Comparisons: Distress vs......Distress?

Hi all!  I decided to do a little comparison today with a lovely stamp that found it's way into my stash yesterday.  It's one of Rubbernecker's watercolor stamps and it's whole purpose is  to create beautiful imperfection.  Since this post will be image heavy - I'll try to keep the chatter to a minimum.  Let's start with the image from Rubbernecker.

Original Source: Watercolor Poppies

If you click on the link, there's a pretty great demo video available.  I personally love this set and was super excited to work with it!  While the demo tape uses distress inks and markers to color the images, I thought I'd give distress paints a try as well.  In each picture, the distress paint image is on the left and the distress ink/marker image is on the right.  The final image is colored with distress ink and markers.

A few notes - I really prefer the distress inks and markers for this image with one exception.  I really liked the vibrancy of the first image on the left.  I think the pinks are much more vibrant.  The blue image on the right is my hands down favorite of them all.  I think I might have enjoyed the painted version more if I could have done a better job of lining up the second stamp and would have had the exact same colors.  Sadly, distress paint is not available in tumbled glass or peacock feathers so I was working with a pretty different color palette.  I might give white a try as the base on my next run.  If you want a better look at each sample, click on the picture.

I absolutely can't wait to do more with these sets and play around with a few more solid/brush stroke stamps I have in my stash.  I also have a great idea for some existing flower stamps I have that are outlines.  I'll keep you posted on how things progress.  I'll also start providing full supply information when I've got a better handle on things.  I hope everyone's been doing really well.  Until then...

Am I Crazy?

I might be crazy - but I still think I can do it. I can read 50 books by December 31, 2013. I'll just need to do a few things, like...

Turn off the television.
Stay awake and present.
Take lunch breaks to eat healthy (to keep me awake) and read or write.
Abandon books that don't interest me - no more hanging in there until the end. They have fifty pages to get it together.
Pay my library fine - then I can rent books with a deadline attached...more motivation.
Determine my true priorities.

I still might be crazy - but there's a plan there. I just need to decide if reading 50 books is a "true" priority. It's so hard trying to decide what's important. I will never get over how I've been in this body, mind, and heart 24 hours a day for the last 36+ years and still have no idea what I really want. It just doesn't seem possible. But here I am...Strange how things work. I'll keep you posted on my decisions.

Quick update: I think I've finally narrowed down my CHA picks (maybe) and will be going forward with that post in the next few days. Hope everyone is having a great Friday. Until then...