Distinctive Touches

As Luck Would Have It...

...I have a card to share! 

Our trip to Iowa was brief but fun.  Stephanie was surprised to see us there (we all squeaked out a few tears) and the party was a big success.  I'm glad to be home though.  Travel with the dogs is always a bit nerve-wracking and this time was no exception.  Thank goodness they are learning to sleep in the truck and drink water out of cups!  LOL

I've been pulling out some older stamps lately and I was a bit nervous about inking this one up again.  I LOVE the fishing Thomas Kincaid image from CHF, but I am always a bit intimidated by it. 

I figured since I was going Copic crazy lately, I'd just continue on in that vein. 

I stamped the image with Memento London Fog to get a softer impression which helps to create that soft light in the background.  I then started laying on the lightest base colors.  This image was so much fun because I could add TONS of color by layering on darker and darker inks.  Just look at how bright and vivid those flowers are and yet how soft and foggy the background is.  And I have to say... I'm so happy with how the water turned out.  Moving water is SO difficult to make look realistic.  It's not perfect, but I'm happy with the results. 

I think it's time for me to break out the checkbook and shop for another Kincaid stamp or two!

Hugs to you... thanks for stopping in today!

Santa's Lap - It's all in the details.

I have a card today that I can't wait to share!  I'm so super excited about how this turned out. 

As you know, I'm a coloring FREAK!  I love coloring in images using just about any coloring medium.  Lately though, I've been focusing on my Copic markers and my Koh-I-Noor pencils.  (Oh, and my Peerless Watercolor Papers... and my Twinkling H2o's...and acrylic paints...)  

I am just finishing up The Coloring Craze II over at My Creative Classroom and this last week's lesson is all about how to color in detailed images.  You know the ones... the Sandra Kuck and the Thomas Kinkade types.  So many people are intimidated by these - and I used to be too.  But... with lots of practice and TONS of patience, I learned how to create my own 'works of art' with these beautiful images. 

In class, I used this Santa's Lap image from The Saturday Evening Post collection over at CHF to demonstrate the technique.  I have to be honest and say that it took me more than an hour or two to color this image, but it was SO worth it!  I love how rich and vivid the results are.

I used my Copics to color it in and then I used Ranger's tea dye, antique linen, and walnut stain distress inks to give a slight distress look to each of the layers.  I pulled out some Basic Grey patterned paper and layered it with Always Artichoke and Chocolate Chip card stock.  The rest is pretty self-explanatory. 

I am so thrilled with how this whole thing came together.  It obviously isn't going to be my fall-back holiday card (I would have had to start back in April to color them all)... but I may make a few more that are similar for the very special people on my list. 

Here's to a FABULOUS week.  Thanks for stopping by!
Colleen