Oh! It's A Halloween Party!

Consider yourself invited to my Virtual Party! A Merry Hallowe'en to Ye!

I don't know who made the above animation, but it sure is cute!

I'm serving hot cider and sherbet island punch (which I am naive enough to believe is very elegant) for the drinks...I have vintage "Vaseline" glasses and tin cups both, take your pick...it's your little party favor, so choose one you'd like to take home with you...

Enjoy your choice of cheeses arranged on my very best but severely mismatched old china plates...

Salad with champagne dressing and THREE KINDS of croutons (now we're living!)...

By the way, I just LOVE your costume! If you get a chance, tell our readers what you're wearing! I'm a Rose Witch, of course...

Help yourself to a big bowl of hot and sour spooky soup...with whole boiled eggs floating in it for the "ghosts"...

Of course you're saving room for the pumpkin and pecan pies, aren't you?

What??? You didn't see the chips and dips? There is a GALLON of guacamole and French Onion, dears!

And who can't fit in a few meringues or a bit of fudge?

I have pumpkins for everyone to carve, and a little party game using Venn Diagrams...yes, let's get some math into the party! Aren't teachers irritating?!

Shall we sit by the outdoor fireplace and enjoy the flickering of candles in our jack o'lantern creations? Good! A bit more cider?

Thank you for coming, dear blog readers...come back by the blog tomorrow and see the new Winter Graphics address...Fare Thee Well till then, from me, Holly Rose!



And click the thumbnail for the larger game you can print...once the bigger image loads, you can click again on most browsers to see it full size, or just save it or print it out...it fits on a regular piece of paper.

Another Hadji Update, & A Job & Halloween Remark

Stopped by the vets' again to see Hadji, he is now very much awake and he is heartbreakingly miserable. I wonder what he thought, for me to show up and then leave again; it felt like a knife in my heart. His eyes are dilated with pain, and he was crouched in the litter box, hiding. He let me pet his little head, but when I had to go, he just looked like he was in despair. I love these vets, but their clinic is a rather dilapidated old house, and my poor Hadji was in a little cage right across from some barking dogs, argh. We have dogs here at the house, but he knows them. These were strange barking dogs, not his friend-dogs. Hadji was feral and he really only wants to be around me, my husband, and my son. Everyone else terrifies him.

The vet told me to be of good cheer, as it looks better for Hadji than it did, and that he's got a good chance, and that he will forget all this and be happy again soon. I hope this is true.

Today was my last day at work. Tomorrow was supposed to be it but they got extra-sick of me and told me to just leave. And this is after my principal tried to shake me down for books that are missing out of my class. These books were stolen (including 2 of my own and a calculator) while I was 600 MILES AWAY FOR TRAINING and she's trying to pin the blame on me. It's just a crazy-making place.

For the send-off, the kids were super mean and nuts. If I got called horrible names once, I got called names a thousand times. Told to F-off, to shut up, to go away, all the usual love, LOL. But the sweet kids there were crying, poor things. Why their parents send them to that awful place is beyond me. Now, those sweet kids, I will surely miss them and I do worry, as they have not hired another teacher in my place, but merely elevated the front office clerk into an Insty Teacher. Why? Well, fake teachers are cheaper than real ones, and also, they could not find another certified teacher in a city of 200,000 to work there. Wonder why...

As to Halloween, I really should have saved those vintage witches for the big send-off. Instead, I'll be posting something I drew, and the comparison between the vintage stuff and my own feeble attempts is painful! But it's all been done for the love of Halloween and the love of sharing with you, my readers.

Another Pretty Witch from Long Ago

Here is the sister of the previous graphic. I wish I knew the identity of the artist who did this lovely depiction. I love the vintage stuff.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

HADJI UPDATE: He is resting at the vets' clinic and they say they have great hope for him. He was out of it when I visited and didn't seem to know me, but I think on some level he did know it was me. I am going again tomorrow and I just love him so much. He is so brave. This little kitty will get up on your leg if you kneel with one knee up, and he will just give you tons of kisses right on the lips! He has a loving heart. Truly, he is one of the most precious kitties I have ever rescued, and those who came to see him and didn't want to adopt him because his face is "ugly" really missed out on a great cat and I'm so glad he's mine forever.

DOTD Festive Skull Free Graphic, With Pretty Witch

Here is a Day of the Dead skull. I usually make some of these sugar skulls each year, but this year, with all the mishmash at work, I didn't.

Also included is a vintage image of a lovely witch that I tried to clean up a bit and make all shiny and nice. I just love those roses behind her ears and the petticoats peeking out of her pretty dress. No one can beat these artists of yesteryear.

Don't forget to watch for my new blog. I'm trying to finish up the design and it will "launch" on November 1st!!!

Have A Brew On Me

Have a cuppa, as they say in jolly old England.

