The Forest Chapel

.........a Thomas Kinkade stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms.

Some of the Thomas Kinkade stamps arrived at Fond Memories last week. These stamps have incredible detail just like Kinkade's paintings. Sometimes when I see a stamp that has a colored index on it like these, I'm reluctant to stamp with it because I think it will be hard to replicate the colors. You might think that about a Thomas Kinkade stamp. After all, he is known for his absolutely beautiful use of color.

.........so here are a couple cards that I made without coloring the image in detail.

First, I stamped the image using Versafine Black Onyx. Versafine is one of the best inks for fine detail stamping. Next, I cut out the chapel using an oval Spellbinders die. (You could also use the Coluzzle cutting system with an oval template.) I matted it on bigger ovals cut from black & white paper. I edged the white mat with a black marker. Then the image was mounted on a gray Bazzill card over a white satin ribbon. The verse is from Cornish Heritage Farms Script Essential Expressions set. I think the image is just stunning without adding any color!

Now, here's a second card that has a touch of color added..........

I again used Versafine ink but this time it's Olympia Green. I cut out the chapel & a dark green mat with round Spellbinder dies. Using a piece of Cut N Dry foam, I added a touch of green with Distress Peeled Paint ink. (Tip: Ink the foam lightly, rub it on scratch paper, then apply the color to the image so that it's very light. I often "huff" on the foam to add a bit of moisture to release more of the ink.) The card is Bazzill. I sponged on Peeled Paint ink to the lower edge for the darker color below the twill. The twill tape is green but I thought it needed to be a bit darker so I slid my black StazOn pad over it; it added a touch of dark to the ridges in the twill. I used the same verse from Cornish Heritage Farms Script Essential Expressions.

Now, for a colored version of the Forest Chapel.........

If you read the blog yesterday, I mentionned that I would post an image colored exclusively with Distress inks & Tiny Touch applicators. That is exactly how I colored this stamped image of the Forest Chapel by Thomas Kinkade - Cornish Heritage Farms. I was amazed myself with how well it turned out!

I stamped it with Versafine Black Onyx. Then I started coloring with these Distress inks:

Weathered Wood

Broken China

Scattered Straw

Peeled Paint

Shabby Shutters

Tea Dye

Dried Marigold

Worn Lipstick

Brushed Corduroy

Milled Lavendar

Tattered Rose

Aged Mahogany

Once I had it all colored, I cut the oval using a Spellbinders die. I cut the next size larger oval from Bazzill "Berlin" for the mat. Because it's matted, I mounted it with foam tape over the hole in the original image (the mat being bigger than the hole so it hides it). I used the Bazzill Berlin to mat the complete image & added a tiny white mat; then matted it on another green Bazzill paper (I don't know the name..) which I distressed with Antique Linen & Walnut Stain to add shading to the edges. I had intended to make this into a card & add a verse.......I couldn't cover any of the image once it was done. For now, I will set it on a shelf in my stamping room to admire.