Halloween Folk Art Cross Stitch

 Stitches Sew Beautiful just keeps adding more cross stitch patterns of my artwork in her Etsy store.  

These Halloween designs are now available if you love to do cross stitch.

She has many beautiful full coverage cross stitch patterns!  They carry several of my designs beside Halloween.

I can't believe summer is almost over and we still have one more camping trip.  

Original Folk Art Painting by Catherine Holman

If you are looking for a bargain after Christmas, I have three original paintings that are on sale for 20% off until midnight January 3rd.  Simply click on the title above the painting and it will link you to the item in my Etsy Shop.

"A Star Filled Halloween Evening" 

"Sunflower Lane"

"Ladybug Cupcake"

Hope you all were blessed with a great Christmas and not trapped in an airport somewhere.  Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

New Halloween Folk Art Original Painting

 It's a day behind schedule, but it's finally finished and listed in my Etsy Shop along with some prints.

I had a vision while vacationing in Buena Vista, CO in September of three kids riding bikes wearing pumpkin heads in front of a spooky house.  It's funny how things get into my mind and just won't go away!

"A Star Filled Halloween Evening"

On a dark, yet starry night a parade of costumed goblins meander from house to house chanting “Trick or Treat”.  Over the hills and in the glow of the full moon they make their way to Mayor Adams house where he and his wife Sasha hand out candy apples and popcorn balls.  Their children, triplets Henry, Heather, and Harvey are heading out on their bikes with their pumpkin pails stowed on the back eager to fill them as the go door to door.  Their mother has knitted them new Halloween sweaters as part of their costumes.  Heather in an act of childish rebellion, recently decided she was tired of wearing matching clothes, so her mother listened to her request and knit her a green sweater.

Now I'm off to enjoy this wonderful weather and do some garden cleanup!

 

Halloween Folk Art Painting Progress

 

I'm moving along at a spookily, slow pace with this new Halloween painting.  Lots of little trick or treaters dressed in costume need to be added along the winding road and tons of autumn leaves yet to paint.  

The leaves can be painted rather quickly though.  

My plan is to have this listed by Friday in my Etsy shop.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Halloween Painting in the Works

 I'm having fun working on a new Halloween Painting for 2022.  There's no guarantee it will be done in time but when it's done I will be listing it on Etsy.  I can't wait to start painting all the children dressed in costumes!  There are lots of ideas running through my head and I'm looking forward to seeing them come to life.

Mansard roofs seem to give an eery feel to a house don't you think?

 

Be safe out there this Halloween!

Baking, Decorating for Fall, and Camping or How to Overcome the Isolation Blues

 Rick and I may not come out of 2020 without having gained a few pounds, but baking this time of year is one of my favorite things to do.  We are enjoying each and every bite too!

Yesterday I made these Candied Pecans from Lauren's recipe that you can print from her blog. 

"Tastes Better From Scratch"

I quarantee you it's fabulous and tastes exactly like the warm Candied Pecans you purchase from vendors at festivals!  It says to let them cool completely and store them in a tight container, but they were extra good while they were warm.

I also made some very yummy gluten free pumpkin bread the week before.  I used my regular recipe but substituted Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 flour.  I've used this recipe for years and it makes one bundt cake and a loaf.  It's perfect if you want to gift one!  I don't think this happended this time though, Ha!

A rather large crack developed in the center of the loaf, but tasted great!  

My only fall decor has been limited to my crocheted items and a few other pieces.  This black and white plaid pumpkin I crocheted a few years ago goes perfectly in my kitchen with my new curtains, therefore I placed it on this old scale.

My living room had a few more pumpkins made with yarn wrapped over cheap pumpkins from 

The Dollar Store.  Simply cut a hole in the top and bottom of the pumpkins removing the stem.  Wrap the thick chenille like yarn through the top and bottom all the way around and add a stick for the stem.  

 I did crochet a Halloween pillow for myself and my daughter, Amber.  You can find the pattern for the pillow here at TLB Patterns.

This cute plaid garland came from either Michael's or JoAnn's.  Isolation is messing with my memory!

These little wine cozies were crocheted using a pattern from 

The Midnight Stitcher.  I got the leather "Wine O'Clock" and "Whine Not" tags from

Angie & Britt.

To keep us from losing our minds this summer we got out and went camping at local state parks every month.  Even though the last trip this fall was rather rainy, it was still good to get out of the house and into  nature.  Get creative, bake, or get out and enjoy the beautiful parks around you.  You'll be amazed how much better you'll feel.    

We like everyone else have had some tough things to go through lately and I won't dwell on that here, but how are you doing and what are you doing to overcome the Isolation Blues?

Halloween 2020

"Halloween 2020"

I wish I had a new Halloween painting for 2020, but this year being what it is, I haven't had much inspiration to paint.  Instead, my husband and I have spent alot of time camping and getting away from everything.  It's been great for us and our dog, Daisy, and I hope at some point I get some inspiration to get back to work.  For now, I'm just going to sit near a camp fire by a lake somewhere.  

These are my two nonspooky Halloween prints that are my best sellers in my Etsy Store.  If you would like to check them out click here.  Once you arrive at my store, click on "Halloween Prints" in the top left column and you will see all the prints I have available in that category.  What are you doing for Halloween this year?  

"Pirate's Cove" 

"Echoes of Trick or Treat"

Jack O' Lantern Lane Original Halloween Folk Art Painting

 

"Jack O Lantern Lane"

I just finished this little 6" x 6" painting and listed it in my Etsy Store.  Halloween will be here before you know it.  I'm sure the candy sales will be way down during this pandemic or all of us adults will be eating it as we work from home!  I'll miss the kids coming by in their costumes.

