Well, it’s that time of year when my thoughts are drawn towards Halloween, with my autumnal wreath already on the front door. It was after my daughter Lu remarked on what a weird year it’s been and with the nights already drawing in, it’s going to feel like a very long autumn and winter, so she was going to embrace the season(s) and decorate appropriately in order to lift her spirits, lots of pumpkin scented candles and a simple lit swatch that she made using fabric leaves from The Works (£1 for a pack of 50, if you can find them), among other things, anything to feel cosy and warm.
So I have started to change things about on my shelves much earlier than usual to reflect this too, but far more over the top than Lu, using all the new bits and pieces I have found mostly (unless otherwise stated) in my favourite charity shop, Vale Wildlife, in Evesham over the past month or so.
This little wooden house (Sue Ryder, Evesham) I have since found out is a German smoker, you evidently put an incense cone in it and the smoke comes out of the chimney, I’m not sure if I would dare do that, but it caught my quirky eye for about £2. Look at the cute snail! There is a door which came off but I have put it in a safe place. From my research these things don’t come cheap, so I think once I’ve had the pleasure of it on my shelf until I decorate for Christmas, it will probably find it’s way on to eBay.
This large glass friendship ball (£1.50) also fits my autumn colour scheme, placed inside in a hinged, metal framed glass box (set of 2 from Ikea a couple of years ago) which I know Marc lusts after.
As for this terracotta witch (above), she must have been waiting for me to drop on by and at 50p, well, it would have been rude not to pick her up!
The very kitsch 50s/60s Japanese pixie was found in a charity shop in Winchester. She cost me £2.99. I’ve put her on eBay, but while she’s not catching anyone’s eye I might as well enjoy her in the meantime, and if she doesn’t go ……. I will love her!
I have to be honest, the silver skull (80p) is going in Marc’s sack of festive tut after Halloween, but again, at the moment it suits my decorative purpose. The tree candelabra again from Vale Wildlife was £1.50 …….. it’s soooooooo perfectly spooky, all it needs is a face …… I now need to find three creatures or something to perch on the empty branches!
Originally I dismissed this Tongue of Toad corked pot after I picked it up, then a couple of weeks later I remembered it, certain that if I went back it would have been long gone, but unbelievably it was still there and still only £1. It’s got to be pretty unique, I can’t find another anywhere online, the only clue I have is an embossed leaf mark on the bottom ……. so I have yet to identify it.
This white skull pot set me back another 80p, there’s no age to it, in fact they have them in Poundstretcher (and Amazon) at the moment selling as a “Dead Hot Chilli Planter” for around £10, but the Poundstretcher ones are definitely cheaper. However, stuck on top of a Poundland mercury glass candlestick (£1) and planted with an Echeveria (???) it’s pretty spooky!
Now to my two favourite purchase so far this season, first this vintage, Godinger, silver plated, set of mouse cheese picks set in a crystal encrusted cheese shaped base for £2.99 in a charity shop (I forget the name) in Christchurch last week. Can you believe I actually stood there ermming and ahhhing whether to buy it or not? There are eight mouse picks all with crystal eyes. All the pieces need a good polish, but these, again, were not cheap to buy when new so I know I got a bargain. I am thinking I might use it for Iris and Bertie’s Halloween sleepover party to skewer their cheese, grapes etc. and then try my luck on eBay as at the moment I would really like to go back to Iceland again and every penny counts …..
And now finally …….. I’ll be honest, I am not built like a gazelle, so let alone can leap like one, but when I saw this “monstrosity” (in Vale Wildlife) I did a pretty good impression, how Halloween is this candelabra with it’s orange beading? Not to everyone's taste, perhaps not even mine, but for the occassion and at only £3.50 it was mine, and yes, I do sit by it’s candlelight of an evening. Poundland do some red bleeding candles that I am hoping to get my mits on before I and B’s sleepover which would really make it come alive! It’s so awful it’s awesome …… and I have no taste!
Goodness only knows what else I will find in the coming weeks leading up to Halloween, but I am making memories and keeping myself amused as the leaves begin to fall, conkers drop and as I said at the beginning, the nights draw in.
