A visit to M & S, Hobbycraft, Poundland, TK Max and Asda George at Home

On Tuesday of this week I went out on a little adventure to have a look at my local M & S, Hobbycraft, Asda George at Home. Poundland and TK Max.  These shops are all on a trading park outside of the town and not in the City centre and although near a bus route it is a bit of a palaver and so I went by taxi which made it a lot easier for me.

M & S

I was very disappointed in the offerings from M & S this year overall. The Christmas shop items they had in did not consist of many items, far lower than what they normally have.  In retrospect I wonder if they had all the stock out.  Although the products are absolutely top notch, the design aesthetics chosen for the different decorations I did see today just did not do it for me.  The only amendment to this is that I found two Santa Mugs for £6 each. The ones I picked up are definitely Santa Claus, but I understand that there may be a Mrs Claus too. This is the start of my little collection of different Santa Mugs which I had promised myself, and which  I have now officially started for the Christmas season.  I have for a few years admired the Santa Mugs that have been available in the States and have been hanging my nose over them for a while not expecting to be able to source them in the UK.  I was very happy to have found these.  However I was disappointed of what else was available for the festive season and I think the decorations have been the least impressive I have seen from them in many years.  I am hoping that it is just a matter of them being low on stock at the time I actually went in store.  For me, M & S for decorations used to be a standard go to shop for me.  They always offered a multitude of items for different themes.  However there was hardly anything that I would buy on the decorations offerings from this year.  I do love these Santa mugs though.  I do intend to go back to see if they have added more stock to the shop floor, and it was just a case of wrong timing on my point.  Will probably go at the weekend as G is fishing on Sunday and have another look around.  I want to go back to TK Maxx in any event and Hobbycraft.

Hobbycraft

Had a few nice things and I did come away with base items for some Christmas projects,  two large cardboard cones, and two polystyrene cones. These are needed for Christmas projects.  I am hoping to get to them for this Christmas but failing that at least I am going to have all the materials for getting on with said projects in the New Year. I also bought three different Soldier Cookie cutters.  

There was lots of stock in my local store for a multitude of crafts.  Although I did not buy much today, I do need to go back for some polystyrene and dry oasis balls and some other bits and bobs, as well as candle making and soap making items.  I had planned on getting stuck in with both these projects for this Christmas however that is not going to happen now.  I plan on getting into this in January when I have a bit more time to play.  

What I would have liked to have seen though is a range of Christmas cotton fabrics available.  I found none.  There were generic packs of fat quarters for patchwork which I did not like the patterns of, but nothing seasonal at all.  I did look at the yarn today, and the next time I go I will have a look to see how much I need for a couple of seasonal crochet rugs and either buy the wool in this year or when the sales are on at the end of December beginning of January.

Poundland

I was very disappointed with what I found here, especially after all the posts from different people showing what they had found in their local Poundland shop(s).  My reality today though was there was nothing of interest to me and I walked out of the shop without buying anything.  I was not impressed. However, I still keep seeing people online posting up today showing a much bigger range of items.  So I just do not know.  Perhaps some areas do better than others.  The Poundland store I went to is the biggest in Peterborough, where you have loads and I mean loads of space to wander inbetween the aisles.  I shall go back in when I go back to Hobbycraft to see if things have changed up.

TK Maxx

I found several goodies here, and there were a few more that I could have quite seriously bought home.  I may go into the branch in town later on in the week to see what they have as well.

I found lots of lovely pieces.  I am a fan of TK Maxx particularly for household items in any event.  In the past what I have tended to do is go in regularly throughout the year, picking up a few items here and there.  However I do really like the offerings that they have for Christmas offerings.

I needed a good sized storage box for keeping some seasonal Christmas table items in.  I found a gorgeous Laura Ashley box for £4.99 which I am well chuffed with.  I may go back for some more boxes as there were a couple of others that I was interested in, including a couple of book style boxes with a hidden cavity in the middle which were not too expensive either.  They would go well with some musical clockwork books that I have.  I have several items that I use as part of a tableaux around the Christmas tree after the presents have been opened which includes some china dolls, a child's old style hobby horse etc. I was after a small rocking horse from B & M yesterday to be part of this tableaux, but of course they did not have one.

I also came away with two "kissing balls" covered with pine cones.  They only had the two and this is the other reason I want to go into the other TK Maxx store to see if they have anymore of these.  The Kissing Balls are a silvery colour which will go well with the decorations I will be using in the dining room.  There is also a light up Star as well. These three items were £5 each.

I was therefore very pleased with what I found in TK Maxx today.  They certainly have some beautiful pieces.

Asda George at Home

I found some Mistletoe candleholders which I am very pleased with. There is an upright one and a smaller one.  I bought two of each.  The smaller ones were £5 each and the larger upright ones £6 each.

I am well pleased with the pieces that I have managed to secure from this little trip particularly from T K Maxx.  However in the past I have always found some lovely pieces from here.

Future Shopping Planned

There are a couple of other places that I want to go to, i.e. The Range, Dunhelm and Sainsburys as well as the TK Maxx shop in the City Centre. We have two stores in Peterborough. They will happen in the next few weeks though.  I also want to go back to Hobbycraft again for some more supplies for upcoming projects.

We shall see whether I manage to get out again this weekend.  I am hoping though to also get to The Range and the other B & M Shop shortly.

Just a few things added at the end of the day which were not over-priced which has been very helpful. 

Photos will have to follow later as they are taking ages to load at the moment.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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