Step Ten: Creating Adorable Creatures on Your Toys
Creating adorable animal characters on your Made-With-Love toys puts a personal touch that is sure to bring a smile to your loved ones face. Did you notice? Most of the character designs have snuggling, loving animals pairs on them to symbolize the love you have for your child on your toys. These designs are a subtle way to tell your little ones how much you love them.
Supply List
1
Cut Out The Images
Cut your animal and pattern images out of the stencil grid.
Do not cut directly on the white square but just outside of it. Giving yourself that extra ‘pull tab’ helps make it easier to remove the stencil after it has been painted.
2
Are Your Letters Dry?
Before you flip over the block to apply the stencil, ensure the paint is completely dry on the other side.
If unsure or it is still wet, you can hold the toy by the star sides in your other hand and place the block on the star side.
3
Make Sure The Images Are Right Side 'Up'!
Apply the stencil to the opposite side of the wooden block as the letters. Then, before applying toy-safe paint, make sure the images are the right side up!
Twist the block to make sure everything is right side up. Are the images facing ‘up’ in the same direction as the letters you painted earlier?
4
Stick. Scrape. Reveal!
When you are ready, lightly dip the squeegee into the paint color of your choice. Gently scrape the paint over the image until every gap is filled and the paint is smooth and even.
Remove the stencil, and VOILA!
You have a beautiful image!
Let dry.
5
Wash the Stencil
If you are finished with the stencil, immediately submerge your stencil in water and wash it.
Using Different Paint Colors
If you want to continue using the same image before washing, keep going! Apply it to another block and follow the exact step-by-step instructions to create an identical image. You can use the same image multiple times before washing.
Can you immediately use other paint colors with the same stencil? The answer is YES!
However, there will be some paint transfer. For instance, if I use Snowy White and immediately follow it using Rosy Red, I will notice some light, white streaks in the Rosy Red image. But it won’t be very noticeable.
But if you start with a darker color and try to follow it with a lighter color, it will be much more noticeable. For instance, if you use Rosy Red first and then follow it with Snowy White, you will notice that your Snowy White image is filled with red streaks.
If this is the effect you want, then go for it! But if you want a clean image, wash and dry your stencil before using it with a different color.