Lovely Things

Pure silk floral print cushion 40% off at M&S

Well the countdown to Christmas has really begun, and it's time to grab those credit crunch bargains as presents for friends and fmaily, or perhaps just a gift for yourself. This lovely pure silk cushion from Marks and Spencer was £25, but is currently discounted by 40% so is just £15 at the checkout, which is a really fab price for 100% silk. It's available in blue and in the honey colour shown here.

Mid-season sale at Laura Ashley

There are so many sale seasons these days that I feel like it's rare to see anything at full price (except the things you've been eyeing up for ages of course, those things never seem to get reduced).

Laura Ashley's mid-season sale runs until 2nd November, with reductions of 20-50% on a range of homeware products so you still have a bit more time to grab some bargains from the emporium of shabby chic and vintage style.

Shown above (clockwise from top left): red striped ceramic biscuit jar £10.80 (was £15), medium pink etched storage jar £9.36 (was £13), 'Windsor' mantel clock £15.75 (was £35), set of two flocked storage boxes £18 (was £25), art deco style mirrored jewellery box £14.40 (was £20), red champagne glass £3.50 (was £7).

The holiday season & Christmas is coming...

Well, Lovely Things readers have spoken! The results of our poll on when we should start writing about Christmas are in, and the winning option, with 40% of the vote is...October. So, get ready for a range of pieces with holiday season themes: baubles and tree decorations, wreaths, decorating and our famous gift guides (including last-minute gift ideas, gifts under £10 and gifts under £20).

So to whet your appetite to begin with, take a look at the Heal's Christmas Gift Ideas brochure with a range of gifts and a few decorations we'll be seeing on the site soon.

(Pictured is the very Christmassy reindeer cake stand from Next in red and white porcelain, £10. Damn I want a mince pie now!)

Heal's warehouse sale - one day only

Yes, Heal's is at it again with another warehouse sale with up to 70% off. It's one day only, and that day is this Saturday 11th October 2008.

The lovely Suzy from Heal's has let us know that the sale will feature ex-display and damaged furniture with only small numbers of each item available. While we can't tell you exactly what they'll have, she's said the sale will include mattresses, beds & four posters beds, upholstered chairs, sofas, sideboards and shelving units, dining room tables, dining room chairs, coffee tables, console tables, side tables, outdoor furniture and parasols.

There'll be some designer items and some things that are exclusive to Heal's and as it's 'first come, first served' it's best to get there early (the last sale had around 100 people queuing outside before opening!). The sale runs from 10am - 4pm at the Heal's Distribution Centre in Edmonton, London N9 and if you're carless or buying large items they've arranged a delivery company to be available on the day to help you get your purchases home (payment in cash only for delivery).

Coloured and metallic tea light candle holders

I'm often asked where one can buy the pretty coloured metallic tea light candle holders we featured back in 2006, as they're no longer available from Heal's. Sadly I've not been able to find exactly the same set again, but I've done some digging and come up with a range of alternatives for those of you who love the look.

Pictured here are coloured 'cupcake' tea light holders from lovely store Rockett St George. They come in a set of four and cost £9.99. You can also buy a very similar set of six for £12.95 from Amazon or blendboutique.

Continue reading below for more brightly-coloured metallic candle holders...

Flock cushion bargains at Dwell

If you're a fan of flock on a budget, look no further than these cushions that are on sale at Dwell. Pictured is the flock damask cushion in sapphire blue with black flock at £5.95 for the small (a not so teeny 43cm x 43cm), and £9.95 for the large (56cm x 56cm). Also available is the taupe version with the small for £7.95 and large for £9.95. Happy flocking!

Kenzo homewares sale at Brand Alley

Oh dear, this is dangerous! There's some lovely Kenzo porcelain tableware and glassware with great discounts at Brand Alley today until the 25th (all Brand Alley sales are limited time only, so you've got to get in quickly). Shown here are plates from the Tao Garden (left) and Azyade collections, reduced to 19.50 and 16.50 respectively for two plates, down from £47, which I'm sure you'll agree is a pretty big price cut.

I was going to include more images here, but everything's so pretty that I'll end up showing you every single piece, so just get over there and check it out for yourself. Make sure you take a look at the coloured stemware (especially the romantic Bangalore cocktail glasses at £20 for two) and there's some lovely colourful floral plates for you shabby chic fans.

Affordable Art Fair - Autumn Collection 2008, London

If you're interested in original art on a budget, you'll be pleased to hear the time for the Autumn Collection of the Affordable Art Fair is rolling around. The biannual event showcasing art under £3000 can be a great opportunity to try and nab a bargain piece from a favourite artist, or discover something new. Pictured is 'Dans le Bois' (click link for larger image), by Seng Soun Ratanavanh - a lovely take on the Little Red Riding Hood story in greys with bright splashes of the eponymous red. It's Chinese ink and acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100cm and available at the fair for £2150, from Enviedart. The Affordable Art Fair - Autumn Collection takes place from 23rd-26th October 2008 at Battersea Park, London, with a private view on the 22nd.

Amazon summer sale until 31st August

You'll have to be quick this bank holiday week to take advantage of Amazon's Summer Sale as it's only on for a few more days, ending on the 31st August. My pick is this 20cm Meyer non-stick French skillet frying pan in a lovely almond colour at just £4.99 (saving over 60% off the original price of £13.97). Perfect if you're going for a shabby chic or vintage style kitchen.

Bank holiday sale & discount at WhereDidYouBuyThat.com

If you're hoping to bag some bank holiday sale bargains, check out WhereDidYouBuyThat.com for 10% off and free delivery with the discount code WD08BH. I have my eye on this fabulous brushed aluminium Armadillo breadbin. The promo code is valid until Tuesday 26th August 2008, so be quick!