Ombre Rain Gear How-To and MS Spray Kit Review

I love rain gear, I don't think I could ever have too many umbrellas. I don't particularly like rainy days- but if it's gonna be gray and wet I feel like you should have some cute wardrobe options.

I had the idea for this set while watching the sky as a thunderstorm rolled in. The day had been gorgeous until the storm arrived. As it began to thunder in the distance, the sky darkened and became a perfect gradation from bright blue down to a dark ominous blue-gray.

I don't think anything says "it's gonna rain" more than a sky like that and I wondered if I could make an umbrella that mimicked it. Then I remembered an old pair of blue rain boots that were all scuffed up. I thought I might be able to cover the marks up with that dark blue-grey... and windup with a "new" set of rain gear.

I've painted umbrellas before but getting the subtle gradation of an ombre would be hard to do with just a brush. What I really needed was an airbrush or some sort of spray paint. It was the perfect excuse to try a "new to me" craft tool I've been eyeing for a while- the Martha Stewart spray kit!

In case you aren't familiar with this kit, it turns any of the MS acrylic craft paints (and I've heard that other brands work too) into spray paint. The beauty of this system is that I could mix the exact color I needed- essentially making a custom spray paint! But when compared to regular spray paint or even regular fabric paint, it was expensive.

The kit comes in two finishes, glossy or satin, I chose satin. It contains a thinning medium that you mix with your craft paint, two plastic bottles for mixing, and a spray canister that attaches to the top of the plastic mixing bottle. The instructions were clear, I also watched a video all about using the kit.

I started by spraying my open umbrella with a blue that was slightly darker than the umbrella. Unfortunately the paint was too close in color to the umbrella so it didn't really show up. And the spray can was clogging up more than it wanted to spray so I wasted a good bit of the spray can just trouble shooting! Finally I figured out that for some reason the (carefully measured) 1 to 1 mix of thinner and paint was just too thick. From then on I put slightly more thinner in than paint and it sprayed perfectly.

I adjusted my colors, making them both darker, then sprayed the umbrella again. It took a little switching back and forth between the two colors to get the fade smooth but I love how the effect turned out!

When finished I wait until the paint was dry and set (at least overnight) before closing the umbrella.

The boots were quick and easy. I taped off the soles with painter's tape before spraying.

This time I didn't need to switch back and forth between colors like I did with the umbrella. I think it was because the paint didn't soak in like it did with the umbrella fabric. I painted the medium blue first, then the dark gray-blue and I was done.

To me one of the things that makes the MS acrylic paint worth the price (twice as much as most other acrylic craft paint) is that it's supposed to work on almost any surface, including plastic. So I wasn't too worried about the paint adhering to both the the nylon of the umbrella and the plastic, rubbery  material of the boots. Unfortunately I did notice that the paint has already flaked off one spot on the umbrella... so I'm starting to have my doubts about how durable the boots will be. But I haven't tested either in a rain situation yet!

Since this was my first time trying the MS spray kit I wanted to share some of my impressions. 

• I loved being able to make my own colors.

• There wasn't the harsh odor of typical spray paint. Although I think you still have to spray outside or in a well ventilated area. In fact the package says it has no CFC's and no VOC's.

• Cleanup is with water so older kids could try this (with supervision) too!

• I liked that this works on a variety of materials like fabric, paper, and metal.

• I loved the idea but the expense was hard to get over. I bought two kits at the same time (for two different projects) but before purchasing it again I'd really have to consider if the benefits of spraying with this kit instead of regular spray paint would really be worth it. 

• Despite what the instructions said, using slightly more thinner than the 1 to 1 mix absolutely sprayed better for me (both times I used the kit) than using a 1 to 1 mix.

• I really don't like that you can't buy a separate spray can. In my opinion this is one of the biggest negatives. Since I wasted so much of the spray trying to unclog the can every few minutes while using the 1 to 1 mix, I had barely enough spray to finish this project. I had a ton of the paint thinner leftover but the only way you can get the spray can is to buy an entire other kit- which means two more plastic mixing bottles and another bottle of thinner. I have since used the second kit I purchased, and although the spray can lasted longer this time (no clogs with the extra thinner) I had so much of the thinning medium left from the first kit I never even had to open the bottle included in the second kit. Which seems like a total waste to me!