Here's some cider, and some witch's brew. I'm not sure what's in the witch's brew...it looks suspiciously like the cider to me!

Quick Recipe:

Pour out a bottle of apple juice into an old cooking pot, add some whole cloves, a sliced-up orange, and a good dash of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Heat it up and serve in an old chipped cup by the light of a fireplace. And enjoy!

Little Owl Free Halloween Art

I took this tiny owl from a vintage card and changed the dear up a bit.

Also posted are dancing witch boots. Not original to me, unfortunately, but ever so cute. I love to think of them dancing in perpetuity.

I can't believe how close Halloween is now. I like to spell it Hallowe'en, with the apostrophe, but that's become so rare as to be unfamiliar to many. But when I was young, eons ago, that's how we spelled it. I'm so old I remember when mimeographs were new. And now generations X, Y, and Z, and even a few younger boomers, are wondering "What's a mimeograph?"

Right-click to save. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy.

Raggedy Ann Pumpkin - Free for Halloween!

I originally made this little gal for my avatar on a forum.

I put her in these 2 graphics for you.

The bottom design looks cut-off, but it will save as its whole self.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy. I like rag dolls.

A Little Halloween Divider - Free Halloween Clip Art

I got the idea of a Halloween divider from Mandie. Please see her link to the right, she has the "Life In The Craft Lane" blog with many fabulous and professionally rendered graphics.


Her primitive designs are simply wunderbar.


Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy. This may be cut off looking here, but it should save as its whole self. I think my new blog will have only one column in the middle or something, for ease of display.

The bonus design is not original, but I thought it was darling and really very useful. It's a teeny candle. It can be placed almost anywhere on a blog. If anyone knows who made it, please let me know.

Happy Fall, With A Free Autumn Design

Goldenrod has an undeservedly bad reputation.

I love the plant.

Shall we go pick a big bouquet together?

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy. I wish you could see how pretty some of these designs are BEFORE they are made smaller or "flattened" so as to load more quickly.

Also included is a "bonus" graphic. I think I will double up on graphics whenever I can, because Halloween is so very close now! Yes, I know I spelled "wytch" with a "y," and was just trying to make it look a bit old-fashioned.

Do kids trick-or-treat where you live? We haven't had many at all in recent years. When we do get them, I give out light-stick necklaces. They like those.

Candy Corn, Get Your Candy Corn Here...

Here are two graphics featuring candy corn. I may have posted the divider already, but can't seem to locate it in the archives. But I know the other piece of clipart has not been published yet.

It's getting so close to Halloween! Are you going to dress up for a party or to give treats out? I may or may not last until Halloween at that awful school where I teach.  I'm glad I have my art, my tiny family, my cats and dogs and other critters, and my blog!

Free Halloween Design: Lollicat

So that's what's been happening to all my candy. Aha!

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy. Had a nicer version of this but got confused and accidentally saved it as a jpeg file. Jpegs, I have decided, are my enemies in the graphics world! I like those png files, they stay nice.

Right-click to save.

Ooooo, Ooooo, Witchy Woman: Free Halloween Graphic

Here is a pretty gal. I wish I had time to sew myself a costume like that, with roses along the neckline and hem.

What does her crystal ball show? A Happy Halloween for you!

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

I am still toying with the idea of Penniwig's or Merry Manor as the new blog's name, keeping this blog up, of course, and working on it next year, too. I am an autumn fanatic. Actually, I am a holiday fanatic. I really enjoy the turn of the seasons. Yet I'm not materialistic at all. My house echoes. I own very little, and the things I treasure -- well, you might think I'm odd. Actually, I am odd. Anyhoo, I'm going to put both names in a box and shake it up and pick one out. I'll let you know the winner.

O Happy Harvest

I did this and forgot it, I think. Found it in my Xmas folder, of all places. Apologies if it was posted previously. At least it's right in season now.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

A Blue-Eyed Arachnid! I "Spyed 'er"! Free Spider Graphic

Little spider drops in to say "Boo" to you. Modeled on a cute box I saw for sale at a craft show.

Unlike most people, I don't mind spiders.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Witchy Cat & Moon

Happy Saturday!

A little cat wearing her very best witch hat watches her friend the bat fly across the moon.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Silly Animation of A Black Cat

This one is large. Click the little image to let the larger image load. Modeled on my little black cat. I like to smell his paws (strange, yes) -- they smell like dust!

Very silly indeed. Makes a cute e-card.

Help Me Choose???

I took down my very sad post about the horrible place I work, and am putting this up, since it's a bit more positive. Try for the positive, I say...

I think I want to leave this blog up for Halloween graphics, safe and sound, and start a new blog.

OR, just change the title that displays but the address will still have that darned "skullblossom" in it and I'm afraid it might scare someone away from my winter and spring graphics...???

These are the names I have been considering. If you can help me choose, thank you.

