Hello all! I am back again! Yeah me…posting again! I am back to share a recent project with all of you. I have been crafting and creating for years but much of what I make I give away to friends and family. I decided I need to start creating some things to put up around my house. I was looking through my stash of goodies to alter when I came across some mini canvases. I decided to use some of them to create some magnets for my frig. I pulled them out and laid them down to figure out which layout worked best. 

Once I was happy with the layout of the canvases I laid out the stamps to determine where to place them.

I placed them face down because that is how I would be stamping them onto the canvases. Once that was done, I picked a stencil and began applying some molding paste to each of the canvases. Before doing that I laid the stencil down with the stamp on each canvas to determine where I wanted to apply the molding paste.

Then I moved the stamp and applied the molding paste. Once I had added that to all the canvases and let it dry, I applied lots of color. I sprayed, applied gelatos, sprayed again…added gesso…and so on…until I was happy with the background. Then I stamped the images using Archival Ink…and if I am truthful…added a bit more color and gesso. I also darkened the parts that were stenciled…then added some gesso. I kept "tweaking" it until I finally had to walk away. When I came back (the next day) I decided it needed some black sequins. Then I added some magnets to the back and called it done!

What do you think? Here are a couple of close ups…

I really happy with them and love seeing them on my frig every day! Have a great day!

Derwent Inktense Pencils & Unity Stamps

Hello all! I know it's been a while…I hope you are all doing really well in this not-so-new-any-more year! I have been busy crafting and I wanted to share one of my newest crafty loves…Derwent Inktense pencils! They are water-soluble goodness! I actually have had these pencils for quite a while but I really hadn't tried to use them. So I pulled out one of my favorite Unity stamps…Jacqueline girl and stamped her on watercolor paper (140 lb cold press). (If you try this, make sure to use waterproof ink.) I then colored the image using the Inktense pencils.

Here's a quick video on how I did it:

This technique was so much fun…I think these pencils are a great alternative to Copic markers. (I love my Copics but they are a bit expensive and take practice.) I liked them so much I went out and got some more AND I ordered a small set of the Derwent Graphitint and Derwent Metallics (both water-soluble) to try! 

Here's how the card turned out:

I really like the watercolor feel the image has after using these pencils. I hope the video shows you how really simple this to do and you give this technique a try. 

Happy Crafting!

One of My Favorite Things...Coleto Pens!!

Hi everyone! I hope you have all been enjoying the last days of summer...we actually had a fantastic summer here in Alaska. We had gorgeous sunny days, cool breezes, great temperatures but...it's been raining for days now. Fall is here. I find myself wanting to snuggle up with a cozy blanket, some hot tea and my journal. Journaling means reaching into my collection of pens to find the perfect one to suit my mood.

If you are a subbie to my Youtube channel, AKCaraboo, then you know that I have an addiction to pens. I shared my newest pen case...full to the brim with pens.

It's truly difficult for me to find a pen that I don't like...even the ones that have "issues." Maybe I don't like the color but I like the feel of the pen, maybe I don't like the way the pen looks but I like the way it writes...you get the idea. I have even taken the ink from pens I don't like and put it into other pens. Which leads me to one of my new favorites...the Pilot Hi-Tec- C Coleto multi-pen. 

These pens are fantastic because you can buy the pen body you like and then pick the ink cartridge you want to use...colors and sizes. Here's my newest one...

This pen body will fit three ink cartridges. (I also have one that fits five!!) The ink cartridges are .5mm...I also have them in .4mm. I love the way you can tailor the pen to suit your needs and preferences.

You simply choose a pen body and open the top...

Pick the ink cartridges you want to use and slide them into the pen body...

And then close the pen top (or as I call it the lid).

And start writing...here's the colors I put in this pen.

They are super easy to use and the ink writes very smoothly.

I plan to do some more pen reviews and some comparisons both here and on my YT channel so stay tuned for those...I figured it was a good excuse to buy more pens!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cara

"Was it all a DREAM?"

Hey, everyone!  I'm here with The Greeting Farm today and I'm happy to report that no, it definitely was NOT a DREAM!

That's right!  Today is the super special mid-month RELEASE DAY for the brand new mixed-media DREAM kit... appropriately titled "DREAMY"!   This jumbo-sized, 8.5x11 FULL sheet of stamps is available starting NOW over in the TGF STORE, so be sure to grab yours before they sell out!

