Learn How to Stencil a Spooktacular Halloween Bag

Four Simple Steps For Painting a Halloween Trick-or-Treat Tote Bag

Good morning, my boo-tiful crafters! We are feeling positively defrightful today! It's hard to believe that Halloween is only about a week away. As we pull together the final elements of our costumes, we can't help but think that no costume is complete without a trick-or-treat bag. And that's where Cutting Edge Stencils creeps in! We're here to help you complete your ghoulish good looks with a super easy stencil idea. So if you're ready for a howlin' good time then let's get started on today's craft project...

We'd like to welcome back Ginger, the queen of crafting and blogger behind Ginger Snap Crafts. Now Ginger is no newbie when it comes to stenciling, in fact, you might remember her Home is Where the Heart Is wall sign or her stenciled organization wall or even her DIY stenciled curtains. But out of all of her stenciling projects, we're gonna guess that this Halloween trick-or-treat tote bag was the easiest of them all. It took her less than 15 minutes to create and it's absolutely adorable. Ginger says, " Isn't that the cutest bag ever? The little monkey is pretty cute, too! ha! ;)" Here is the scoop on how to stencil a Halloween Trick-or-Treat tote (this project comes from Ginger Snap Crafts):

First you're gonna need this stuff listed below:

• black canvas tote
• A stencil (for this project the Chevron Craft Stencil (medium) was used)
• Stencil brush <--- We prefer the one in this link.
• Painter's tape
• Small paint tray or plastic plate
• Paper towels
• Craft paint found at Michaels or JoAnns ( for this project Americana Multi-purpose Satin Paint from DecoArt in Apple Green was used)
• Textile Medium like, Anita's Textile Medium found at your local craft store

1. Gather Materials: Start the stencil project by gathering all of the materials listed above. If it's needed, iron the canvas tote bag to remove any wrinkles. 2. Secure The Stencil: Position the stencil design on the tote bag. Measure the placement of the stencil to ensure the pattern is centered. Then you can secure the stencil in place using painter's tape. 3. Start Stenciling: Pour your craft paint onto a plate or paint tray. Mix up the paint with the fabric medium (2 parts paint to 1 part medium). Then dip your stencil brush into the paint. Blot off the excess paint onto your folded paper towel until the brush looks almost dry. The key to stenciling is using as little paint as possible. Too much paint will cause the design to bleed and smudge. Next you will paint the design onto the canvas tote with the stencil brush using a dry brush (stippling) technique. Stippling is when you tap the brush repeatedly over the stencil opening. 4. Complete the Pattern: Allow the paint to dry a little and reposition the stencil so you can continue to paint the pattern on the entire surface (the back). Let the paint dry for two hours. Now let's admire your terror-ific creation! The best part about this project is that it will make a great tote bag long after the holiday has passed.

Would you consider stenciling a Halloween trick-or-treating bag? Leave us a comment below!

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Thanks for reading, and happy stenciling! Michelle and the Cutting Edge Stencils Crew