Ethel and Fred built a house when they got married 45 years ago. Connie and Horace built their house next door and a deep friendship between the neighbors blossomed and they became family. They loved the little trick or treaters who visited every year on Halloween and both couples placed carved pumpkins on the fences posts. That's how their little road became known as Jack-O'Lantern Lane.

We don't get as many trick or treaters as we used to because they go to the nursing homes and churches, which I'm sure is a lot safer.  They won't be going to the nursing homes this year though.  How sad.  My mother loved handing out candy last year to all the little ones coming through the nursing home.  What are you doing different this year?

Halloween Folk Art

Stop by my Etsy shop to see my Halloween prints!  

I wish I had gotten my paint room finished sooner! I would have loved working on a new Halloween scene this year.  Check out my Halloween cupcake prints too!  

Pirate's Cove Halloween Painting

As promised, here is my new Halloween painting:

"Pirate's Cove Halloween"

In Pirate's Cove as soon as the moon rises high in the sky,  tiny goblins run from house to house giggling and gathering treats of caramel apples, popcorn balls, candy corn and various sweets and surprises.  Adults and scared pets warm themselves by an inviting fire as they supervise their surroundings.  Pirates anchor their ship in the cove curiously spying on these shenanigans as a ghost slips over the bridge chasing a very tiny witch and her suspicious black cat.  This scary evening includes tiny tots and their bewildered dog dressed in strange uncomfortable attire being pulling by the wagon load through a small cemetery.  Bugs and various creepy crawlers, pirates, mummies, and a superhero swarm the streets. A sweet princess being escorted by a mouse standing on two feet is about to magically fill her treat bag when she taps on the door, demurely smiles, and chants "trick or treat!"

This painting was so much fun to paint!  Like I've mentioned before, it's hard to know when to stop painting.  I have this painting for sale on my blog and in my Etsy shop.  To locate it on my blog, click on the tab at the top for "Original Painting".

Annual Autumn Barn Dance & Hayride Folk Art Painting

This painting, Annual Autumn Barn Dance & Hayride, is one of my most looked at prints on FineArt America.  I do, however, need a better image of this particular piece so that I can sell larger prints.  Back in the day when I first started selling my artwork on eBay, I never stopped to think about reproducing them for prints before the paintings were sold.  

I may just have to paint this one again.  I will probably make a few changes here and there to make it new and fresh though.  

I also have a new Halloween painting to share that I finished last year and have been hanging onto it.  

Have you started decorating for fall?

Halloween Painting On It's Way To A New Home

So long "Echoes of Trick or Treat"!  

I will miss this painting and seem have become attached to some of them lately.

I'm sure it will provide much joy to it's new owner and that makes me very happy.  This painting is available as a print in my Etsy shop and now is available in two sizes:  8 x 10 inch and 11 x 14 inch.  If you're looking for a larger size you can purchase it in my FineArt America shop or have it printed on a pillow in my Pixels store.  

As much as I'll miss this painting, I have a new Halloween painting ready for it's reveal and will share it later this year. I can't wait for you to see it!  

Ideas for new paintings keep running through my head and plans to redesign my art studio hopefully are in the near future.  

A Cabin in the Woods and A Giveaway Winner

This past weekend we went with our family to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  This is what welcomed us as we entered our cabin.

The owners had the mantle and the deer decorated for Halloween.  What a great weekend!  I'll share more photos with you in the next post of all the beautiful scenery.

Before I forget though, I want to announce the winner of my print giveaway.  Two ladies came so very close to getting all the differences between the two prints, but the winner is Susie.

 The only thing you left out were the extra leaves that were scattered on the two large houses.  Susie please leave me a comment with your email or email me with your address.  

Halloween Folk Art Painting Update and a Giveaway

I added more details to this painting yesterday.  It's really tough to decide when a painting is finished.  See if you can find all the changes.  You can check out this previous post from Sept. 18th to see what it looked like before.

"Echoes of Trick or Treat"

The first person to leave a comment on this post with all the changes will win an 8" x 10" print of this fun Halloween design.  If no one finds all of them, the print will go to the person who finds the most changes by next Monday, Oct. 28th.

Good luck!

Trick or Treat Halloween Cupcake Painting

This new Halloween painting is finished and up for auction on eBay.  

"Trick or Treat Cupcake"

Decorate your home for Halloween with this colorful cupcake print. A yellow cupcake is topped with creamy orange butter cream frosting decorated with green piped decorations. A piece of candy corn sits on top of the yummy frosting and a tag attached to the side of the cupcakes says "Boo". Green "Trick or Treat" letters are dripping with orange frosting and a black and white checkerboard border is painted around the scene.

We had our new front door cut to fit yesterday and that's what I'll be painting this week.  It will be great to have a snug door to keep the winter chill out!  My entry looks so inviting with a door propped on saw horses.  Hopefully, once it's finished, I'll get my autumn decorations out.

Halloween Painting Listed on Ebay

"Echoes of Trick or Treat"

This painting is now up for auction on eBay.  You can check it out by clicking on the title above.

I don't want to bore you with a lot of my vacation photos, but want to share a few of my favorites this week.

If you've never been to the Maroon Bells near Aspen, Colorado, you need to put it on your bucket list.  I've been to Colorado many times but had never heard of it.  Below are a couple of my favorite photos when we went hiking through one of the trails.

I'm amazed by Aspen trees:

One of the most photographed mountains in America is this one in the Maroon Bells and now that I've been there, I know why.

Praying for the families of Colorado.  This has been a tough year for fires and flooding.

I've got to get back to my painting!