My first encounter with vintage Halloween artist Austin Pardun was seeing his drawings at Midsummer Scream a few years ago. I missed seeing him this past summer, but I’m sure he’ll be back.
Artist: Austin Pardun Company/Studio: Austin Pardun Art
Why we love it: Ausin Pardun is another artist whose beautiful drawings mimic that classic Halloween style so well, it’s like they walked off the pages of a 1940s Halloween Beistle catalog.
I’m kicking off the 2024 Halloween season and my theme of Halloween Vintage Classic by sharing the wildly vivid and spooky art of one of my faves, Drew Rausch.
Art by Drew Rausch
Artist: Drew Rausch Company/Studio: The Art of Drew Rausch
Why we love it: Drew’s vintage Halloween characters feel like tributes to Halloween’s golden era. It’s like he’s transporting us straight into the past and we’re looking at some ad in Dennison’s Bogie Book.
Happy October! I can’t believe we’re celebrating our 6th Halloween season! This year, work has been crazy busy and finding the time to keep up with blogging is a huge challenge, but I’m not quitting yet!
Although, I’m going to scale back a bit, I will still be celebrating all 31 days of Halloween. Our theme this month is Halloween Vintage Classic, bringing together two of my favorite things in the whole world, vintage style Halloween decorations and old black and white spooky movies.
Be sure to check back every day this October for cool, fun, and inspirational Halloween, horror, and haiku.
HALLOWEEN SCHEDULE 2024
Monday Macabre
Every Monday, I’ll be posting a brand new Halloween Haiku, honoring the theme of Halloween Vintage Classic.
Trick or Treat Tuesdays
Play spooky games and win spooky prizes! Every Tuesday, head over to Instagram for some fun and a chance to win some cool Halloween stickers and pins.
Wicked Art Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase original Halloween art that most represents our theme of “Halloween Vintage Classic” from the world’s most talented artists.
Thursday Time Travels
Every Thursday, let’s travel back in time and revisit some great black and white haunted classic movies.
Friday Fright Nightcaps
It’s the return of Friday Fright Nightcaps and we’re gonna put the boos in booze!
Sinister Saturdays
Saturday nights are alright for fighting. It’s election year in the USA and what better way to get ready for November than by voting for your favorite scary movies!
Spooky Sundays
Spooky Sundays are for reading, relaxing, and recharging our brooms.
Due to time constraints, I’ll be running a shorter challenge this year, starting in the last week in October, with me choosing a winner on Halloween night. More details to come, but for now, sharpen those pencils or pull up a blank page; I can’t wait to see those Halloween haiku!
If you’re looking for great books to gift your spooky loved ones this season, keep reading!
Most of these suggested books I own myself or totally plan on buying. I love classic horror by all the greats and I’m also proud to support indie writers and I hope you will too. I’ve marked the ones available in digital format that make great last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers.
Best Indie Urban Paranormal so real you might go looking for these people and places series:
Consumia’s Spiritual Emporium, Book I of the Omnist Series by Rob Weldon* – $6, $16, $26; Digital, paperback, hardback and other formats available via Amazon and Barnes and Noble
Best Monster Fantasy Turned into a Video Game and Hit TV Show Series:
Blood of Elves, Book I of the Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski* – $9, $12, $25, $60; Digital, paperback, hardback and other formats available (Complete Boxset shown in image below) via Amazon and Barnes and Noble
Best Steamy Indie Paranormal Romance:
Hex and the Single Witch by Roxanne Rhoads – $12 paperback via Amazon
Best Indie Fantasy-Horror-SciFi:
Cast a Cold Eye by Derryl Murphy and William Shunn* – $2, $35 Kindle and hardback via Amazon
Best Classic Halloween Story:
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury* $5, $15; Digital, paperback, hardback and other formats available via Amazon or Barnes and Noble
Best Fun-Sized Stories to get you into the Halloween spirit:
We Bleed Orange & Black: 31 Fun Sized Tales for Halloween by Jeff Carter* – $7 paperback via Amazon
Best Comprehensive Halloween History book I can’t wait to own:
The Better Days Books Vintage Halloween Reader by Various authors – $23 paperback via Amazon
Best and Fastest Way to Understanding Halloween Folklore and Traditions:
Creating Your Vintage Hallowe’en: The folklore, traditions, and some crafty makes by Marion Paull – $15 hardback via Amazon
Best Compact Taschen Icons Picturebook:
Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics Edited by Jim Heimann, Forward by Steven Heller – $17 paperback via Thriftbooks
Most Comprehensive, Deluxe Hardback Halloween Picturebook Collection:
Vintage Hallowe’en: Tricks, Treats & Traditions by Robert Pandis – $75 hardback
This sought after vintage Halloween picturebook is typically sold out, but I included it here because sometimes you can find it selling on secondhand markets online.
