Stencil It Country-Style

Here's a simple and way to give furniture, everyday household objects, floors or even walls a whole new lease on life. And you don't have to be an artist to do it. All you need is a precut stencil, some acrylic paints and some brushes, and you can bring a fresh country look into any room.

Designer Lani Moses chose simple accessories - cookie tins, Shaker boxes, a muslin apron, wicker baskets and a wooden stool - and shows you how to transform them into treasures. Even if you've never stencilled before, you'll get show-off results.

You need:
• Item to be stencilled - fabric, wood or metal
• Acrylic paints or fabric paint for fabric stencilling
• Stencil brushes, 1 for each colour
• Stencil
• Old cookie sheet
• J Cloths
• Paper towels
• Plastic saucers or lids
• Stir sticks
• Masking tape
• Permanent marker
• Elastic bands
• Polyurethane varnish

Before you begin:

• For your first project, choose a simple stencil design and a small item on which to stencil it, such as a small table, tin or box.

• The surface to be stencilled should be clean and dry. If desired, paint the item with a flat latex or enamel paint and let dry. If stencilling on fabric, wash it first to remove any sizing. Place a piece of cardboard under the fabric to provide a flat surface on which to work.

• With permanent marker, mark the top of the stencil. If you are using a multipart stencil, make sure there are register marks for correct placement of second stencil. The simplest way to do this yourself is to trace part of the Stencil 1 design onto Stencil 2 with marker.

• If you want to use only part of the stencil design, block off the unwanted areas with masking tape.

To stencil:

1. Tape stencil securely to background with masking tape. NOTE: It's a good idea to practise stencilling on a piece of paper before working on the actual item.

2. Spread a double layer of paper towels and a damp folded J Cloth side by side on cookie sheet.

3. Put a small amount of paint (approx 10 mL/2 tsp) in saucer. If necessary, mix colours to obtain desired color. Dip only the tip of the brush into the paint. Avoid using too much paint on the brush or it will seep under the stencil. If brush becomes caked with paint, wipe it with a damp J Cloth. Do not immerse brush in water during use.

4. Using a circular motion, remove excess paint on damp J Cloth. Test on paper towels then fill in the cutout areas of stencil design working from outside to inside of each area in a circular motion. This will produce a subtle shaded effect. Slick surfaces such as a tin or a painted basket may require a dabbing motion with the brush to make paint adhere. You should be able to paint several repeats before reloading your brush. When stencilling repetitive motifs, be sure to keep colour intensity even. Refer back to first motif often. Use a separate brush for each colour of paint. When temporarily finished with each brush, wipe it clean, wrap in a damp J Cloth and put into a plastic bag.

5. When paint is dry (almost immediately), untape stencil and continue in same manner as before in other area. If you are using a second stencil, lay it on top of first design, lining up register marks correctly. Tape in place and stencil as before.

6. When finished, rinse brushes in warm water. Wash with mild soap using a circular motion in palm of hand. Rinse again. Wrap elastic band around bristles to hold shape. Allow 12 hours for proper drying before using brushes again.

7. Clean stencils with mild soap and water, using a nylon pot scrubber if necessary.

To finish:

• Allow stencilled item to dry at least 24 hours.

• For protective finish, paint item with 2 or 3 coats of clear polyurethane. Use spray varnish on baskets and tins, testing first to ensure that paint will not run.

• Heat-set fabric paint stencilling with a hot iron, on wrong side of fabric, according to manufacturer's directions.

Designer's Tips:

• Flip stencil over for a mirror-image design.

• Keep a clean, damp J Cloth handy to correct small mistakes. These can be wiped with a tiny corner of the cloth. If paint is too dry, gently scrape it off with an X-acto knife. Retouch background paint if necessary. If you notice small smudges of paint on your design, remember to check the back of the stencil for paint.

• During a detailed project, mist J cloth lightly with water to prevent drying out.

• If you tear a stencil, place a small piece of Scotch tape over front and back of tear. Use an X-acto knife to recut the open area.