• The instructions didn't specifically mention switching colors but after watching the video I learned that it's the same process as washing the system after use. After washing according to the instructions it took a long time for my first color to purge from the spray system (another waste of the precious spray canister). So the next time I switched colors I washed not only the tube but also the cap on top of the tube, and I wiped off the bottom of the spray canister. (Basically I washed or wiped off any area where I  could see paint). The difference was dramatic! It took a fraction of the time (and spray) for me to switch colors.

It looks like we're supposed to get some rain over the next few days so I'll let you know how well this set holds up.

Stenciled Headboard Reveal and Tips for using Cutting Edge Stencils

Yesterday I announced my Cutting Edge Stencil Giveaway (which is still going on so if you haven't entered to win the stencil of your choice yet, hop on over to the giveaway). I also promised to reveal my Cutting Edge Stencil project. So here it is... the new headboard for our bed.

I used the stencil called Oceana Damask. I love that it has an ocean theme but at first glance looks like a traditional damask fabric pattern. It's perfect for the "New England Beach" theme I'm going for in the bedroom.

Image from Cutting Edge Stencils

To be honest I was shocked they had a stencil design that fit the particular mix of ocean and traditional elements I was looking for. (I wasn't kidding when I said I thought they had something for everyone.)

I used a stencil with two overlays (there's also a version with just one). The first overlay is solid. The second is the accent/highlight stencil.

Here are some pictures of my test board where I tried out different color combinations. All in all I tried about six different color schemes before deciding what I liked best.

Here you can see the stencil before the second overlay was applied.

The whole project was pretty easy. I watched the how-to video on Cutting Edge's website and learned a few tips that helped ensure I got good results.

Using the accent overlay did add an extra step, but I love how it changed the overall look, so in my opinion it was definitely worth the added stenciling time.

The overlay was, as promised, easy to align with the first stencil. Personally I definitely didn't want or worry about perfection when it came lining up the second stencil. I actually really liked the look of it being a little offset. But it would have been very easy to make it lineup perfectly using the built-in registration.

Although I did make one mistake when it came to using the overlay.

See that squiggle there....

It shouldn't be solid chocolate brown. It's on both stencils to help you align them correctly. However, in an overzealous moment of rolling I painted it with my accent color. It ended up being a happy accident because I really liked how it looked. So instead of fixing it I made the same "mistake" on the repeats.

If you are using a stencil with multiple overlays that's definitely something to watch out for.

Anytime I lost my bearings on how the pattern should look I found it really helped me to refer to the picture of the finished pattern that came with the stencil. I could look at that picture and easily figure it out.

I tried using both a stencil brush and a roller to apply the paint. I definitely preferred the roller. Not only was it faster but I wound up with way less paint creeping under the stencil edges.

I also tried using spray adhesive to stick the stencil down on the board more firmly.

It's listed in the instructions as an optional step to give your pattern sharper cleaner edges. In the interest of product review I thought I'd give it a try, but it ended up being very problematic. First of all, I had to go outside to spray the stencil with adhesive. Then the glue only stayed tacky for one application of the stencil to the board. After sticking it down and painting the pattern once I'd have to bring it outside to spray the back with adhesive again... only now the front was wet with paint, making it hard to hold.

It was all way more trouble than it was worth. I honestly didn't notice much of a difference between the areas where I used the adhesive and the areas where I simply taped the edges of the stencil down.

Over the years I've done a lot of small craft sized stencil projects. But this is the first large scale stenciling I'd ever done, and I have to say it was more exciting that I expected. Seeing the board all done and stenciled gave me a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. I couldn't get over the fact that I actually stenciled something that big.

In just a few hours I got something completely custom that totally changed the entire feel of the room.

It's definitely inspired me to think about what else I could do with these large decorative stencils. I could paint some interesting details on the ceiling of the porch. Make a custom patterned curtain or bed spread. I bet you could even stencil onto an area rug.

I'm really happy with the results.

And Lucy likes it too!

Disclosure: Cutting Edge Stencils provided this stencil for my review. They have also provided the prize for the giveaway. No other compensation was received.

Make A Customizable Family Tree Pillow- Free Printable

This is Part 2 of my Simply Screen Custom Silk Screen Kit Review- The project reveal.

If you missed Part 1 you can check it out here.

