Find recommendations for the best stencil letters; stencils for painting; stencils for bullet journaling and planners; stencils for card making, scrapbooking and paper crafts; Christmas stencils; flower stencils; and more

Stencils are some of my most frequently used craft supplies. I use them for making planner layouts, bullet journal (BUJO) spreads, scrapbook layouts, mini scrapbook albums, handmade greeting cards, collage art, paintings and other projects.

There are other uses for them too; if you like to revamp and refinish vintage furniture, stencils give you an easy way to make your furniture pieces look spectacular. A lot of people are using them for customizing their woodworking projects, Christmas craft projects, and other craft projects. If you’re interested in stencils for any purpose, I invite you to check out the following recommendations for the stencils I use most often in my own craft projects:

Best Stencils for Bullet Journaling and Planners

I use both stamps and stencils to make my planner layouts and bullet journal spreads. I like to stencil large calendar images using Catherine Pooler’s A Month in Circles Stencil; when I need a smaller calendar image, I can stencil it using the Happy Planner Journaling Stencils (Not pictured) or stamp it using the Journal Stamp set by P13 (pictured at far right). I find small calendar stamps easier and less tedious to use than calendar stencils, but they both have their uses.

More of My Picks for Best Bullet Journal Stencils

• Maggie Holmes Stencil From the “Day to Day” Collection (not pictured)
• Pennant Banners Stencil Set by Waffle Flower Crafts (Click / tap here to see my detailed product review of the Pennant Banners Stencil Set by Waffle Flower Crafts.)

My Favorite Stencils for Paper Crafts Including Card Making, Scrapbooking, and Collage Art

The Elegant Swirls Stencil by Altenew

Click / tap here to shop for the Elegant Swirls Stencil at Scrapbook.com.

The Vertical Stripes Slimline Stencil by Pinkfresh Studio

I purchased Pinkfresh Studio’s Vertical Stripes Slimline stencil with the idea of using it for making journaling blocks and larger surfaces for journaling. Funny thing, I haven’t used it for that purpose as often as I planned to, but I have been using it in zillions of other ways. Most of the projects I’ve made with it so far have been slimline cards. I love this stencil and highly recommend it to other crafters. You can click / tap here if you want to shop for this stencil at Scrapbook.com.

Simple Stories Waves Stencil from the Simple Vintage Seas Collection by Katie Pertiet Designs

I’ve used the “Waves” stencil by Simple Stories to create a Travel-Themed 6×8 Scrapbooking Album:

This mini album has pictures of our cross-country road trip to pick up the sailboat that my husband and I would later sail across the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. So if you want to see how that adventure got started, or see actual examples of how the Waves stencil was used in a project, I invite you to check out that page. Or you can click / tap here to shop for the Waves stencil at Scrapbook.com.

Stencil Letters

I’ll admit that I am not the biggest fan of stencil letters for paper crafting, because I think die cut letters and stamped letters are infinitely superior. However, alphabet stencils do have their place, and I do use them more frequently than I ever expected to considering my lack of enthusiasm for them. This Alphabet Stencil by Altenew is my favorite lettering stencil. You can click or tap here to shop for this stencil at Scrapbook.com.

Project Idea for Using Stencil Letters:

Here you can see an example of a project I made using the Alphabet Stencil by Altenew. It’s called “Life in Encino.”

Stencils for Painting

I use acrylic paints for stenciling with all the stencils mentioned above; I think any of them would work well for painting. One thing to be aware of is that you might have to mask parts of some of these stencils before painting, depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

Flower Stencils

If you need flower stencils, there are two companies I recommend checking out. The first is Pinkfresh Studio, and the second is Altenew. While I don’t happen to have any of their flower stencils in my stash at the moment, I do own other stencils by both of these manufacturers and can highly recommend them. They make high quality products, and I am sure their flower stencils are delightful!

Christmas Stencils

My favorite Christmas stencil is a really small one by Waffle Flower Crafts called the “Merry Bow Stencil”. I was surprised at how useful and versatile this little stencil is. The thing I love about it most is that it can be used in small spaces like Christmas gift tags and planner layouts. I’ve also used the bow on its own for many non-Christmas occasions. It’s really useful!

Click or tap here to shop for the Merry Bow Stencil at A Cherry on Top Crafts.

So there you have it: That’s my roundup of recommendations for the best stencils for crafting in 2023. I hope you found some stencils that you can use for your own arts and crafts projects. Happy stenciling!

Related Craft Resources:

• How to Use Stencils
• Mixed Media Art
• Best Ink Pads for Stamping on Paper: Card Making and Other Paper Crafts

Posted By: Amy Solovay

This page was last updated on 4-24-2023. Thanks for visiting!