Best Someday I’m gonna own that Book:
Dracula,1897, 1st edition by Bram Stoker – $200-37,000
If you ever come across an ugly little book that looks like this, keep it!!!
*Makes a great last-minute gift or stocking stuffer!
Not sure what you gift your favorite Halloween lover this Creepmas? Well, you came to the right place. It’s going to be a Christmas to dismember with these cool and creepy holiday gift ideas!
Bundt Haunted Manor Cake Pan from Nordicware $36 – For the Halloween Baking Lover
Trick R Treat Sam Bitten Lollipop Bag from Trick or Treat Studios $59 – For the Halloween Lover on the Go
Elvira’s Very Scary Xmas 8″Clothed Figure Collectible by NECA $60 – For the Elvira Halloween Horror Collector Lover
Wednesday Nevermore Loungefly Mini Backpack, Pre-order Exclusive from Entertainment Earth $69 – For the Trendy TV Halloween Lover
Spooky Shoes like Chocolaticas Widow Heart – Mary Jane Flats by Hot Chocolate Design $85 – For the Halloween Spider Lover
6-Ft Pre-lit Purple Halloween Christmas Tree $92 from Costway at Target – For the Halloween Christmas Lover
Halloween Glass Ornaments from Christmas Traditions Store 19.99 for 12 or $9.99 for 6 – For the Halloween Christmas Lover Who Needs Ornaments for the Tree
“Dome of Doom” Light-up Haunted House Sculpture from Bradford Exchange $119 – For the Classy Yet Fun Halloween Decor Lover
Gothic Halloween Tea Sets from Angioletti Designs $165-185 – For the Gothic Halloween Tea Drinking Lover
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
First Place wins a witchy prize pack!
Second Place wins Enchanted Bruja Print, a choice of a Disney Pin Set, and some Halloween stickers!
Happy International Artist Day! Today we celebrate the dark fantasy art of Diana Levin of Ghoulish Bunny Studios!
Diana Levin’s art could be described as both whimsical and menacing. Her imaginative and unique style embrace death and horror, all while capturing the natural beauty of an enchanted forest or a fantastical world.
Diana and her author husband Shawn Givens travel around to different conventions and trade shows all over the USA. They’re two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Stop by and say hello!
Enter the 5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge for a chance to win a witchy prize pack containing a canvas bag and an enamel pin featuring the art of Diana Levin!
Here’s a look at all the cool spooky prizes you could win this season.
It’s free to participate in contests, but you must follow the Contest Rules and be a follower of this page and/or @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram to qualify.
Happy Yule! Our theme this month has been haunted holidays. A week ago, I shared great gifts for Ghost Hunters, but what if you missed your shopping window? Christmas is not lost! The best thing about buying for Halloween and Horror lovers is there are a ton of great last-minute gift ideas. So, stay cool and let’s save Christmas morning!
Digital Downloads via Kindle of The Omnist Series by Rob Weldon: The Omnist series is new funny, magical fantasy series centering around a spiritual center in Los Angeles with an app that matches people to gods to worship, daily affirmations, prayers and mantras, spiritual advice and guidance, retail merchandise to purchase, and in-person events that fit the needs of the person seeking out some other type of religious experience that they don’t get through the traditional religions. Protoganists will change book to book and Book three is due out in 2023.
Tattoo Vouchers
Thinking of getting a tattoo of your favorite artists, well, guess what? Tattoos are now copyrighted and the hot thing to do is get a voucher from the artists, giving permission to the tattooist to use one of their works on your body. Trust me, make sure your tattoo is legit.
Gift your loved one year of Patreon to their favorite artist, podcast, or someone new and cool and they’ll really love it. Everyone loves to be entertained and inspired.
Scary Story Podcast Subscription: Lifetime Member unlimited access to all shows, completely ad-free. If your loved one loves podcasts and spooky stories, this sounds like a hot deal to me!
Crunchyroll Streaming Membership
Crunchyroll Steaming Membership Digital Gift: There are a lot of spooky horror animes out there and thanks to Crunchyroll, you can gift a one year streaming membership digital card for just $80.
Spooky Cute Art Prints – Buy yourself some time!
Okay, here’s what you do: Find a really cute spooky cute art seller, go to their shop, buy item(s), copy and paste, and/or print said item, stick the printed pic in a holiday card, and explain their new art print is on its way, but there were unexpected shipping delays. Your giftee gets to see what they got, and they’ll love it, and then, when it arrives, it’s like second Christmas!