I had so much fun with this set. Let me show you a couple more canvases I created. Here's the first...

This is actually the first one I made because I couldn't resist that little girl stamp. I used Gelatos to create the background. I stamped the little girl image and sentiment on and embossed some of the background stamps using white embossing powder. I drizzled on some Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays, added some trim and ta da! 

Here's a close up of it...

I kept all the colors soft and light. I really love the way this one turned out...it might be my favorite. 

Next I wanted to do something completely different so...

Again, I embossed some of the background stamps and added the sentiment...also embossed. Then I went to town with the Dylusions sprays! I added some torn black lace and foil butterflies.

Check it out up close...

Love those colors!

So I hope you all can see how really versatile this stamp set is...not only for mixed media but also for cards and layouts and...well, I am sure you can figure it out. :)

There is a super awesome lineup of Guest artists for you to visit today, so if you're just getting here, be sure to start on the TGF BLOG for all the details, or you can continue here and just make sure you've visited everyone because ONE LUCKY WINNER who completes our hop today will WIN the DREAMY kit!

Here's the order for today's special release hop:

JENNIFER SAGER

SPIKE

MARY BROCKWAY

CARA BOOHER --> You are here :)

KAREN CROSSEN

SHIRLEY STARK

SANNA FRIEDNER

KIM HUTCHINSON

KELLI GREEN

Be sure to stop right back over on the TGF BLOG to let us know you've completed the hop and you're entering to WIN the "DREAMY" kit!   Winner will be announced first thing MONDAY morning on the blog so you have the weekend  (through Sunday, June 16th at 11:30pm CST)  to relax, hop, and DREAM of the possibilities of creating with this awesome new kit!  

Thanks for joining us, everyone!

I have big, BIG news!

Hello everyone! Do any of you remember when The Greeting Farm put out a call for people to be involved in a secret mixed media project?  Well, I decided put on my big girl panties and give it a try. So I sent them some pictures of some of my creations and...I got picked! I am so excited! I love, love, love TGF stamps...they have been a favorite of mine for a long time! I am totally thrilled to be able to work with this fantastic company. And the best part...today is PREVIEW DAY!!! I finally get to tell you my secret!

As part of this "special project" I was asked to create a mixed media canvas using a new stamp set from The Greeting Farm...it's called "Dreamy" and it is wonderful. It's a HUGE 8.5 x 11 rubber stamp set! Same great quality as all the other TGF stamps.

So's here's what I created...

I created the background with some pages from an old book, some paint and some Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays. But what really makes it are all the great stamps from The Greeting Farm!

Here's a close up of part of the canvas...

I love the variety of stamps you get with this set...stamps that you can use to create an awesome background, sentiments and more! In addition to creating really cool mixed media projects, these stamps can be used on layouts and to create cards...there are so many options! To check out more creations using this gorgeous stamp set, head on over to the TGF blog. The "Dreamy" stamp set will be released on June 15th...and all of us will have MORE projects to share with you! (And there's a blog hop!) I will also be posting a video on my Youtube channel (AKCaraboo) to tell you a little more about each one of my creations on the 15th...so come on over and check it out!

Happy Crafting!

Cara

Kat Scrappiness Card Share

I know you are probably freakin' a bit right now...two posts in one day?!?! What's happened to Cara? Well, I am trying to be good and I have fun stuff to share with you!

Check out these cards I made using some of my Kat Scrappiness goodies.

I love using the goodies from Kat because it makes it so much simpler to put together a card! Thanks for the goodies Kat!

Yeah...I know this is a short one but still it counts!

Happy Crafting!

Copic Coloring

So...I know you will find this hard to believe but...I colored with my Copic markers this weekend! I know, I know...you thought I was just saying I was going to color so I could justify all those stamps I keep buying. I get it...I kinda thought that too! :)

But no! I busted out the Copics and colored! Not one, not two but FOUR images. Ok, I know I only colored the hair on two of them but still...I did it! I am thrilled with myself right now. And you know what...coloring is relaxing...at least it was this time. I just didn't worry about it...I played.

So in case you are curious...here's the video I did to show them off...but listen carefully first...before viewing...I am not a professional colorer (Is that a word?). Strictly amateur here folks and I am ok with that!

So what do you think?? (Be kind.)

I will be coloring more soon and I pinky-promise to share it will YOU!

Thanks so much for checking out my blog!

Hugs...Cara