Dickens Sundays – Ghost of Christmas Past

Every holiday season, I share the wise words of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Dickens’ was a champion of the poor and unfortunate, particularly children. Having grown up destitute himself and enduring the abuse and ills of the labor houses, Dickens knew firsthand of the timeless topics he wrote about.

The Ghost of Christmas Past was the first of Jacob Marley’s three mercurial warnings to the cruel, greedy miser Ebenezer Scrooge to change to his lifestyle or endure a hellish afterlife like his old partner.

She turned back time to show Ebenezer his past, how happy he once was, how in love he once was, but the young Scrooge allowed ambition and greed to rule his life and lost everyone he loved so dearly.

“These are the shadows of the things that have been, that they are what they are, do not blame me!”

7th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2025

Share your most original or haunted Halloween Haiku on October 31st for a chance to win a Haunted prize pack.

You must be a WordPress follower to particpate and a US resident. Post your haiku in comments section below. All comments must be approved first so it may not show up right away. I’ll do my best to approve as soon as I see them.

Only 1 haiku are permitted per contestant, US residents only. If I see more than 1 haiku from the same participant or a foreign entry, while I thank you for joining our challenge, these entries won’t qualify for a prize.

Grand Prize – 1st Place Winner will receive Haunted prize pack, which includes Drew Rausch vintage cat postcard print, Disney’s Haunted Mansion collectible pin, and their choice of either The Conjuring I & II Blu-rays, Annabelle Blu-ray film set, or It 2-Film Collection on Blu-ray. This prize pack is worth well over $50.

Second & Third Place Prize: Winners will have a chance to pick a small prize from the prize pool (typically pins, patches, and Halloween stickers).

The contest starts and ends midnight to midnight Pacific time on October 31th through November 1st, 2025. Winners will be announced on November 2, 2025, here and social media.

Please see Contest Rules and Eligibility page more details.

Have a Happy Halloween season, everyone! Be safe out there!🎃

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2025 – Tiki Art by Doug Horne

Happy Wicked Art Wednesday! I was feeling a like need a little more tiki artin our lives so today’s artist is the world renowned tiki creator Doug Horne.

Artist: Doug Horne
Company/Studio:

Where to Purchase Goods: Several tiki sites sell Doug Horne’s tiki art and exclusive tiki mugs.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/DougHorneArt

Outer Limits Doug Horne

Why we love it: Phoenix born Doug Horne, who now resides in Long Beach, CA, has been creating tiki art and tiki mugs for generations. We love his pop culture monsters tiki mash ups. Doug also creates art for tiki bars around the globe. Chances are you may have seen his work up close while sipping on Mai Tais

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/doug_horne_art/?hl=en

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2025 – Roman Dirge

Today’s Wicked Art Wednesday artist is goth legend Roman Dirge. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to pay a tribute to the amazing creator of comic book series Lenore, the Cute Little Dead Girl and his own unique creepy gothic cute style.

Lenore Noogies Book, Color Edition 1999

Artist: Roman Dirge

Where to Purchase Goods:

US- https://tinyurl.com/USA-orders

Lenore reboot The Time War, variant issue #1 from January 2025

Why we love it: Magician turned goth artist and comic book creator who never gave up on his dreams on being an artist… we all should admire anyone who pursues their passions and creates a lane for themselves.

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/taxidermied/?hl=en

Happy Halloween! Be safe out there!

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2025 – Drew Struzan

For today’s Wicked Art Wednesday, I join the chorus of mourning millions with a tribute to the legendary movie poster king Drew Struzan, who passed away on Oct. 13 2025. We’ve all grown up seeing this man’s breathtaking iconic artwork in our local theaters, advertising what would soon become our favorite movies. There will never be another.

Artist: Drew Struzan
Company/Studio: http://www.drewstruzan.com/illustrated/portfolio/index.html

Where to Purchase Goods: https://filmartgallery.com/collections/drew-struzan-movie-posters?page=12

Why we love it:

RIP Drew Struzan. Thank you for sharing your talents and artistry with us. You will always be remembered.

