So if you have read my blog recently, you know I’m in the middle of making over my living room. I’m on a quest to update and liven things up and I’m on a budget. I was asked by Tulip for Your Home to make decorative pillows using their fabric paint and stencils. They provided me with all the supplies as well as compensation for making the pillow. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own.
As you can see in the picture, I made the pillow to match the spring pillows I recently made. If you would like to make your own pillow using fabric paint and stencils, it is totally do-able and fun. I’ve got a tutorial for you along with tips and tricks so your project will be a success. You ready to do this? Let’s get to it!
Tulip for Your Home sent me all these supplies. They have a full line of products to help you create for your home and have fun while doing it! 🙂 I settled on the blue and the pink fabric paint and decided to do a layered look with my stencils. I ended up using 2 stencils. We recently moved our girls into their own rooms and I have tons of projects to do in their rooms as well. I have a feeling you will be seeing these stencils again as I get to zhuzhing up their rooms.
Using your stencil spray adhesive, layer a thin layer of adhesive on the back of your stencil. Place the stencil on the pillow cover.
I use old pie pans for my paint projects. They work perfectly, clean up easily, and are reusable. Place some paint in the tray and layer it onto your roller.
Do you see how dry my roller is? That is how dry you want it to be. Painting with stencils is different from painting a wall or other craft project. You want your brush or roller to by dry. It helps to keep the paint from seeping below the stencil and gives you clean lines in your finished product.
Before you begin painting, make sure you place cardboard in the middle of the pillow so any paint that bleeds through will be on the cardboard not on the fabric on the reverse side of your pillow cover.
Using your dry roller, roll the paint onto the stencil. Don’t use too much paint or you won’t get clean lines and won’t be happy with your end result. If you feel the need, add one light layer of paint, then go back and add a second light layer of paint.
Using my dry roller, I was able to get this type of coverage with one coat of paint. I went over each area more than once and did use some pressure with the roller. Just make sure it is a dry roller….are you tired of hearing that. LOL! It is just really important when working with stencils.
This is what one coat of paint will look like. Allow the paint at least one hour to dry before you begin the next layer. I found one hour was enough, but gave it two hours just to be safe and not pull any paint off with the stencil.
Place your second stencil in the position you want and go through the same process of loading your roller with paint. Make sure you layer the paint on with a dry roller (yep that again!).
Use a light layer of paint just like you did with the first stencil. It will work best if you use the lighter color for the first layer of your two layers and a darker color for the second layer.
I made the mistake with this pillow of layering too much paint and trying to layer a light color onto a dark color. This pillow didn’t work out for me and I had to start over again.
Once I did the pillow with the lighter color on the bottom and the darker on the second layer it turned out perfectly! The new pillow goes really well with the spring pillows I made and adds more fun to my living room. Now to get the walls finished and some other art work completed and the chaos of the living room makeover will be done…yay!
You can learn more about Tulip For Your Home by checking them out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or on the I Love to Create blog.
Have you used fabric paint and stencils? They are fun to work with and have tons of possibilities for home decor. I would love to hear your ideas. Please leave a comment below.
More decorating fun for you!
I LOVE painting fabric! Your pillows are darling 🙂
Thanks! It was a fun project. I see it happening again in my future… 🙂
Love the colors! You make it look so easy :O
Thanks so much! It really is easy and fun. Love creating things for the house AND staying on budget. Thanks for stopping by.
No more having to shop for colors. I can make my own! 🙂
Exactly!
That is really lovely! I love that it’s stenciled, that makes it so much easier!
Thank you! It sure was easy. Love that we can make things that are totally personalized to our taste and color palettes! 🙂
I have been looking everywhere for that polka dot stencil!!!! It is exactly what I am looking for!!!!!!!!!! Do you have a UPC code for it???? I will be forever grateful!!!
Yay! So glad I can help! I do have the UPC and info. for you. First, if you click through the link in the post that says Tulip For Your Home, that will take you to their site. I believe there is information about where you can purchase the stencils. Next up, the stencil is by Tulip. It is called a Textile Stencil. Not sure if this is what you need in terms of the UPC code, but the numbers under the bar code are: 017754323521 . If that isn’t what you need let me know and I will try again. 🙂
Thank you so much I will call them tomorrow. You would not believe what I have been thru, well, maybe you would, lol!!! Something so simple has become a obsession, ha!! It may be too new to get because it is not showing up on any websites… Love what you did with them and just found you, adding you to my list!!
Good luck! I hope you are able to find it!
Love those stencils! Your pillow is gorgeous – great DIY!
Thank you! The stencils are fun!
This is sooo FAB, KC! Love it, great tutorial! Holly:)
Thanks so much, Holly!
Love your creativity…cute pillows!
Thank you!
So fun and just right for spring!!
Thanks! Yes…perfect for spring. Now to think about perfect for summer pillows…always something, right? Fun!
Great tip about using the darker color on the bottom!
Yes, sometimes we learn our best tips by making the mistake. Thankfully for you, I made the mistake so you don’t have to. 😉
I just love how these turned out – now you need to make a matching doll sized set 😉
Thanks! Great idea! That would be fun. I do have some new beds and bedding eventually/already in the works…so this just might happen. 😉
LOVE the big flower stencil…and how genius to layer it on top of polka dots! It turned out beautifully. And great tutorial!
Thanks! Isn’t that big flower stencil fun! We recently moved our girls rooms around and I need to do a ton of work in their rooms. I have a feeling I will use the stencils again for them. Fun!
How super cute! I love how crisp the stencil lines are.
Thanks!
These new pillows are fantastic! Your living room makeover is definitely going to be beautiful. 🙂
Such pretty pillows. Love what you did with the stencils. 🙂
I love how your pillows compliment each other. What fun colors for Spring!
Thanks! They have been fun colors to add in the living room. I think I’ll do something fun for summer now…just cause it is fun!
very cute!!!
I love this!! Esp the polka dots!
This is so fun!! That way you can create coordinating pillows. I am on the lookout for some great and frugal stencils. Thanks!!
Exactly! Hope you find stencils you love and have fun making customized pillows.
These are perfect for Spring and Summer! I love your new coordinating pillows so much!!! XO, Aimee
Thanks, Aimee! I’ve been thinking about you and your family a lot. I know it is a really hard season for you. Let me know if I can do anything to help.
Very Easy & Lovely way to decorate. Thanks
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the idea.