I'm trying for a an old-fashioned type name, a combination sweet, lovely, and cute name, but not trendy.

Anything speak to you?

Merry Manor
Gillyflower Lane
From My Bower
Penniwig's (I love this one, don't know why)
Ever Merry

Kitty in Halloween Colors

Here we have a little cat all ready for Halloween. In two sizes, medium and tiny.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Jolly Jack O'Lantern for Your Halloween Clipart Collection

Along with his pal the leaf, here we have a grinning Jack O'Lantern.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Quick Post Before Work -- Cool Blog Contest Over at Nana's!

Under my blog list to the right, click on Inside Nana's Head to visit her cute blog and to see her contest. She has an old-fashioned handkerchief doll she is giving away! Very pretty and perfect for those who love olden-days things like I do!

CAT-ch Me If You Can...Free Halloween Graphics

And here we have an orange-eyed black kitty. I have rescued orange-eyed kitties before, so they do indeed exist. They are always very mellow and smart kitties.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Something to 'Owl About: Free Halloween Clipart

I often try to fit something about "free graphics" or "free clipart" in my titles. Yes, it makes for a boring title, but it helps me with the Almighty Google search engine.

Here's a little owl. Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

A Fabulous Resource for Bloggers and Websites

Here I am going to alert you to a wonderful bunch of people who have created a great source for fancy code to beautify your blog or website.

They are the people over at DynamicDrive.com.

My flying bats came from there. I made some "ribbon rules" from there way back. They have slideshows and all sorts of fancy things for your blog. I don't know if I still have it up or not, but I made a favicon from other there, too.

Please visit them! But come back and visit little ol' me, too!!!

Later I'm going to announce my new blog for the Winter season -- working on a pretty name. I sure wish there were a way to change blog's names, but there ain't.

Wondering...

I'm wondering if I should archive this blog after Halloween, leaving all the graphics up but just letting it sit without updating.


Why? I don't like the blog name. The name was picked by others, back when this was a college project. I don't know; the name just sounds sort of mean and trendy to me, although skullblossoms are actually a very interesting flower for shady areas. If I saw a website with the name SkullBlossom, and it was talking about Christmas graphics, I might even be afraid to click on it!


I'm thinking of putting up a link to a NEW blog with a SWEET name that will begin after Halloween, and placing all my future Thanksgiving, Christmas, and winter graphics there. But will anyone even bother to follow me over there? *sigh*

Happy Autumn Clipart: Bringing in the Hay

Here is an altered version of an old postcard. I know those days of yore were hard, but I very much wish I had lived during that time. Ah, for a time machine!

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Some Clipart for Autumn: Pretty Leaves

Here we have some autumn leaves and a wish for a beautiful autumn. The leaves are altered a bit and taken from a lovely vintage card. Those long-ago artists were superb and I kneel before them.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy. The graphic is a bit larger than shown; one side is being cut off here but will be present on your saved file.

Clash of Holidays: Angel Witch Clipart

And here we have a red-haired witch with orange angel wings.

I remember when the streets were thronged with witches, devils, skeletons, and ghosts on Halloween night. Little girls really wanted to be witches, and they went for the green-faced, warty, and homely look. The princess era had not yet begun. As I recall, many boys went as devils or ghosts, or perhaps went as a cowboy. Scariest of all, to me, were the CLOWNS.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy. An original poem follows the design.




October Magic

Leaves falling
Pumpkins glowing
Crows calling
Wind blowing
Bats flying
Vines dying
Cats sneaking
Spells vying
Stairs creaking
Ghosts sighing
Corn stubble
Cauldrons bubble
Spider trouble
Candy gobbled
Apples bobbled
Tricks
Treats
Things unseen
Halloween

   -HRK

And Now in Purple: Retro Jack O'Lantern

I love that term, jack o'lantern.

Here is the happy fellow against a purple background and tipped the opposite way from his orange friend of yesterday.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

Retro Jack O'Lantern Clipart

Oooo, I will admit, I love this. I was trying for a retro feel and my trusty tablet and Paint Shop Pro 8 didn't let me down.

Right-click to save. Two sizes for your clicking pleasure. Hope you enjoy.

Tomorrow, this fellow, reversed, on a purple background.

Spooky Skull Tree for Halloween

Skulls in lurid pink hang from leafless branches on All Hallow's Eve...

Right-click to save this free Halloween clipart.

Hope you enjoy.

Scroll Tree Redux: One More Time, with Skulls

This is as spooky as I care to go. Tried to give the skulls a bit of a smile.

If you want really scary, drop into the alternative high school where I teach.
Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.

30 Days Hath September...So Happy October 1st!

Has September fled so quickly? Alas. Ah, but we move closer to Halloween!

Does Halloween ring your bell?

Here is a little Halloween bell tree, similar in style, but with a different feel, to my earlier feather trees.

Right-click to save. Hope you enjoy.