Lootcrate dream crate

A while back I was approached to build a "dream crate" for popular subscription service Lootcrate. Sadly this didn't involve being given lots of money to buy stuff... they just fancied finding out what things I'd enjoying discovering in an ideal unboxing.

So for my amusement - and hopefully yours, too - here's what I chose...

T-shirt: Death Has Come shirt

I follow Lunar Crypt Co. closely, because their stuff is always so cool! What's not to love about this shirt featuring such an iconic quote?

Pin: BURKITTSVILLE enamel pin

Pins are something of an addiction for many of us, and this one from Fright Rags would be an eye-catching, unique addition to a horror fan's collection. I'm kind of terrible in that I love deeper cut, "if you know, you know" pop culture stuff, and if you know and love The Blair Witch Project, this is unmistakably a reference to that. A nice little tribute.

Household: Blood Spill Doormat

Decent spooky housewares are the holy grail for the horror fan homeowner. This doormat in a "blood spill" design from Sourpuss Clothing is the perfect "welcome" to a house that keeps Halloween homewares on display all year long. Though it's maybe too nice and vivid in colour to use outside!

Vinyl Figure: Army of Darkness Deadite Pop!

There's got to be a Pop in there, right? Well I'm super picky when it comes to Pop Figures, generally preferring the more non-human ones as they seem to translate in design better. This Deadite from Halloweentown somehow manages to look cute and spooky all at once, plus thinking about the Deadites always cheers me up.

Something to read: The Yellow Wallpaper

This choice is maybe a little out-there... but it's something I feel passionate about. After randomly finding this short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman on Spotify some time ago, it's become a firm favourite that I find myself thinking about often. Only 6000 words long and first published in 1892, its story is an eerie one of psychological horror.

Self-care: HEX BOMB - Black As Your Soul, black bath bomb

Want to pamper yourself? Why not do it in inky black bath water? This bath bomb from Hex-Bomb and sold by Foxblood is hardcore as hell.

This was a dangerous endeavour, because now I basically want to buy everything I have listed here. Hopefully you enjoyed this little break from the reviews, and maybe found some cool shops to follow, too? Thanks for reading! 👻

blood + guts + shopping

Feeling pretty great about my spooky purchases lately. Got this amazing Creature From The Black Lagoon inspired collar from interro bang bang and my new "Blood & Guts" pin from Negamidas.

The The Thing hand pin is from Negamidas, too! 🖤

a tough month to be good.

Picked up The Strangers and The Return of the Living Dead* on DVD recently, due to the fact that Walmart currently has two pretty great displays of repackaged horror. All for pretty reasonable prices, too.

Left: Art cards and colouring books. Right: Glow in the dark!

Here's a close up of Tarman who never fails to make me smile...

So the new art is on a cardboard insert (perfect for framing) and each of these DVDs/blurays comes with a colouring book by the same artist: Orlando Arocena.

Return... was already on my October list, but a rewatch of The Strangers will have to be squeezed in somewhere!

*This is actually my second purchase of Return of the Living Dead this year. My first was this one, and the reason for that was a disc 2 chock full of extras, plus, yes, the adorable Tarman in amongst the rest of the mouth-watering artwork. Basically what I'm saying is, I'm a sucker for Tarman.