The Complete Book of Home Stenciling

This is a beautiful book on stenciling and many stencils are provided. But don't be misled by the title: it is not complete. Just about all the stencils in this book are of flowers and leaves (ok, an olive, one chicken and one duck stencils are also included). If you are looking for fun things to decorate a kid's room (other than flowers and leaves), this is not the book for you.Also, if you are like me and want to see the effect of a particular stencil on a room or looking for inspirations to use the stencils creatively, there are very few pictures of a finished room in this book. You may see a section of a doorway, or a table top, but that's about it.

I received this book as a Christmas gift. I showed it to two other family members/new homeowners who now want their own copies. I like the fact that the book comes with stencils that are really different--they appeal to my unusual/creative bent. The instructions are easy to follow. Illustrations and suggestions are helpful as well. I would recommend this book to anyone, even people who wouldn't normally stencil (like me!).

We've been living in our house for a little over 5 years, and its time to repaint. I've even been wanting to pull up the carpet, paint the floor and do some stenciling along the edge as a border. But I've been searching for something different, and yet not overdone. This book was just what I was looking for. There's a gorgeous variety of stencil patterns, with the stencils included! That in itself saves a small fortune. The authors illustrate in the book how to mix and match, to acheive different effects. Having stenciled before, this book is definitely for someone with more experience than a novice, as it shows how to varigate your colors, which comes from practice. If you are a novice, I'd recommend practicing on paper with the paint techniques before applying to your walls, floors, etc.