....it's dark, gloomy and pouring outside

...and therefore the perfect weather to stay in and craft! It is so nice when life and Mother Nature (gotta love that chick!) create the perfect day when I absolutely can NOT say no to a little crafting time.  It has been super busy  here in the Hnilicka house....this last week has been Homecoming and in our small town Homecoming is a BIG DEAL.  Seriously, it is huge and is celebrated with activities all week long.  It culminates with the big parade and football game on Friday afternoon/night and then most kids have a sports event on Saturday followed by the Homecoming Dance.  Yep, Homecoming Dance is actually capitalized 'cuz it is that BIG!  This year we had perfect weather....all the activities all weeklong (including the nightly toilet papering) as well as the parade/game/dance were all blessed with lovely temps...very important here in Wisconsin where the girls want to show off their beautiful dresses without their coats on!  My son went with a big crowd but I was able to snag a pic of him alone before all the group pictures  began:

I also did have some time to get two cards done over this week....using lovely fall images.  I really am partial to Autumn stamp images.  I love the colors that can be used and for once I tend to stick to traditional colors ;-D  Neither card is being entered into any challenges....they were just done for fun.  The first  card uses all Impression Obsession stamps and they are Peeking Pumpkin, and Cover-a-Card Woodgrain and Houndstooth for the background.   This and the next card were colored using markers....I know, big departure for me as I usually use colored pencils but I am trying to learn more coloring techniques...and making LOTS of mistakes along the way!  Oh well, mistakes are part of the journey and, from what I have been told all my life it is ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY!  At least, that is the phrase I console myself with when I make an 'unfixable" mistake 99% of the way into the card!  The sentiment is made with rub on letters.

This next card Imade for a Flickr friend who has not been feeling well lately and thought that I would pop this card off as well as some images and bath salts for her to enjoy....  I used a Whippersnapper image called Friendly Scarecrow and then lightly distressed some patterned papers for the background.  This particular card was basically all done when my hand cramped as I was finishing the scarecrows face....and then I totally biffed the marker across his poor face!  Oh well, it was a fixable mistake as I stamped another head, colored the hat and face and then popped the cut out head on dots over the ruined images.  And, I actually like the popped up look better!  I also used stick-on letters for the sentiment that I "scarecrowed" up a bit!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my "less than consistent" postings!  I appreciate your comments tons!

Be well,

Sheila