Can it really be that Halloween is only a couple of months off?  I cannot believe where this year is going - it is flying by and the nights are starting to draw in...

And Emma Bridgewater has produced a lovely range of goodies all ready to decorate your table with in time for Halloween!   

What's more, there's a sale on at the moment! 

There are Spooky Savings to be had with up to 40% off their Halloween products! 

I love this Halloween Trick or Treat Bucket for £5.83  NOW £4.08!
You could put sweets and chocolates in it to distribute!

There's a Halloween Runners for the table, Wise Witches lunch napkins, a Halloween Tea Towel,  Trays, - plenty to choose from!    

This is the Halloween Toast Favourite Witch 1/2 Pint Mug, 
now £13.00

This is the Wise Witches Black Cats 1/2 Pint Mug
Now £17.33

(There's an offer on at the moment:  buy two half pint mugs and get 20% off, T&Cs apply.)

I love this The Wise Witches Small Side Plate, 6.5 Inch!
for £15.00, now £9.00


How about the Halloween Toast Medium Straight Jug  now £33.33?
Perfect for serving your potions! 

There's a Halloween Toast Large Enamel Cooking Pot now £27.50
Just the thing for a warming casserole on a dark night
for those family get-togethers! 

This is the Halloween Toast Small Tin Tray.  
It's 15.8cm wide, and 24cm long - 
and it would be great for bringing out to add an extra bit of magical tone to Halloween!
Was £5.00, now £3.50

Visit the Halloween range here - there's lots to see.....

Calling all Harry Potter fans who also love teddy bears!  Hamleys have got great gift ideas for you! 

Hamleys is world famous for its wonderful toy store on London's Regent Street, but if you can't get there, worry not - they have a new website with tons of toys to choose and buy online!

Amongst these toys are a fabulous collection of soft toys - and of course teddy bears - I do love a teddy bear!  

Now, if you're looking for a Harry Potter fan who also loves teddy bears, well, the great news is that Hamleys have four absolutely adorable Harry Potter Bears!  And needless to say, they are all attired in beautifully crafted scarves with the embroidered Hogwarts house crests.

So introducing the Hamleys' Harry Potter Bears:

This is Hamleys Harry Potter Gryffindor Bear

This is  Hamleys Harry Potter Slytherin Bear

This is Hamleys Harry Potter Hufflepuff Bear

and this is Hamleys Harry Potter Ravenclaw Bear

The bears are all on offer for £24.00 each instead of £30.00.   Surely the hardest bit will be deciding which bear to choose!  I think they would make for great touches around the house, too!

See all the Hamleys Harry Potter Bears here.

Visit Hamleys website here - they have LOTS of discounts on at the moment with their "up to 70% off" sale!

If you're one of those people who like to get organised well ahead, e.g. buying Christmas cards early, there's some great Christmas cards from the RSPB online shop - there are some delightful cards to choose from.  

 
The Midwinter dusk Barn Owl Christmas cards (pack of 10)
are designed by Jo Grundy - a beautiful twilight scene.
for £5.00

There are cards with barn owls, curlews, avocets and misty waters, robins, sleepy hedgehogs, hares, puffins, donkeys, blackbirds,wrens, mice, doves and of course the Three Kings.  

Just look at these donkeys snuggling up!  
It gives me a warm cosy feeling inside! 
The cards come in a pack of 10 and they have been illustrated by artist Ian Saxton.
£5.00

All the RSPB Christmas cards are glitter free, and can be recycled.  And the RSPB has ideas of what you can do with the cards you receive - including making bunting from them!  

I love this card - Four Candles, with the rabbit sitting in the snow and the Welly boots, too!
The artist is Kirsty Walker - and I'm sure her design
will bring back lots of memories of the Two Ronnies sketch,
Four Candles or Fork Handles!  
£5.00

I think it's lovely to send Christmas cards and show you're thinking of people and connect to them.   It's a great time to pop a little message in and say "how are you?"  

