And so it begins....almost.

Ok, so Halloween season doesn't officially start in my book until Sep 1. But! That doesn't mean I'm not slowly beginning to stock up. Just here and there. And mostly oddball stuff that maybe couldn't be considered H'weeny for real, but give you that little everyday kind of thrill.

First up:

This happy little fellow. Yes, it's just a black cat pen. But guys, it's a black cat pen! (See, it's all in the delivery.) It's just childlike enough without getting too twee, I think. And you haven't even seen the best part yet:

It squeaks and lights up. Pretty great. Even though I'd totally understand if black cats sued for wrongful likeness. (They don't really make that noise and they usually have green eyes, but we'll give it a pass.)

While I was stocking up on back-to-schoo, er, still-in-the-grind supplies, I picked up some highlighters that look like monsters. So much more interesting than the kind that look like cigarette lighters.

And then I found something special. The bottle opener of my life. I've been looking, pretty diligently and nothing has won me over until this:

Brilliant, no? Let's face it - if you've got a tiki bar, you've gotta have good barware.

And now....onto the star of the show. I found this thing on the sale table in Japantown - always a good source of hidden gems. So what is this? This, my fiendish friends, is a block covered in hieroglyphics that you chip away at to reveal a mummy! Yes, finally a "My Little Excavator" set. And about time too. Mummies are such cool ghouls and they just don't get enough play in the H'ween world, imo.

Anyway, this is just a tease for now - I'll be doing the actual archaeology later on in the season. You know, I don't want to peak too early. Happy August, the amuse bouche to the bestest season of the year!