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2025 – James Crouch

From rock stars to sports icons, custom jobs to landscapes, and Hollywood Murals to Disneyland Halls, chances are if you live in the USA, you’ve probably already seen SoCal artist James Crouch’s vibrant stunning art murals somewhere in person.

Disney’s Haunted Mansion Bride by James Crouch

Artist: James Crouch
Company/Studio: https://croucharts.com/

Where to Purchase Goods: https://croucharts.com/collections/vintage-monsters

Headless Horseman by James Crouch from Vintage Monsters Collection

Why we love it:

James Crouch is an Imagineer working with Walt Disney Company for over 30 years. Some of us just grew up seeing this guy’s iconic work our whole lives.

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/crouch_arts/

Haunted Organist by James Crouch from Vintage Monsters Collection

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2025 – Stephanie Buscema

Stephanie Buscema is NY based comic book artist, illustrator and painter, who is known for her colorful whimsical vintage-inspired art style.

The Pumpkin Balloon Giclee Print

Artist: Stephanie Buscema
Company/Studio: StephanieBuscema.com

Formerly Kitschy Witch Designs

Where to Purchase Goods: https://www.stephaniebuscema.com/shop

Etsy Shop

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/stephbuscema/

Blog: https://www.stephaniebuscema.com/creative-crypt

Black Cat Balloon Giclee Print

Why we love it:

Stephanie’s designs embody the perfect balance and blend of spooky vintage and whimsical Halloween.

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2024 – Alex Ross

Today, we celebrate the one and only art master Alex Ross, as a special tribute to Halloween, with a look at his beautiful magnificent drawings of the beloved Universal monsters.

Artist: Alex Ross
Company/Studio: Alex Ross Art

Where to Purchase Goods: https://www.alexrossart.com

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/thealexrossart

Why we love it: Alex Ross’ influence on comic book artists is unparalleled. The man’s technical artistry is awe-inspiring, with his ability to show realism and the emotional depth of characters truly makes them come alive.

I could just sit here all day describing him with good adjectives. Mr. Ross is simply a marvel. One doesn’t just look at his art, they have feelings.

Halloween Haiku Challenge 2024

Share your most original or scariest Halloween Haiku during the last week of October for a chance to win a Halloween classic grand prize!

Only 3 haiku are permitted per contestant. Pick your best 3 and post. If I see more than 3 from the same participant, they won’t count. Three is the magic number.

You must be a WordPress or Instagram follower to particpate. Two ways to enter a submission this year 1) post your haiku in comments section below, or 2) Tag me on Instagram and use the following #halloweenhaikuchallenge

Grand Prize – 1st Place Winner will receive Halloween Classic prize pack, which includes a vintage style Halloween patch (not pictured), some vintage style Halloween stickers, a Drew Rausch ‘I Support Halloween’ pin, and a Disney’s Huey, Dewey, and Louie Halloween Trick or Treat Ornament. This prize pack is worth over $50.

Second & Third Place Prize: Winners choose a Halloween pin and some buttons or stickers from this year’s prize pool.

The contest starts at 3pm PT on October 24th and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on October 31st, 2024. Winners will be announced on November 1, 2024, here and on social media.

Please see Contest Rules and Eligibility Page more details.

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2024 – Johanna Parker

Known for her whimsical folk art, Johanna Parker turned her love for Halloween into a successful, thriving world-wide business.

Artist: Johanna Parker
Company/Studio: Johanna Parker Design
Website: https://www.johannaparkerdesign.com/

Where to Purchase Goods: https://www.johannaparkerdesign.com/store

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/jparkerdesign/

Why we love it: Johanna Parker’s name is synonymous with Halloween folk art and vintage Halloween replicas. She often partners with top retail and wholesalers, where her art and designs are featured on everything from art and clothing to Halloween decorations and home goods.