When I see a Nutcracker….the soldier kind…I always think of Christmas.
I love the bright colors and the varying “uniforms”. I remember my mom having a few as Christmas decorations when I was growing up. When I spotted the Nutcracker Christmas Stencil on the Royal Design Studio website I fell in love.
I immediately started thinking about color combinations. Red and Blue were my top choices.
The stencil comes in two parts which makes it so much easier to do the details!
I taped the main stencil to a previously painted white board and went to work I know it looks a mess but trust me…it’s okay.
See! The first layer was pretty simple. I used a variety of paints. Stencil paints work best because they are a little thicker than other paints. The secret to a good stencil job is a very dry brush. I dip the brush bristles in the paint then remove most of the paint by swirling the brush on a paper towel. If you do this one step you want have blobs of paint leaking under your stencil.
While the first layer of paint was drying I washed the stencil with soap and water. I also used a soft bristle tooth brush to loosen the paint. The clean-up is easy. I love the thickness of the Royal Design Studio stencils. I don’t have to worry about bending the cut edges as I do with some other stencils.
The second layer is for the belt, hat details, coat details, etc. I lined the second stencil up with the first layer of painted nutcracker and went to work. And that was it.
You guys know I’m the distressing Queen, right? I distressed the finished nutcracker just a little.
It’s perfect! What do you think? Do you display nutcrackers at Christmas or remember them from Christmas pasts? You can leave a comment below…I read every single one. Kathy
Author: Kathy Owen (Petticoat Junktion)
Kathy is the founder of PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, old hardware, rusty stuff, and thrifty finds into unique home décor. Kathy’s projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Read more about Kathy here.
vanessa
I love this design. It's lovely
Jeanette @ Snazzy Little Things
I love your website, his little face and all of your creativity! Happy Holidays!
Christy @ Our Southern Home
What a fun project! I didn't realize they had stencils like that!
Paula@SweetPea
Love this stencil. I can think of so many ways to use it for holiday projects.
Beth
Super cute Kathy! Who knew there was a stencil like this. 🙂 Merry Christmas!!!
Debbie
It looks great! I don't have any nutcrackers, but you're making me want one!!
xo
Debbie
Lauren
What a fun project and cute stencil! My daughter dances in the Nutcracker every year, she would love this!
Jen @ Girl in the Garage
Kathy he is such a cutie! And a bit whimsical too. Awesome idea for the stencil to be split into two parts, what a help!
Tami @ Curb Alert!
Kathy, I love how the Nutcracker Stencils line up making it so much easier to add in the details. Thanks for sharing another great project!
~Tami
Shanna Gilbert
So cute Kathy! I love the colors you chose! Royal Design Studio has great stencils!
Royal Design Studio
Thank you for reviewing our Nutcracker Christmas Stencil! It's not Christmas without nutcrackers! I know my home is filled with them when the holidays roll around!
Patty
Very nice , I love Nut Crackers, I have a few that I put on my mantel every year, I have had them for over thirty years, they are real Nut Crackers from Germany. I had more, but I sold some in my shop.
The stencil you used looks like a really good one, I'm going to check them out.