pencil marks.

2. Cut four one-inch sections of Sticky Pages the width of the frame. Apply to back of frame along outer edges.  Peel the backing from the top section only. (Remove the backing from the other sections as you get to that section.) 

3. Cut lengths of ribbon the width of the frame plus 2 inches.  Stick ribbons to back of frame starting at the top center.

4.Working from the center out, adhere strips of ribbon to back frame keeping ribbons close together but not overlapping.  Flip every other ribbon over to alternate plain with polka dots.

5.  Work all the way across the top adding longer ribbon lengths at sides.

6. Apply small pieces of Sticky Pages to the corners on the back side.  Add first horizontal ribbon to this piece.

7. Add a length of sticky strip to the front of the frame as shown.  

8. Remove backing from sticky strip and fold down every other ribbon.

9.  Bring horizontal ribbon to the front.

10.  Add another row of sticky strip, remove backing and fold remaining ribbons down.

11.  Continue adding rows of sticky strip and weaving ribbons until you reach the bottom of both narrow sides.  

12.  Add more short ribbons to bottom section and continue weaving to bottom of frame.

13.  Wrap all loose ribbon ends to back and secure with additional sticky strip.

Supplies:  Folk Flowers, Sahara Sand cardstock, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, and Bravo Burgundy classic ink, sponge daubers, Soft Suede polka-dot ribbon, Sticky Pages, Sticky Strip, purchased frame.