Etspiration Wednesday: Numbers

Another Wednesday upon us!

We've been adding some new stencil designs to the website, some of which are new number sets.  We get emails everyday from people asking us if we make this and that, and one of our most popular requests are for number sets.  It's literally been on our to do list forever.  So we put up a serif, san serif, and Western style number set, in addition to our very popular Old World Style number sets.  You can check them out in our Alphabet and Number category.  We also want to do a REALLY  big Ornate Western number set to compliment our REALLY big Ornate Western alphabet.  I have to show you the sign Laura made with that alphabet.  She took an entire butcherblock countertop and stenciled on it.  It's awesome.

Numbers are such a versatile addition to any craft.  They instantly lend age, suggest your item was repurposed.  They make items feel authentic.

Etsy is full of amazing numbers.  House numbers, bingo markers, I just couldn't get enough of them.  Take a look at what I found.

1A:  Antique French Wooden Lottery Numbers Image Courtesy CabArtVintage
1B:  Vintage Enamel House Number Image Courtesy ArtisanetVintage
1C:  Serif Number Set Image Courtesy Maisondestencils
1D:  Vintage French Embroidered Number Trim Ribbon Image Courtesy petitbonheur

Okay the Number trim ribbon in 1D sold in the 24 hour time span between researching and writing this post, so clearly I have good taste.  The good news is petitbonheur has more of it in stock.  Check out that shop, it's fab.

2A:  San Serif Number Set Image Courtesy Maisondestencils

2B:  Vintage French House Number Image Courtesy onemansjunque

2C:  Vintage Cash Register Flags Image Courtesy TheOldTimeJunkShop

2D:  Vintage Hotel Number Tag Image Courtesy kijsa

I think the possibilities for these cash register flags are ENDLESS.  And they're really affordable.  So if I don't go buy them all out, you go buy them and show me what awesome things you can come up with. 

3A:  Antique Letterpress Number Blocks Image Courtesy PreserveCottage

3B:  Vintage Copper or Brass 1/2 House Number Image Courtesy MiTipo

3C:  Laurel Wreath With Crown No 7 Stencil Image Courtesy Maisodestencils

I had to include my letterpress love for these awesome numbers.  PreserveCottage has some really good blocks in their store.  Also, check out MiTipo because all they do are alphabet and number listings.  Great stuff!! 

4A:  Western Number Set Image Courtesy Maisondestencils

4B:  French Enamel Flea Market Sign Image Courtesy RuffbyMargo

4C:  Giant Ceramic Number 4 Sign Image Courtesy EuropeanModern

I really love this 4 in 4C.  Do you remember that Sesame Street bit that the Pointer Sisters did about numbers?  You know, 12345, 678910, 11-12, doo doodee doo dooo?  Okay maybe it's just me that remembers it.  Anyway, I think this 4 was plucked right out of it.  It is so completely cool.

This Etspiration has been brought to you by the number 4 and the letter L.  Stay tuned, great feature for you on Friday!

You Is kind Sign

Happy Friday Readers!

We've got another in-house feature for you today.  Laura is a pro sign maker as well as stenciller, and she made this sign for her daughter Mae's bedroom.  The sign is a quote from The Help, by the way.  It's a great movie. 

I wanted to highlight it because she used a particular technique that really looks sharp.

She uses varied coats of paint to create a shadow effect.  All you need to do is reapply the stencil with different color paint and offset by a tiny bit so you can see the layers of paint.  

Now this particular sign uses a font that is outlined to begin with, so there're some serious layers going on.  It gives the text a wonderful depth.  You can see here in the detail picture that the word 'Mommy' is just the two layers of paint with the offset.

Here's a process picture so you can see how applying the second layer of paint goes.  There's really nothing to it.  That big blob on the right side of the picture is just where she has extra paint to work with.

 

This last picture shows what the breaks look like not filled in in a layered stencil.  Breaks (some stencillers call them islands) are the little bits of plastic that keep cutaways from falling apart in a stencil.  Lots of people never go back and fill in the spots where there isn't any paint from breaks, it's totally personal preference.   It just looks kind of wonky in this particular application.

Mae loved the sign, of course. 

You can check out the "You is Kind" stencil and other subway art stencils here at our store.

That's all we've got for this week.  One birthday party, two one year molars, and one buttercream layer cake later, I am spent!

See you next week!