Wilkinsons Halloween 2016

The shop staff member was still putting out the costumes when I popped in today. Slightly different stuff again. The ceramic and earthenware pumpkins were relatively cheap, but personally I don't like the painted ones and the earthenware ones didn't look of sufficient quality to be frost proof if left outside, so I resisted. The decorated pumpkins on the bottom shelf of the second picture initially looked more interesting until on closer inspection I found out they were plastic and not that great looking close up. Otherwise a good selection of sweets - but no scary clown toilet seat cover like last year!

Thursday 29th September 2016

Asda Halloween 2016

Asda seems to be the first supermarket to put out their display in the UK. There's the usual decorations, costumes and sweets. However of note this year are the Mexican Day of the Dead design partyware, the return of the haunted telephone prop and a shadow projector to be used outside to project ghosts on the outside of your house.

Wednesday 28th September 2016

TK Maxx again...

This time in Westfield, London. I bought the skeletal crow sitting on a pumpkin but despite some nice items had rather a lot to carry anyway and so resisted. The pumpkin bowls were very nice, but at £9.99 each, perhaps not an essential!

Saturday 24th September 2016

John Lewis 2016

Again the normal fare you would expect from John Lewis. Mainly higher end confectionary and table decorations - there was a very big gingerbread house on sale! But for me the star of the display was the metal pumpkin cauldron. Rustic looking with a lid, and if I didn't have something similar I might've bought one. However my heavier and better quality on from TKMaxx about 10 years ago takes some beating. It's a shame too that the illuminated haunted houses are made of plastic and glittery - again the ones produced by John Lewis about 5 or 6 years ago were twice the size, made of metal and not covered in glitter which gets everywhere.

Saturday 24th September 2016

Clintons Halloween 2016

A few nice items in Clintons... the very nice smells (if a little overpriced) Yankee Candle Company scented candles can be found here, as can the ceramic cats which act as a wax melt warmer - again nice but a tad pricey.

The witch mugs I thought were very nice as were the ghost tea-light holders which were hidden away on a low shelf. The good thing though with Clintons is that a few of these items will be reduced before Halloween, so I may hold off for a bit.

Saturday 24th September 2016

Home Bargains Halloween 2016

After not having a car to check this store out last year when their entire range was in, I quickly popped in to survey the goods.

As you would expect from a bargain shop, there are a lot of cheap partyware, costumes decorations and general tat.

The decorations and tableware had very child friendly designs (see the images of the plastic plates and dishes) so I wasn't tempted there. There were big jar scented candles for £2,99 and smaller ones for 69p, but both didn't have a strong enough scent for me either. Although for £1.49 I did find some Glade wax melts which should have a better scent when I come to use them.

Thursday 15th September 2016

Folkestone Garden Centre

Went to my local garden centre to see if they had a certain type of paving slab for my garden (which they didn't), but they did have these rather nice glazed ceramic pumpkins. At £19.99 for the big ones and £9.99 for the smaller ones I didn't feel too tempted - I might just wait until they're reduced after Halloween and buy some up for next year!

There were also some glazed skulls and ghosts too.

Thursday 15th September 2016

The Range Halloween 2016

Another shop quick off the mark. Lots of costumes like last year. Some animatronic figures and skeletal pets. Nothing that I was after, but at least the Folkestone store had made a creepy, covered and blacked out aisle section to wander into - the downside was not being able to see the products clearly though and it was hard to take any pictures! The only thing vastly different I saw this year to last were some orange glass bottles (about wine bottle sized) that were lit up by a battery powered LED in the bottom.

Wednesday 14th September 2016

B&M Bargains and Hobby Craft

Also on the same industrial estate in Ashford are now the above mentioned two shops, so I quickly popped in to assess their Halloween wares.

B&M Bargains had mainly cheap costumes. Worth a visit and stuff good for wearing to a party - just not my cup of tea.

However what did impress me was the selection of paper, ceramic and polystyrene skulls, pumpkins and masks in Hobby Craft - ideal if you have children and want to keep them occupied... or are older are creative.

Wednesday 14th September 2016

More from TK Maxx

Happened to be in Ashford today and was passing by the TK Maxx store on the way home, so popped in. The designs were much the same as the Folkestone store. Lots of skulls, but more hats and masks in this one. I was almost tempted by the black cane with metal handle in the shape of a skeletal finger - but the cane itself wasn't great quality and it was missing a filial or stopper at the bottom end. The skeletal figures in dresses on the bottom of one of the shelves were unusual and nice... but lack of space means I'm rationing purchases this year!

Wednesday 14th September 2016

Poundland's first decorations of 2016

Passed by, and popped into both local Poundland's in Folkestone today and noticed that they had both put out their first batch of decorations. Nothing much to rave about yet. It's just the standard party ware and a few cheap skull and pumpkin ceramics - neither or which tempted me. Hopefully more will follow soon.

Thursday 8th September 2016

Vladimir Stankovic

On the subject of great Halloween-flavoured illustrators, check this guy out! Vladimir Stankovic is based in Australia and has illustrated a variety of projects including fairy tales and cryptozoology amongst other subjects. There are plenty of art prints available to buy from his websites which would look fantastic on many a wall (but can we have a book please? [especially one on cryptozoology - dust the thesis off please!]) Anyway below as a taster are some of  his 2015 Halloween designs. I'm sure you'll agree, this is a talented artist worth supporting.

Sunday 4th September 2016