This year's first Halloween decorations & sweets...

Well, TKMaxx in Ashford who have for the past few years put their Halloween decorations out late August have still to fill their shelves with interesting, if sometimes broken goods. Likewise the supermarkets are a few weeks off yet too. However Poundland and the 99pStore have their usual clabby stock out.

Marks & Spencers have a few Halloween sweets out at the end of their aisles however on a more positive note, John Lewis in Oxford Street have several displays out. Usual stuff... paper plates, party goods, napkins, metal haunted house tea light holders and really expensive chocolates. Yet slightly different was a metal orange house-shaped tea light holder containing fudge with silhouetted pumpkins and bats cut into it. Also I picked up a big bag of pumpkin spiced Hersheys Kisses from Cyber Candy near Covent Garden.

Saturday 22nd September 2012

Dave McKean Art Exhibition

I was in Rye yesterday and passed a gallery that had an exhibition called 'The Blue Tree' by artist & book illustrator Dave McKean, who is renowned for illustrating works written by Neil Gaiman amongst others. Personally my favourite work of his is his illustrations for the Ray Bradbury book 'The Homecoming.'

One room focuses on a series of artworks called 'The Blue Tree,' but there are plenty of other illustrations such as thewolf illustration shown below.

I found the exhibition well worth a visit and it runs from 8th September to 7th October. If you walk along the main high street in Rye you will not miss the gallery!

Saturday 15th September 2012

Pumpkin candles

Picked up my first purchases for this year's Halloween party from TK Maxx in Gracechurch Street in London. They don't have a home department but did have a small table with different candles on them. I picked up for £5.99 each a Spiced Pumpkin scented candle and a Candy Corn one. For similar sized ones I would expect to pay about a tenner each so not bad.

Monday 10th September 2012