Stenciled Muggle Quote Sign

Use a custom stencil to make a Harry Potter-inspired sign as a reminder to not "let the muggles get you down"!

One of my favorite quotes from the Harry Potter series is "Don't let the Muggles get you down." Ron Weasley's encouraging words to Harry have always stood out to me as a quote to live by. No matter how hard you try, there will always be "muggles" around who won't be able to see the magic inside you. Keep your head up and surround yourself with good friends (like Ron and Hermione) who see the truly magical wizard that you really are!!

I wanted to put this quote on display so that I could see it every day. By using my Ikonart kit, I was able to easily create a stencil to paint the quote onto a sign. It was so simple to make, and I absolutely love how it turned out!

New to making reusable stencils? Here's how to Get Started with Ikonart!

*Save 15% on Ikonart supplies when you shop with code AFM15

To make a stencil, you need to start with a printed design. Download the Muggle Quote (for personal use only) and print the design as dark as possible on either inkjet or laser Ikonart Printer Film.

Printables from Artsy-Fartsy Mama are for personal use only. You may use these in an educational setting, but you may not sell them. If you'd like to share this printable digitally, share a link to this post/website only. Do not share a direct link to the printable.

The next step in the process is exposing the stencil film. Set up the exposure stand with UV LED Light by following the directions included in the kit. Ikonart Stencil Film is light sensitive, so be careful to keep it out of sunlight and bright lights before exposure. Cut a piece of the film the same size as the design print.

Lay the piece of film down on the base of the stand with the textured side facing up. Place the printed design on top of the stencil film, making sure it's right-side up - meaning that if there are words in your design, you should be able to read them.

Lastly, place the clear exposure sheet (found in the stencil film pack) on top and press it down well to seal the design tight against the stencil film. Turn the exposure light on and expose the film for 35 seconds.

The final step in the stencil-making process is to washout, or rinse the stencil. Clip the exposed stencil film to the Ikonart clipboard with the shiny side (carrier sheet) touching the clipboard. Use the kitchen sink sprayer to rinse the stencil film with warm water until the design shows through and becomes completely clear. The washout process shouldn't take more than 3 minutes.

Gently blot excess water off the from of the stencil, and hang or lay flat to dry for about 45 minutes. When the stencil is dry, you shouldn't see any water spots or discoloration. Once the stencil is completely dried, place the it back on the exposure stand and expose it again for at least 2 minutes without the clear cover sheet. This extra exposure will increase the durability of the stencil so you can get as much use out of it as possible.

Use a permanent marker and write "back" on the carrier sheet (shiny side) on the back of the stencil.

While the stencil is drying, get the sign base ready to be stenciled. For my sign, I used a 7"x4" wood canvas, pink and blue Unicorn SPiT Sparkling gel stain, and white FolkArt Chalk paint.

Unicorn SPiT can get a little messy, so protect your work surface before getting started. Dip a paper towel in water and wipe the wood canvas down well to get it damp. Adding water to your surface before applying Unicorn SPiT will help the wood to absorb the gel stain better, giving you a more vibrant finish!

Apply a blob of the pink Unicorn SPiT stain onto the damp paper towel. Rub the stain onto the wood, starting at the bottom and working your way to the middle. This will make it have that ombre look. If you wait a minute or two and rub the paper towel over the bottom end, it will add more stain, making the bottom edge a darker pink. Repeat 2-3 times.

*Wear gloves if you are worried about staining your hands!

To make the pink even more vibrant, add a thin line of Unicorn SPiT and use the paper towel to blend it in toward the center. Use some of the excess stain to cover the side edges. Leave a thin coat of stain on top of the wood leave it to soak into the wood for about 10-15 minutes.

Repeat the process with the blue Unicorn SPiT. Do your best to blend the colors in the center to get a nice gradient from pink to blue. If you want the color to be more vibrant, leave a thin coat of the blue stain to soak in. Don't worry about any bubbles or high spots (like paint). The stain self-levels and will absorb into the wood evenly.

Depending on how thick the layer of Unicorn SPiT is, it could take at least 15-30 minutes to dry completely.

Make sure that the sign is COMPLETELY dry before moving on to this step. If it's not, your stencil could stick to the wood permanently, ruining your project. Remove the clear backing from the stencil and center the design on the front of the wood canvas. Once the stencil is in place, rub it down well.

Add a thin line of white chalk paint at the top of the stencil (but not near the edge), and use the squeegee to lightly pull the paint over the stencil. Make sure all of the open mesh spaces of the stencil are covered evenly. Scrape away any excess paint and put it back into the paint bottle.

Carefully pull the stencil away to reveal your new Harry Potter-inspired muggle sign! If you see any spots that you may have missed before completely removing the stencil, you can carefully lay it back down and add a little more paint. If you notice a missed spot after removing the stencil, grab a small detail paint brush and add a light coat of paint over the area(s).

To wash your stencil so that it can be used again and again, first get the clipboard wet so your stencil doesn't stick to it. Place the stencil on the clipboard with the textured side up, and lightly rub the stencil under cold running water to remove all the paint.

Do not rub or scrub the adhesive side of the stencil, and NEVER use anything other than water to wash the stencils. To prevent the stencil from breaking down, don't ever leave the stencils to soak.

Remove the stencil from the clipboard and lay it down with the adhesive side up. While the stencil is still wet, place the carrier sheet onto the stencil so that the word “BACK” is readable. Hang or lay the stencil flat to dry completely.

Once the paint has dried, the sign is ready to be put on display! I am absolutely in love with this new sign and how easy it was to put my favorite quote on it so easily. In fact, you could easily make a few signs at a time to give as gifts to fellow Potter-heads since the stencil is reusable!!

I'd love to hear what you think about this project, or if you are interested in trying out reusable stencils. If you've made your own stenciled projects, I would love to see your creations! Share them on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #AFMCrafts

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