Long time, no see...

It has been forever since I have written a post.

Life is busy as always, and I thought summer

would allow me time to get caught up...

And many projects have been completed and a lot of fun has

been accomplished. We re-worked our deck, 

opened up our laundry space, took lots of short day trips, 

and even went to the beach for a week. Other 

than that it has been a relaxing summer, which was 

much needed. We are getting ready to have a

Home-made ice cream party with the family today, 

one of the last hurrahs of summer vacation. 

We have been busy cleaning house today, and

I even managed to make it to the 

Farmer's Market where I picked up the beautiful flowers here. 

I hope you all have had an enjoyable summer, 

and I hope to post more this fall. 

Robert~Halloween Fanatic Originals 

 Summer table

 Portrait of a younger me, by Don Moore

 Owl clock by Sharon Bloom

 Mccoy vase with summer blooms

 Vintage plates with "Zinnia" by Johanna Parker

Paintings by Melissa Belanger

 Owl by Johanna Parker

October is here-Home Sneak Peek... (Part 1)

 (Old made new again Halloween noise makers painted by the one and only Cali Lee.)

(A close up of the OOAK Halloween Carnival Barker and friends carved by 

the master carver Greg Geudel)

October is here-

Home Sneak Peek...

October is here and decorating for 

Halloween is almost done...

Decorating with a carnival/circus theme

has been a blast...

so many artists have created some great pieces

for me, and some I have luckily been able to add to 

my collection over the years. 

 (Strong Man above, 

and Ring Master below

created by Michelle Lauritsen, 

circus tents by Jo James )

Working with this theme has allowed me to focus on 

decorating with a select group of pieces, 

which has been a pleasant change

and kept my focus and attention on the collection...

 (Fortune Teller dolls above, and clowns below by  the ever talented Allen Cunningham)

I hope you enjoy this small peek inside my home. 

Happy October Everyone! 

 (Original Clown and Circus Bear by Johanna Parker)

Robert~ Halloween Fanatic Originals

Easter decorating is underway...

It seems like it has been forever since I have posted about my little home

which you know I love...I am in the process of decorating it for Easter, and well...

it is underway...

Here is my new friend, a wood carved bunny, tooting in the the season with his horn, 

check back this weekend for a full picture of his display. 

This new piece was created by Wood Carver, Greg Guedel.

Check out his new website here 

 http://www.gregguedel.com/

A favorite bunny by Johanna Parker 

 Another little new bunny friend by Michelle Lauritsen

keeping an eye on orchid which is putting on new blooms.

Another bunny original, by Johanna Parker is hanging out in the

dining room cabinet.

My favorite raffia blue tree from Bethany Lowe, covered 

ornaments by Flora Thompson, Kristen Beason, and Marie Patterson.

More pics to come this Easter weekend...stay tuned...

Christmas Eve Blogger Fun!!

(Here I am, decorating our table top tree with handmade ornaments and Radko Shiny Brite ornaments)

 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. 

So many family memories come rushing 

quickly to the surface, and I cannot help but be giddy!!!

In addition to the excitement of spending the day with my 

family, sharing our faith, food, and fellowship, 

we will spend a lot of time traveling down memory lane, 

remembering Christmases past, 

Enjoying Christmas present, 

and thinking...

about 

Christmas future. 

It is so rewarding to know that artist friends, 

collector friends, and many of my friends 

do the same, so you can imagine how rewarding it 

feels to see my art become part of their traditions, 

and theirs become part of mine. 

It has been a real sweet surprise to see some of my originals 

show up on several recent blog posts lately.

 

(Photo courtesy of Darryl Moland)

 

First my Santa boot popped up last night, 

on a tree of the expert tree decorator Darryl Moland, 

he has written 

The Decorated Tree

you may have seen his work in 

Christmas Cottages on shelves now!

Or in my friend Matthew Mead's magazine

Matthew Mead's Christmas throughout the House 

 

My work as also popped up on 

Johanna Parker's blog

as part of a feature on our friend Celeste. 

She has the most wonderful collection of holiday folk art!

I am very honored that one of my Snow-cone characters, along with many of Johanna's snowmen

are on one of her trees! 

(Photo courtesy of Celeste P.)

 

You can imagine how excited I am that my art is being shared with others! If you have not had a chance to get an original this year, there is still time! I have a small handful of original ornaments left in my Etsy Shop, if you would like to stop by 

and add one of my originals to 

your holiday collection, 

your holiday traditions,

and your holiday home!

 

Merry Christmas Eve to all, and to all a good Christmas Eve! 

Robert~ Halloween Fanatic Originals 2014 

 

 

 

 

 

As promised...Back Again...

As promised I am back blogging again today...two days in a row, it is a small miracle.

