Ok so this is super duper easy and I’m sure most of you know how to do this already but I thought I’d share anyway as I drew a design I liked and thought worked well and wanted to share it with you

If you click on this image it will open into a PDF file for you to print and make into a stencil yourself:

SO how did I use it as a stencil?

First I printed it off onto fairly thin cardstock and I used masking tape to secure it onto my cutting mat (I used a little mat so I could turn it easily)

Then I used a craft knife to cutout the leaves and stem an petals etc.

Tip – keep turning it as you go along and don’t press on to hard or you will tear the card, let the knife do the cutting

and you have your stencil!

Like you can see above, I taped mine down onto the surface I wanted to stencil onto and dappled acrylic paint onto it using a makeup sponge.

easy!!

This technique is a great way for playing in your journal for creating another layer or a focal point. You can use other paints and inks and spray inks work really well as well! Or maybe you could use it on fabric with fabric paints

Just have a play! Hope you enjoy this technique do let me know if you have a go as I would love to see

Today I thought I’d share how I finished my hidden pocket page. As you can see by drawing over the  pocket it is now completely hidden. (the one on the right)

I actually used the other side of the cd sleeve and made another more obvious pocket for the other page.

Now what do I do with them?

As it is a hidden pocket it makes sense to use it for secret things and something I like to do is write a letters just for myself.

I do this for many reasons and I have found it helps me deal with a range of emotions.

Some of the letters you can write are:

• A letter to yourself as a child – What do you want your childhood self to know? What do you wish someone had told you when you was a child?
• A letter to your future self: This is good when starting a new journal, or any journey really so you can read back the letter if you wish to when the journey (or journal) is done.
• A letter to a ‘friend’: If you have a problem and you are finding it hard to find an answer imagine you are writing to a friend with the same problem, what advice would you give them?
• A letter to someone who you miss. What would you tell them if they were here?
• A letter to someone who you want to tell something to but can’t: I don’t always keep these ones especially if that person is still in my life and there’s a chance they might find it, but it does help me to get out any emotions that might be clouding my relationship and stopping me from seeing why that person is in my life.

So there are some ideas for letters you can write and keep in your hidden pocket. There are other things that a hidden pocket can be useful for but I wanted to share one example and how much you can do with it.

A different Technique Tuesday I know I hope it has been of some use to you.