When the decision was made to paint on the Mort Family’s chair, I needed to create a stencil that was bigger than the norm, so after doing some research, I found a way to make my own stencil using a plastic folder and Photoshop!

I searched the web for free clip art images.  Jenna loves the fleur de lis pattern, so I chose one that was simple because I was going to use an exact o knife to cut it out.  Too many curly parts are difficult to cut, so in this case, the simpler the better.

I use Photoshop Elements for all of my photo editing.  I created a new blank canvas, and copy and pasted the free image onto it.  This stencil had to be proportionate to the size of the chair, so I had to make it really big.  I stretched it out to fill the page, then split it onto two pages, by cutting it in half, printed it out, then taped it together.

I purchased a plastic folder at Walmart, one that the kids would use for school work, and cut it in half, then cut the inside flap off that would normally hold papers.  In the end, I had a large piece of sturdy plastic to make my own stencil.

I taped my paper onto the folder to make sure it didn’t shift while I was cutting it out.  I used an exact o knife to trace along the lines of the image.  Make sure to place a cutting board underneath, or you will leave marks on your surface.

The longest part of this project is the actual cutting of the stencil, so make sure you have a fresh blade for your knife.

I used this stencil two times for the Mort Family, once for the chair….

And another for this rolling storage ottoman I found on trash day.

I didn’t tape the stencil down very well when I painted it on the lid, that is why the lines are not as crisp as they could be. 

What is nice about this method is when I was done with each project, I just rinsed off the paint and wiped it dry.  This stencil could be used on pillows, place mats, or even cloth napkins.

The cost of this stencil was just the cost of the folder and my time.  Like most of us, I have more time than money so these type of projects are my favorite!  What do you think?