This Christmas Quackers card is very cheering to look at. 
Lynsey McLaughlin has designed this card, with the carol-singing ducks
and their robin friend, all having a merry time!  Quack, quack...
£5.00

Of course, we don't need to wait until Christmas to connect with people - I love to send Mum a card through the post, usually something funny to make her smile.  It's a small way to make a difference and make someone's day!

There are also cards for those wanting a more traditional scene.
This one designed by Caroline Armstrong depicts
the Christmas journey of the Three Wise Men. 
£5.00.

TVisit the RSPB Christmas card selection here and help nature whilst you shop! 

By the way, the little bird I mentioned at the start?  His friend hopped by to mention that you can get £2 off if you buy 2 calendars from the RSPB - a good time to start planning ahead and get things in the calendar!   The offer** lasts until 10th December 2025!  

**T&Cs 

• Add any two 2026 calendars to your basket to save £2
• Offer is subject to availability
• Loyalty points can be collected/redeemed
• Offer not valid with other promotions (including promotion code discounts)
• Offer ends 10th December 2025

Emma Bridgewater produces wonderful products which add cheer when you look at them or use them!   With everything from mugs to jugs, vases and glasses, plates and bowls, there's a great range of goodies which would make lovely gifts!

There are lots of themes connected to the natural world - animals including dogs and cats, birds and bees - plus lots featuring flowers.   And there's her beautiful Oak Collection, too!

It's great to see the oak featured in Emma Bridgewater's range.  Oak trees make a wonderful sight, and they have been important trees in England.   They can grow up to 20 to 40 metres in height, and 8 metres wide, and they can live up to 1,000 years old.  So they are very majestic, beautiful trees which I always think give you a sense of history and long life.   Do have a look at this video from the Woodland Trust which is all about a year in the life of an oak tree - it only takes a minute! 

Wildlife love an oak too!  The Woodland Trust says that oaks can support over 280 different insect species!  Wow!  Small mammals and birds also think of oak trees as a source of food and shelter.

I love this Personalised Oak Cocoa Mug.
There's nothing like a warming mug of cocoa,
especially as autumn moves along towards winter! 
From £24.17 (plus £0.83 per letter)

There's a Personalised Oak 3 Pint Jug from £50.83 (it's £0.84 per letter).
You could put flowers in it for decoration, or use it for drinks.


There's an Oak Small Old Bowl
- which could be just the thing for nibbles and snacks! 
For £17.50

There's something for our furry friends, too!

You could put your dog's name on it or a dog related word! 
From £26.67 (plus £0.83 per letter).
There's also a large pet bowl, too from £31.67 (plus £0.83 per letter)

 Take a look at Emma Bridgewater's Oak Collecton here! 

Remember the story of King Charles II,
who hid in an oak tree from the Parliamentary forces
in Shropshire back in 1651?
 Read all about it here.

There are some great gifts about for animal lovers and if you're looking for something diffierent to give someone who adores ducks, then take a look at Paper High!

They have a wonderful range of presents, many of which are recycled.  These include gifts for bird care and wildlife, such as recycled cotton birdhouses.  

And they've got garden ornaments and stakes, including quacking great gifts for duck lovers, just the thing for the garden to give a certain extra something to it!  Each ornament is handmade so they are all unique, but lovely! 

This is Anka, the Drinking Duck Wire Garden Ornament
for £42.95 from Paper High
Expertly hand crafted from recycled wire,
each one is unique - but they are all lovely!



Flap, flap!  This is Kriti, the small flapping duck wire garden ornament
who is available from Paper High for £26.95.

Quack, quack!  This is Janhvi, the Small Quacking Duck Wire Garden Ornament
for £26.95 from Paper High.

This is the Recycled Wire Duck Garden Stake Decoration
for £21.95 from Paper High.
The ornament is supported by two stakes at the base
to ensure it stays in place.  It's easy to move as it's got a lightweight structure.

These ducks have been made by Noah's Ark in India.  Their goal is to change the lives of grassroots artisans.  Noah's Ark works with about 49 talented producer groups and they represent about 500 artisans.  Together they work towards the eradication of poverty.  

Visit Paper High here.