There’s a number of fantastic artists out there with shops selling art prints, stickers, apparel, and more. It’s really hard to choose, so, please understand, I pick sellers at random and I’m just trying to spread some ghostly love.
Gifts from Across the Pond
Ghost decor from Oktober31st.co.uk store – Direct from the UK, the country with the most ghosts, ghost lovers will find enamel pins to wall decor, mugs to ornaments, stickers to art prints from this independently owned shop. Spooky Wil has all your ghastly needs covered! He also carries gift certificates available so plenty of time to cover those peeps that you won’t see until after the holidays. https://october31st.co.uk/Creepmas
Gift Yourself!
Um, did you forget someone this season? Maybe you have a new Visa giftcard or some cash gifted to you from your Auntie burning a hole in your pocket? Well, look no further.
Creepycompany.com is one of my favorite stores. From apparrel to home goods, Creepy Co. has a wide selection and good variety of different brands to choose from, like Future Ghost. Let’s face facts, ghosts are real cuz we’re all future ghosts.
I hope you find the perfect gift for your loved ones this season. If nothing on this list worked for you, I hope I inspired you to think up more ideas on your own. There are tons of independent artists, writers, and other creators out there
Thinking of embarking on an exciting journey of becoming a paranormal investigator, or perhaps you have a young family member interested in ghosts and paranormal research? Well, you’ve come to the right place. There are dozens of options these days for folks just starting out. My lists are designed for quick and easy holiday shopping, but I encourage all to do a little bit of research before making big decisions on pricey equipment.
Ghost Hunter’s Equipment by Ghost Augustine – As seen on Taps, Ghost Adventures, Destination Fear, Ghost Finders, and many more. https://ghosthuntersequipment.com
Top Gifts List
Motion Light Balls – $5 Think there’s a ghost in the room? Well toss one of these suckers on the floor and wait to see if the ghost interacts with it. Made for one-time use, so get a couple for the stocking. https://www.ghoststop.com/motion-light-ball/
A Teen’s Guide to Ghost Hunting by Amanda Woomer – $15 This book written by paranormal investigator and author Amanda Woomer from Spook Eats was designed to introduce teens to the exciting world of paranormal investigation. Ms. Woomer has written several books about her paranormal adventures, so she knows a thing or two about ghost hunting. https://spookeats.com/a-teens-guide-to-ghost-hunting/
Ghostology: The Art of the Ghost Hunter by Steve T. Parsons – $18 (paperback) Not a how-to book per se, but anyone interested in getting into paranormal investigations, whether for a career or hobby, should check out paranormal author and veteran ghost hunter Steve T. Parson’s work. The man is a bit of an expert on the subject and has been featured on shows of some of television’s biggest networks, such as BBC, Discovery Network, National Geographic, and ITV to name a few. https://www.amazon.com/Ghostology-Hunter-Steven-T-Parsons/dp/191012172X
Winning Moves Classic Ouija Board Game – $28 Because no good ghost story starts with a game of Sorry. I recommend beginners start with a little small talk first. If you get any feedback, then, you might want to up your game. https://winning-moves.com/product/ouija.asp
LED Flashight: ThurNite Archer 2A 3V Cool White – $30 Ghost hunting 101: Everyone knows the first tool of a great paranormal investigator is the almighty flashlight. Ghost hunting takes place at night, in the darkest and spookiest of places. No one wants to break a leg looking for Casper, right? If you want the best and have the money to pay for it, check out the Fenix PD36R, but for those on a budget, the ThruNite Archer is the next best thing. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H1NTK82/?tag=gjbgtechgeneralflashlights-20
K2 EMF Meter – $65 The legendary, original paranormal tool used by the pros! This was game changer in paranormal investigating when Ghost Hunters show hit the airwaves, as the practice was consider by many to be pseudoscience. The use of practical and very real technology brought an aire of legitimacy to the practice. https://ghosthuntersequipment.com/collections/emf-meters/products/k2-emf-meter-plus
EVP Wrist Recorder 3 – $80 For ghost hunters on the go or anyone who suddenly find themselves all alone in a dark, old, spooky place, or, maybe not so alone… https://www.ghoststop.com/evp-wrist-recorder-3/
Zip up Hoodie Sweatshirt from Ghost Hunters – $99 Gearing up for long cold nights? Don’t forget to pick up a zip up hoodie sweatshirt to keep warm from one of the best paranormal shows ever created. https://www.officialghosthunters.com/shop/zip-up-hoodie
Beginner Ghost Hunter Kit – $149 Fancy a new hobby in the ghost hunting field but not quite ready for fancy equipment? Then, check out the beginner ghost hunter kits from Ghost Stop. https://www.ghoststop.com/beginner-ghost-hunting-kit/
You must be logged in to post a comment.