Lately I've been doing some genealogical research. And it sparked my interest in making a family tree project. (Plus I really needed some new pillows on the couch and have been meaning to try and make some for a long time now.)

Not only is this pillow something you can make for yourself but it's also a great gift for anyone on your list this holiday season because it's completely customizable.

First I used the custom silk screens I made to print a tree onto t-shirt-like fabric. That'll be the front of the pillow. For the back I used this cute little striped fabric.

Once the screened image is printed and dry, if you are making the pillow for yourself you can go ahead and write your family names around the tree leaves.

If you are going to give the pillow away as a gift, move straight to the next step which is sewing the pillow.

To make the pillow I followed this fabulous tutorial for an envelope pillow that Tracey Pereira put together as a guest post during my sewing 101 week.

Once the pillow is done (and by the way thank you so much Tracey because I actually, finally, sewed my own pillow and it was easy), turn it right side out and stuff it with a pillow form.

If you are going to gift this pillow include a fabric marker, and a nice card or tag letting the recipient know how they can easily customize this pillow with their family names. Another nice thing to include is a piece of cardboard. The recipient can place the cardboard inside the pillow when writing the names onto the front and the marker won't bleed onto the back of the pillow.

If you'd like to make this pillow for yourself or as a gift, I've made my screen design available as a free download here. All I ask is that you please respect the time it took me to make this design by not using it to produce items you intend to sell. It's for personal use only.

New Product Review- Simply Screen Custom Silk Screen Kit by Plaid

Part 1: Making and printing my own screens.

I've been silk screening for over ten years. But it took me almost five of those years to work up the courage to try making my own custom screens.

Back then making my first screen went ok- I ended up with a usable screen but the process was a bit nerve wracking. Plus it took a lot of prep time. And because I didn't have the right lighting setup, I rigged a solution using my living room lamp and actually ended up scorching the shade. Not so good.

So when I saw the new Simply Screen Custom Silk Screen Kit from Plaid I was really excited to try it.

And Plaid was nice enough to send me a kit to review.

Before the kit arrived there were two things I already new I liked-

First this entire box contains everything you need to make and print your own screens. Including the light! Even the box itself is part of the process. This is such a smart idea- if I had had this kit oh so many years ago I don't think I would have waited so long to make my own screens (or scorched my lamp).

The second thing that caught my attention was that the screens are thin and flat, which means they are very easy to store. Traditional silk screens have a wooden frame around the edge, making them a bit bulky. If you start making a lot of screens soon you'll need quite a bit of storage space to keep them all.

I was really hoping when I got this kit into my hot little hands that it was going to live up to my initial impressions.

When it arrived I cracked it open- inside there was a light bulb, hanging socket, 3 screens and a test strip sealed in an envelope (because they are light sensitive), a squeegee, 3 colors of paint, a brush, a sponge, and even a tray for rinsing the screens.

Plaid also sent me a variety of brown and green paint for my project.

After reading the instructions (which were very clear and easy to understand) I was surprised to learn that you can print your custom design using regular old printer paper. And you don't need to reverse your design. With traditional silk screens you need to print on a plastic transparency and reverse your image so it's mirrored. I was also pleased to learn that you can actually cut the pre-sized screens to whatever size you want.

Setup of the kit was simple- All I needed to do was attached the light bulb and socket to the top of the box. Then print my custom design from my computer. And just like that I was ready to try making my own screens!

Using a small piece cut from my test strip (about the size of a gift tag), I tried to make my first custom screen. When you remove the screen from the envelope it's blue in color- and after exposing it to light the entire screen looked the same way it did when I pulled it out of the envelope. Being used to traditional silk screening (where you can see your image after the screen has been exposed to light) I thought it hadn't worked at all. I didn't even try rinsing the screen out- I just threw it away. Don't do what I did- I quickly found out that was a mistake!

I tried again- this time when it looked exactly the same as it did when I first pulled it out of the light proof envelope I didn't throw it straight into the trash. Instead I rinsed it and like magic my image began to appear!

It was a little harder than I expected to wash the blue emulsion out of my image. The instructions are very clear about how long to expose the screen to light and the weight of paper you should use. But I wasn't sure about the weight of my paper (since I no longer had the packaging). It seemed like standard printer paper so I exposed the screen for the number of minutes indicated in the directions. It worked but the first screen was hard to rinse. After I damaged a second screen because I was trying so hard to get emulsion out I began to question whether or not I was exposing the screen too long. I tried again but this time I cut the exposure time down by two minutes and viola!

