Paper doilies made to be used as
liners on cake plates and cookie
platters make great stencils for
painting the illusion of lace.

You can find these doilies in
grocery stores, and in the
department stores cake
decorating departments. They
come in a variety of colors,
shapes and sizes.

Most of the white paper doilies
are very thin and are fairly
obsorbant, so you have to be
careful not to use too much
water when painting over them.
I've found that the gold and
silver metalic foil doilies are
slightly thicker and work better
when they get wet.

As shown in the photos you can
use a brush or a sponge or even
a damp paper towel to dab over
the holes in the doily. Another
option is to use a fine mister
filled with diluted watercolor.

When working with these paper
doilies as stencils one important
thing to remember is that you
use very little water.

I sometimes spray the doilies
with clear acrylic before I use
them to make them hold up a
little longer.

I'm always on the look out for
plastic doily placemats or table
cloths in variety stores too. They
can be reused several times.

I hope this gives you some ideas
for making your own watercolor
Valentine cards.
Have fun!    SUSIE
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