Happy New Year, 2023!

Welcome, January! I don’t do resolutions because I can never keep any promises. Life simply gets in the way sometimes and adapting is name of the game. That’s not to say I don’t make changes. Truth is, I’ve been thinking of quitting this blog for some time, but later this spring will mark my blog’s 5th anniversary and I’m proud of my little creations. So, I’m going to stick it out another year and see where the road leads.

Blogging hasn’t always been easy. Last year was a dismal time. I have not been able find the balance in work-to-home life after the pandemic. The first two years of blogging seemed promising. Then, I realized there was another Halloween Haiku writer who returned from a long hiatus and insisted in creating a competition. It was awkward and weird. Totally killed my inspiration. I ignore that person and exist in my own space because my haiku are original. I never claimed to do anything first, especially where a 3,000 year-old art form is concerned.

My real enemy is social media. I added “horror” to my blog name to differentiate between any other halloween haikus, no matter when they started. I thought I would gain more followers doing that. The unpleasant reality is my blog is a little too niche, even for fans of Halloween, horror, or haiku. Thus, I’ve failed to make any kind of mark. I don’t have the time to keep up Halloween trends, nor the skills to run entertaining or informative social media accounts. If you’ve noticed, I stepped back from Meta (Facebook) and Twitter altogether. While I’m happy to be part of The Samhain Society, it seems my lot in life is to always be the square in a circle. But, hey, this is no pity party. I am GenX. Being alone ain’t nothing new.

So, here I am, giving blogging in 2023 a chance. This year I’m going back to basics, just writing haiku. Halloween and horror haiku to be specific. Trying something new though, all my haiku will connect to tell a story that fits a monthly theme. Actually, I did it in December 2022. Every Monthly Haiku Corner, I will announce the theme and give readers a little background blurb. From there, a tale will unfold week after week and by the end of the year, I should have 12 different micro stories, told in haiku format. Occasionally, I’ll post some other stuff too, a horror movie list for those looking for recommendations, a Friday Fright Nightcap here, a Wicked Art Wednesday showcase there, but mostly, it will be all about the Halloween and horror haiku.

I wish everyone all the best this year. May 2023 be good to you. Be safe and have fun. May you find love and inspiration this year, and of course, good health, joy, happiness, and prosperity.

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Kellen Carranza

The theme this month is Dystopian Halloween. What Halloween traditions survive a post-apocalyptic landscape will be up to the survivors. For some of us, Halloween is instilled in our soul. We’ll easily find a way to celebrate the dead. That’s what comes to mind when I found this awesome spooky art from Kellen Carranza.

Halloween Dias De Los Muertos Sci Fi Chica Tattoos Pumpkin Skulls and Sneakers

Artist: Kellen Carranza
Company/Studio/Website:
https://www.artstation.com/artofkellencarranza
Where to Purchase Goods:
https://www.designbyhumans.com/shop/KellenC/

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Jeffrey Smith

The theme for October is dystopian Halloween. This piece entitled The Guardian by Jeffrey Smith, creator of “Light Of Conscience” and “Persona Theater” series, captures the mood of the month.

Artist: Jeffrey Smith
Website/Studio: https://www.deviantart.com/ascending-storm
Social Media: https://instagram.com/ascendingstorm?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Where to Purchase Goods:
https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/ascendingstorm/

31 Days of Halloween 2022

Happy October! After starting late this Halloween season, I’m now ready to post the schedule of this year’s 31 Days of Halloween Celebration. The theme this October is dystopian Halloween. With the doomsday clock ticking down, due to savages like Russian dictator Vladamir Putin and gun-crazed trump-loving jesus-freaks, it’s probably way past time to think about how humankind plans to survive the apocalypse, in particular, how we’ll preserve our traditions and holidays, like Halloween.

Part of the month, we’ll have some fun with the dystopian Halloween-horror theme, but I have decided to mix in some good old-fashion Halloween traditional themes as well, cuz, I just love talking about those Halloween memories.

Have a safe and happy Halloween season!

31 Days of Halloween Schedule

Monday Macabre
Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll explore a dystopian Halloween.

Tuesday Terror
Every Tuesday, I’ll share my favorite scary movies that I believe make great Halloween season viewing.

Wicked Art Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art with an apocalyptic twist. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.

Throwback Thursdays
Preservation of Halloween traditions is important for several reasons. Every Thursday, let’s explore the origins of some Halloween traditions and muse over whether these traditions might survive the apocalypse.

Friday Fright Nightcaps
Ghosts aren’t the only ones who like to get sheet-faced on Halloween. Check back every Friday for Halloween season-inspired cocktails.

Sinister Saturdays
In the past few years, Sinister Saturdays have always been dedicated to food and Halloween recipes. The problem was, besides my being the worst cook in America, people are simply reluctant to let you share their recipes online, even if you give them complete credit and link back to their website. So, in the true spirit of Sinister Saturdays, we’re just going to let the demons loose that day and see what they come up with.

Poe Sundays
This year’s tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, will feature my thoughts on the best Poe adaptations on film.

4^th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Share your most original or scariest visual Halloween Haiku photos during October for a chance to win some prizes.

More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 18^th.

Join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter

Happy Halloween 2021!

Halloween is a celebration of life! By….warding…off…the dead….anyhoo, whether you like the old vintage style, cute and spooky, spine-tingling chills and thrills, or super gory to the max, Halloweentime is a magical season filled with creativity, community spirit, fun, and wonder. Every year, Halloween Haiku celebrates all month long, and while it’s gonna be challenging, this year we’re doing it again!

Our theme in October is Halloween Icons…ya know, bats, black cats, ghosts, pumpkins, etc., all those things that are known to represent Halloween. Now, I’ve come up with a bunch, but I can’t wait to hear what icons you think Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without.