The screen was very easy to clean!

With that experimentation out of the way and my adjusted exposure time I was ready to make a large screen. Actually two large screens because I wanted to try making a design that required two different colors.

After the screens were exposed, washed, and dried, I was ready to print!

Update: After reading a few other product reviews I've found that Plaid is now suggesting you put glass (like the glass from a picture frame) over the top of your printed pattern and screen when exposing the screen to light. This is something you do in traditional screen making, and I was tempted to try it, but didn't want to stray too far from Plaid's instructions. I'm happy to see that they've put this tip out there because I think it will help make sure the screen patterns have sharp clean edges.

Printing is easy- you start with a line of paint at the top of the screen. Then use the squeegee to pull the paint down over the image.

There were a couple of things I found that I liked better about the Simply Screen screens than traditional framed screens-

With traditional screens it can be hard to figure out if you've pushed the paint through the screen enough. Over the years I've done a lot of screening and no matter how practiced you are, there are always a few screens that come out a little under or over printed. Which is disappointing. Having this flexible screen is really great because you can actually lift up a corner and get an idea whether or not you've screened enough.

The other thing I really liked was the ability to line up multiple screens easily. Since you can see through the screen a little bit I was able to line my leaves up to the tree trunk and print easily. That's not the case with traditional silk screening- you need a special setup to print multiple color screens.

And by using the brush that comes with the kit, instead of the squeegee. I was able to make the leaves two different colors at the same time. One tip though- being a crafter who's used to stenciling, on my first try I used the brush in a "pouncing" motion. The leaves didn't come out good. The second time, I brushed over the leaves using a little pressure to work the paint through the screen (more like the way I would use the squeegee) and they came out terrific.

The only thing that I'd say didn't work as good or better than expected was the way the screens printed my type. Usually you can get pretty fine details with silk screens but I had problems getting the very thin areas of some letters show up. I had to fill some areas in with a brush. Perhaps the font I chose was too thin in some areas- but I really wanted to test the limits of the screens. So next time, I'll choose a font that doesn't have such thin lines in some areas.

I also tried printing on a few different types of fabric. T-shirt fabric clearly worked the best. When I tried a heavier fabric that had a texture similar to that of a canvas tote the results were mixed. The bumpy texture of the heavy fabric made it very easy to both under print, and over print the image. Even when the image printed at it's best it wasn't as good as the results I got got with the t-shirt fabric.

Bottom line- There's a lot love about the Simply Screen Custom Kit. Personally I will keep using it to make new screens. If you've never silk screened before this is a great way to get into it because they've truly simplified the process. And the price is right- at only $39.99 for the kit it's definitely an easy and inexpensive way to start making your own screens.

I really like the size of the kit, it's a fraction of the size of one of those big custom screen making machines. But it's relatively small size doesn't mean you sacrifice usability. A full screen produces an image plenty big enough for an adult shirt. Plus I can't say enough how great it is that the screens hardly take any space to store!

There are a few things I'd tweak- I'd love it if the color of the screen changed when exposed to light. If you have to adjust your exposure time there isn't a clear way to tell when and if the screen has been overexposed. It's just a process of trial and error.

Also in the directions it says that the screens have a reusable sticky backing that helps them grab onto the fabric while you screen. In my experience the stickiness was pretty much gone after I washed the screen out for the first time. It's not a big deal because I just taped the fabric down to a hard surface then taped my screen onto the fabric. But with the screens being so lightweight- I can see where they'd be easier to use if that adhesive stayed sticky after washing.

Overall it's a really great kit and I'm glad I got to review it- Thanks Plaid!

With the holidays right around the corner this would be a FANTASTIC gift. (And can you imagine how much a crafty teen would LOVE this kit! They could make their own shirts, bags, and accessories!)

And here is Part 2 of my review, my project reveal. A Customizable Family Tree Pillow. It's a great project you can make for yourself or give as a holiday gift!

And in the interest of full disclosure- I was not paid by Plaid to write this post. The links in this post are not affiliate or monetized links. Plaid did provide me with the Simply Screen Custom Silk Screen Kit to review as well as additional paint to complete my project.