“Stronger Than the Storm” Shelf Sitter DIY

I was invited to join an Essential Stencil crafting event, and since I only had 30 minutes to create, I decided to make a smaller project that still felt meaningful and fun.

This little shelf sitter turned into one of those pieces that tells a story, which is always my favorite kind of project.

I started with a small wood board and created a rainy-day background using layered grays and soft white paint. I wanted it to feel like puddles after a spring storm, with movement and texture throughout the background. I added darker gray near the bottom to create a puddle effect and softly blended white across the top like falling rain.

Supplies Used

Small wood shelf sitter board
Essential Stencil “Stronger Than the Storm” stencil set
Pastel Garden Whimsy transfers
DecoArt paints:
- Gray Storm
- Slate Gray
- Warm White
- Stormy Blue
Pentart glaze paste
Stencil brushes
Transfer tool
Coffee filters or paper towels for offloading paint

For the design, I mixed the stencil wording with floral rain boot transfers and a hummingbird. I love combining transfers and stencils together because you can completely customize the layout and create something unique every time.

The rain boots filled with flowers became the focal point of the sign, and the hummingbird brought everything together beautifully. Then I added the phrase: “Stronger Than the Storm.”

I chose a stormy blue color for the lettering because I wanted it to tie into the rainy-day theme while still standing out against the gray background.

To finish the piece, I added dimensional raindrops using glaze paste. They gave the sign just enough shimmer and texture without overpowering the design.

One of my favorite things about this project is the message behind it. Sometimes life feels stormy, but this little sign is a reminder that we are stronger than the storms we walk through. Brighter days really are ahead.