This Halloween season, I’m changing up the traditional 31 days format and I plan to use social media a bit more, so please, join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhaiku9 on Instagram and Twitter

Here’s what’s in store for October:

3^rd Annual Halloween Haiku Contest Sharpen those pencils! I want to see your most original Halloween Icons themed haiku. I’m giving away a Grand Prize Pack worth over $50!
I might even have some small prizes for runner-ups.

More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 1^st.

Halloween Icons Photo Countdown (Instagram only)
October photo countdown to Halloween. No contest, just something to do for fun Oct. 1-31st. Let’s see those pictures! Use #halloweeniconsphotochallenge

31 Days of Halloween Schedule:

Monday Macabre (website and social media)

Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll celebrate Halloween icons.

Tiny Terror Tuesdays (social media)

Sometimes little things pack a big punch. Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing scenes from my haunted dioramas and miniatures.

Wicked Art Wednesdays (social media)

Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.

Throwback Thursdays (website)

Every Thursday, let’s travel back to the golden age of Vintage Halloween advertising. Some ads were amusing, and some, were downright cringeworthy. Let’s debate!

Friday Fright Nightcaps (website and social media)

Witches aren’t the only ones who drink brews! Check-in every Friday evening to see what wild Halloween season-inspired cocktail I pull outta the cauldron.

Sinister Saturdays (website and social media)

Every Saturday, I’ll rotate between sharing one savory and one sweet recipe, all guaranteed to have you screaming for more! I may even try to make some of these myself. Now, that’s scary!

Poe Sundays (website and social media)

Just like we do every year, we’ll celebrate the gothic genius of Edgar Allan Poe, master of macabre.

Have a safe and happy Halloween season, everyone!

Wicked Art Wednesdays: My Favorite Vintage Halloween Postcards

I love vintage Halloween postcards. I have collected a few over the years, but sadly, my financial situation keeps me from owning many more. Still, thanks to the world wide web, I can enjoy the beauty of all vintage Halloween postcards. Here’s a look at my favorites:

Ellen Clapsaddle painted over 3,000 postcards in her lifetime, making her one of the Queens of the Postcards.

Another favorite from Ellen Clapsaddle, which seems similar to the Ghost Pumpkinhead postcards seen below, but a completely different series.

Frances Brundage loved to paint whimsical scenes of children with black cats and always added her signature red ribbon to the scene.

Another fave from Frances Brundage. She was a hugely popular postcard artist and I consider her the other Queen of the Postcards.

ML Jackson painted this postcard from Charms of Witching Hour series. I don’t have any information on how many postcards are in this set.

Notice the similar cat from ML Jackson painting, which means he mostly likely painted the Halloween Don’ts postcard series too. I don’t have too much information on thid series but I believe there’s a six of them.

Samuel L. Schmucker, who also went by his initials, S.L.S., liked to paint pretty ladies in all of his postcards.

This one, also from Samuel L. Schmucker, seems quite racy for 1912.

These next three are truly my favorites. They were most likely painted by Ellen Clapsaddle, but truth is, I haven’t been able to verify this information yet.

Another of my absolute favorites most likely from Ellen Clapsaddle. These postcards seem similar to the Halloween Flying series seen above but they are different series altogether.

This is my absolute favorite postcard in the whole wide world. Why? I’m not even sure. I guess, I just love this little character. I do own this postcard and another from the series. I’m always on the hunt for more.

Do you have a favorite vintage Halloween postcard? Let me know in the Comments section or hit me up on Instagram and Twitter @HalloweenHaiku9

Wicked Art Wednesdays

I hated the thought of canceling my Halloween plans, so, until I receive confirmation to showcase artist talent, I decided to bust out my stencils and make my own art for Wicked Art Wedesdays. Definitely not as satisfying as sharing wonderful Halloween works from a professional artist. My wish to have drawing talent is on par with wishing to have wings. (It’s not happening anytime soon.) While I was messing around with the inks though, I noticed an euphoric feeling that I haven’t had since I was wee child. Making art, no matter how bad I was at it, made me happy. I only wish I had a better looking piece to show for. I guess you’re just gonna have to take my word for it, making art makes you happy.

So, make art, make bad art, bad Halloween art, do it anyway because it makes you happy.

You can share my art too. Although, I’m not sure why you want to, but just in case…I appreciate if you link back to me here or tag me on social media.

Halloween Kristy

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Anne Stokes

From dragons to vampires, mermaids to monsters, the widely acclaimed and prolific fantasy artist Anne Stokes has enchanted and terrified the world with her masterful creations for over 20 years. The London-born creator has produced art and illustrations for dozens of books, games, albums, including the uber-popular Dungeons and Dragons. These days, Anne is busy building her global empire by licensing her own creations in merchandising, jewelry, fashion, and much more. All hail the Mother of Dragons in the art world!

Artist: Anne Stokes
Where to Purchase Goods: https://annestokes.com/shops/
Website: https://annestokes.com/

Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anne_stokes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annestokesart/

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Nikury

Today, we celebrate pastel Halloween with illustrator and artist Nikury, who hails from Finland. Nikury enjoys drawing nature, animals, and witchy stuff. Her kitten magick line features cutesy kitten familiar merch, perfect for witches and anyone looking for cute or unconventional Halloween products.

Artist: Nikury / Nina Gronlund
Where to Purchase Goods: Online Store
Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Nikury
Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/nikury/shop

Website: https://nikury.com
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/nikury_art/

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Grayson Fogg/Richard Moore

Grayson Fogg appears to be the creation of Richard Moore, or perhaps, it’s the other way around? Then again, they could be two entirely different people altogether. In any event, they make wonderful art!