Yesterday amongst all the things I needed to get done, 

and wanted to get done, I sat down and painted this little canvas. 

I had said while we were at the beach last week, that I really loved the colors in my beach towel,

which reflects the love of teals and turquoises that run throughout our little home. 

So I picked up this little canvas, and was lucky enough to be there on buy one get one free day, actually I think the sale goes on all week. 

Who knows what I will paint on the other canvas, something Halloweeny, I suspect...

Here is the little canvas painted in a small vignette, the pottery is by a local artist and friend 

Melissa Bentley, the Bulldog, Zinnia is of course by Johanna Parker, and the zinnia marble is by another Carolina artist Andrew Lazenby. 

Click on the links below for more information on these artists:

Johanna Parker Design

Blue Goose Studios

Satin Paints by Martha Stewart @ Michaels

WIP

Count down to The Polar Express Party 2011, a few more pics from the house...

"The bell still rings for me, and all who truly believe!"

A vase of roses, and fresh cut flowers, and greenery from the yard.

Johanna Parker's bells hanging in the window.

Bells and various pine cones hang from the chandelier.

Snow has been added to the large poinsettia in the living room.

Get your jammies on and Golden Ticket ready to see party pictures tomorrow!!

Decorating in full swing, for Halloween!

The Holiday Queen Melissa's Hooligan above,
and witch below look great in the china cabinet.

Luke man sits below in his dalmatian fire-fighter attire,
in front of the china cabinet, and originals by
Lori Rudolph of Retrorudolphs

Some Johanna Parker originals in the master bedroom.

Greeting Trick or Treaters this year will be
Frankenstein and his Bride
from
Sheila Bentley of Primdolly!

Thanks for stopping by more Halloween to come...

Do you love Snowmen? I love Snowmen! Check out Johanna Parker's blog for a wonderful opportunity to win one of hers!

Check out this great opportunity to
WIN
a snowman from the uber talented,
Johanna Parker!
Just CLICK HERE to be swept off to her
Snowman Give Away!
Best of Luck!

HAPPY 300TH TWINKLE!! Enter for a Chance to Win...

Well today is the day that Twinkle, and Halloween Fanatic turn 300 in Blog Years!! Twinkle loves her blog birthdays, and loves to Celebrate in Style, you can see from her pictures above that she likes to get all fixed up for the party. From the first Twinkle made by Johanna Parker, to the latest Twinkle created by Lori Rudolph, she is wearing her party clothes and ready to have FUN! FUN! FUN!
Of course it would not be a birthday without presents, and Twinkle likes to give (and receive), presents, at this time we are talking about giving presents to our friends that come visit us...so here is the deal!!
Leave a comment here wishing Twinkle a Happy Birthday, and you are entered to WIN, next Friday Evening we will draw 20 names at random, to send gifts to...that is right I said 20!!!! Our BIGGEST Give-Away ever for our BIGGEST Birthday yet!! So sign up today to win a surprise prize from us! Thanks for celebrating 300 with us!!

Thanks to all of my artist friends that have made Twinkle come alive in various mediums:
Johanna Parker
Chris Klingler
Jorge De Rojas
David Everett
Tony Costanza
Kristen Beason
Lori Rudolph
Nicole D.
Melissa Harnett Ustik
And a Special Thanks to Connie Porcher, and David Everett for making Twinkle a hit in the Fall Issue of Celebrate 365!!

UPDATE: See new photo above for a Sneak Peek at some of the goodies...

Take a peek outside my desk...

Here are two of my favorite collections that sit above my desk, my Johanna Parker Original Halloween pieces, and on another iron shelf above them, is my Lori Rudolph POP Ornaments, which I will have another one there soon, hence the awkward placement!
The little witch should arrive any day now with another chenille ornament too...

Some of what you did not see in Celebrate 365...

A sneak peek inside the collection...get ready for more Halloween Eye Candy...this is just a taste...look for more sneak peeks soon...

Many pieces from Anthony Costanza, Johanna Parker Originals, Shelia Bently, Sweet B, Hop Hop Jingle Boo, Connie Krizner,Leah's Art Magic, and Chickenlips!!!

The start of HALLOWEEN Decorating has begun...

An illustration here, an illustration there...what to do with those illustrations. Take your illustrations, protected within a cover of course,and use clear tape and tape three or four of the backs to a pretty Halloween ribbon. You can hang it on the back of a door, or if you have a special nook that works too. Check out a few from my collection (included Klingler Halloween Fanatic, Twinkle from Jorge De Rojas, and sketch from Johanna Parker), displayed like this!

See another one of my collections on Kristen Beason's blog:

Brown Paper Packages tied up with String...

