![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsI9KZQk8I4nKKyB0eYEftyQdbFnOPWLvFPbCvdTX3IRJjv9ZPmLuWDlpbC1FDus-ZWsddyYvOEBMJMUDUxMIRigM1xwUibWbmn3EbERMNtKG0YTmswISabYtUnzwEM0tx38dFQUhnaZ5/s400/bio+photo2.jpg)
take a photo (i'm using black and white)......
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpe4Q2YtHxh2VB0yUJuzQfNW96QcymUl29eDmSWVYfFKONYxfseWpAPmABsvrl7NzbUws2vJwOS0mApGQAokDyILiODwN9aNnj_Pz1G5o2bMKkWNikkw1VgYO45KudL52Q-J34kXf7f0L/s400/bio+photo3.jpg)
and play with the filter>artistic options in photoshop......and eventually you end up with a stencil cut-out version of your photo!
{note: i may have played a little too long, because for some reason i ended up with only half of one eyebrow, no nose, and partial lips......please refer to previous photo to confirm that i actually possess these things.....}
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tmSP5enLEXFEaa4xr0TMlhsOmbSdpmxsOg4tI3e0fMGgOhq_XxcAWLZnvLAoOzoQr0cCsSUdQijim7H4BI9ipRiPVf57m8nBKToC0UIsRLcuCuFllOaAy6TWOl8x7YDsfS-n-dc0Jts9/s400/stamp+carving-self.jpg)
while mary ann takes the photoshopped image and creates a stencil from it, i decided to do something a little different and carve a stamp (i had to draw in a chin and neck to keep myself from looking totally hopeless.....again, please see previous photo)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ljn_ZPg2AqWAzjJ7qRK9fQplQQ50MQDTIsxoYLbYSsn6Y4RgOrFUYVh4WbfGPLlRR1YjmfwWliHIz72dQnmeqGngCumv-KaTrpTJWgQoF6T45d-cuhwNl57q_l9ofS08PmpRTFBjr-xs/s400/journal+-+collage+self.jpg)
and then i used it to create one of my "15 minute" journal pages! total fun!!
(p.s. if you love to play with stencils, i highly recommend mary ann's class....it's loaded with great information, and she's a great teacher!)