Want to know my secret for taking my designs to the next level? Essential Stencils! Not only do I use them for my own art pieces, but they are an absolute must-have for every single paint party I teach!

Today we’re going to talk all things Essential Stencils and I’m super stoked about it! Y’all may have seen me using stencils in my Facebook live videos as well as posts like How to Paint a Snowman {Easy DIY}, DIY Merry Christmas Porch Sign {Video} and How to Make a Simple Wreath Sign with Stencils.

Last summer I had a blast designing this Adventure and Camping stencil set, featured by Essential Stencils as the July Stencil of the Month!

Plus, you can get a discount on your own Essential Stencils if you use my code, TEXASHEIDI at checkout!

Essential Stencils is my absolute favorite stencil brand. They’re SO cute, they last a long time and they really bring your paint project to the next level. I really can’t recommend them enough. Also, if you want to learn how to teach paint parties, these stencils are an awesome tool! They have seriously been such a blessing to my business, and I want to share the love with you!

Stencils are a great way to jazz up any project, whether it’s adding some snowflakes to a holiday endeavor or even creating a whole piece around a word or quote, like the ones in my Wanderlust collection! Essential Stencils even has alphabet stencil kits that can be used to add single letters for literally any project you’re working on. The only limit is your imagination!

Alright, let’s dive in!

How to Use Essential Stencils

I always make sure to have at least one stencil for every two guests at my paint parties. Any fewer, and a lot of time is spent standing around and waiting. 

For my snowman porch leaner, I used white acrylic paint for the snowflakes. I don’t buy fancy tools for these – I just grabbed a $1 chip brush from Lowes! You can get something similar at your local hardware store. 

To apply, dip your brush into the paint, but don’t forget to offload first – dab most of it off first before you start stippling on the stencil. Bleeding is totally normal, so don’t sweat it if you get some outside the lines.

Another surprising tool you can use to stipple the paint is makeup sponges, believe it or not! Just as you would with a brush, be sure to dab off most of the paint first before stippling. 

It really couldn’t be easier!

How to Clean Stencils

Some of you may be wondering how to clean stencils. Honestly, I don’t even bother. I just let the paint dry before storing them. The dried paint really doesn’t affect the stencils’ functionality at all!

If you’re a clean freak, let me just say, I respect you! ???? I totally get it if you like to keep your supplies squeaky clean. Just rinse your stencils in the sink while the paint is still wet. You’ll want to clean them off immediately after using them, because dried paint is stubborn! 

Also, it’s good to note that acrylic and water-based paints are easier to clean. Oil-based paints will only drive you crazy.

How to Organize Stencils

So I’ve been searching forever for a great way to organize my stencils when not in use. I seriously just keep them stacked in a little plastic shelving unit, but then I have to sift through them all to find the stencils I want. Ha!

A great way to keep them organized is to use big pieces of cardboard and sort them by theme (for example, letters, holiday themed stencils, etc.). You can use post-its to label each section and just leave them sticking out so you can see the stencil sections.

I’ve also seen people using pants hangers (you know, the ones with the clips) to clip the stencils and hang them up. This is such a great way to store them because you can easily flip through and see the stencils. You would just need enough room to hang a rod (or maybe an old wardrobe!) in your crafting space. 

I’m open to other suggestions – if you know a great way to store stencils, please let me know in the comments!

I hope this guide to all things Essential Stencils was helpful and inspiring! I really can’t recommend them enough as an essential part of your paint party kit (pun fully intended!). Don’t forget to use the discount code TEXASHEIDI to get your own stencils, and sign up if you want to learn how to host your own paint party. 

Happy stenciling!