The Softer Side of Halloween!

Here it is October 3rd already!  Fall is in the air, even here in the desert Southwest!  For many people, this month means only one thing:  Halloween. 

I was surprised (no..shocked!) to learn that the most popular canvas designs in the handpainted needlepoint business are Halloween designs.  Really?!  Yes!  They outsell every other type of canvas out there, including Christmas stockings!  I learned this when I designed my first EVER Halloween design in 2008...my Witche's Chandelier.

This canvas is large..23"X25", and is part of my fantasy chandelier series.  I do want to stitch it, but have not yet found the time.  I know that there are a number of people 'out there' who have purchased this canvas, and I only hope they are stitching/have stitched it to their Halloween love'n heart's content!  That would not be a black heart, mind you, because this design is rather sweet, don't you think?

I am not a blood, guts and gore person.  I don't like horror movies or scary things.  I do like fantasy however, and the cuter, the better!  Like Mary Englebreight type Halloween things! Or Libby Sturdy's Adorable Halloween canvases!  Or like my friend Janine Holtzman's Dead Cat Quilt, based on cats she has known and loved.  Perfect for Halloween, this quilt has brightened up her kitchen wall for years.  (Janine, I've put my watermark on the photo, but I'm not claiming it as my design...just so you know!) 

The dead cats are featured in the black and gray bottom border, barely visible like ghosts.  It's a pretty clever and wonderful design, Janine, as are all of your quilts!

I'm currently working on a new Halloween canvas which I will debut in January at TNNA.  For now, though, I'm offering just a peek.  I'm enjoying working on this so much!  The colors and stitches, beads, silk ribbons, embellishments, etc that I'm using on the piece have really given my creativity a boost!  Maybe it is the cooler weather, but I could stitch for hours on this, if I could....as in, if the rest of life didn't get in the way!

Obviously, this doesn't even look like Halloween yet.  Aqua?  Yes indeedy!  Here's another glimpse that has more Fall in it:

Before I go, I'll show you a scary spook that recently 'appeared' on my studio floor!  This could have FREAKED me out, but I laughed when I saw it!

Can you guess how it got there, and what it is?

The FIRST one who submits the correct answer in the comments section of this blog will get a "Trick or Treat!" from me.

Bye for now~  Get Stitch'n!