YES! Brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things...
truer words were never been spoken for me atleast...my week started off with the arrival of Kristen Beason's "Twinkle" ornament. This was followed by the arrival of Jackalin on Wednesday, my new Johanna Parker Original. Which I purchased at midnight,at last week's F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S One Year Anniversary of Spooky Time Jingles, another big congrats to the Artists of S.T.J. for one great year!!! Today another ornament arrived from Kristen Beason Little Red Riding Hoot, as well as, a wonderful illustrated version of "Twinkle" from Jorge de Rojas,new member of EHAG, (CONGRATS AGAIN JORGE) a very thoughtful gift, I must say! Thank you George!

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE...

A place for everything and everything in its place...has been my long standing expression of how my work area should be...well with three kids be-bopping around, that is not always so...my desk does however stay neat, especially now that it is located in our living area...Here are some photos of where I work...
I use my desk mainly for my computer-ETSY, EBAY,ETC. and basic sketching...a lot of the time I will have my computer on for ideas and my sketch pad to the side. My desks also houses all my works, as you can see them tucked safely away in one of the nooks of my writing desks, there are also nooks with note pads, one of which houses note pads from Johanna Parker...a dictionary is hidden behind the screen, but I usually m-w.com
anyhow...pencils, pens, scissors, and other writing utensils are housed in handmade pottery I have collected over the years. I normally move to the dining room table to paint in watercolors, and I usually use my wife's vanity to pencil in colored pencils...(better light)and that is how I roll...always wanted to say that. Thanks for stopping by my creative crib!

At the bottom you can get a blurry peek of a new piece hitting EBAY Sunday night...

Want to see more artists work spaces check out my friend Melissa's space...

http://theholidayqueen.blogspot.com/

and the one who started this Karen at...

http://mydesertcottage.blogspot.com/

HAPPY 200TH TWINKLE...

The many faces of Twinkle. Kristen Beason, as well as Lori Rudolph, have agreed to take on Twinkle in ornament form in the coming months, so look for that soon!

Here are the two prizes to be given away one week from today at 12:00 NOON!

Twinkle wants to THANK you all for stopping by!!Woof!! Woof!!


Welcome to my 200th blog post. It is hard to believe that on August 7, 2008 all of this began, wow what a great adventure… Who knew I would be joining such a fabulous world of fun and fancy free merriment! Over the past couple of weeks I have been revisiting old posts, comments, and friend’s blogs. I feel so grateful to be part of this artistic, creative, and crafty community. You all have welcomed me with open arms, for all of that I thank you.

There is also new business, many of you were surprised, as I was, when I recently opened an ETSY Shop, but at the same time so supportive of me in my new venture. Speaking of that many items have be drastically reduced in celebration of my 200th blog post, so stop by and grab one now, before they are all gone!!

Okay, now stepping back and reminiscing through old posts I have found that you love three things-peeking inside my home at Halloween, free stuff through blog give-aways (Can’t say I blame you), and Twinkle!!!

First let’s talk about FREE STUFF, well guess what there is more free stuff!!! I have created two illustrations for this post, based on my previous post, “What is your favorite villain??” Here is all you have to do all friends, followers, bloggers, face bookers, twitterers… just leave me a note on this post and I will enter your name in the drawing for the two works of art above. There is the witch from Snow White and Cruella, first pick gets first choice. The names will be pulled from the David Everett “Twinkle” candy container-learn more below.You can enter any time between now and next Friday at noon. At noon I will pull from the Twinkle candy container to see who wins!!

The second most popular post was when you all were given a chance to come inside my home for Halloween! Well guess what folks this year you can come inside my home, but in print----Say what?? Yes, my home, my collectibles, and myself will be up for grabs in this years Fall Celebrate 365. Contact Connie Porcher now to subscribe to her wonderful Journal for collecting for the year, or check back in the fall for single copies. Either way you get to see me!!!

Finally it is time to let the dog out…my pooch Twinkle keeps popping up everywhere and we all love her. She only became a part of our family a few months before I started this blog. She became famous or infamous very quickly. Johanna Parker created the first “Twinkle” on August 28th 2008. Since then Chris Klinger, David Everett, and Kristen Beason have taken a crack at my cutie. She has even shown up on my banner for ETSY, through my pen and she has always been my link for my blog http://twinklestricksandtreats.blogspot.com Now Kristen Beason and Lori Rudolph have agreed to take on the challenge of creating her in ornament form/ You will continue to see us in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.
I thank you as you celebrate our 200th blog post of Halloween Fanatic. Robert~Halloween Fanatic and Twinkle

Another little surprise my first EBAY piece is now posted please link on Edgar Allen Poe in the sidebar to go to my EBAY Auction!Make that two Pinwheel Peg is also on there-see right column to link and bid!