Hey everybody!
I’m just popping in for a very quick “Hello!” today, because I’ve done the sums and this is definitely the busiest, Beastie-est week of 2017! Last overseas postage dates are looming, and I’ve booked places at two of Dublin’s most popular Christmas markets, so that’s my entertainment taken care of for the next two weekends in a row. I’d better start on a programme of intense caffeination immediately, as ably demonstrated by Tae Beastie here.
I already had a chance to get out and road-test my new market display a couple of weeks back at RMDS’s Christmas Craft Fair, and I’m pretty pleased with how it looks! I’ve used lightweight fabric-covered boxes to add a little extra height…
… Made up some promotional postcards with a little bit about the Beasties on the back…
…Thrown a little light on the proceedings with a pair of spiffy spotlights, a Christmas gift from my brother last year…
… And Boyfriend picked up a Beastie-sized chalkboard for me to play around with use constructively for marketing purposes.
So, when do all these goodies get their next outing? Well, to kick things off, this Sunday I’ll be at Newmarket on Cork Street for their Christmas event. I’m looking forward to this one for a couple of reasons… It’s my first time going to this market (always exciting), and it’s in my neighbourhood too! Plus I thought I’d missed the application deadline, so it was doubly satisfying when my offer of a spot came through.
Then next week, it’s the biggie – The Dublin Christmas Flea! I had a blast at this market last year… hey, why not take a look around yourself? Plus, eagle-eyed viewers will spot me working away behind my stall at 1:12 in this video!
Dublin Flea Christmas Market 2017 from dublin flea on Vimeo.
For the 2017 event, they’ve added an extra day (the market will run from Thursday to Sunday) and there’s going to be a special press-only early opening on one of the days as well. I’m optimistic that the Beasties will be on their best behaviour, but I’m expecting at least one of the major newspapers to carry the headline “Reporter Mauled by Publicity-Hungry Knitted Monsters” on Monday morning!
Of course, I realise that not all of you lovely readers are likely to make it to Dublin this December. But no matter how far afield you are, there’s still time to adopt a monster friend from our online store!
I’ll be able to send worldwide right up until the 7th of December. After that:
- Last post for mainland Europe is the 13th
- Great Britain the 18th
- Northern Ireland the 19th
- Republic of Ireland the 20th
of December 2017.
I’m also already taking pre-orders for the first quarter of 2018, so if you’d like to get your paws on a Bespoke Beastie anytime before March 31st, don’t be disappointed! Drop me a line and I’ll get your name into the order book nice and early.
Alrighty, time for me to get back to work! Next Tuesday, I’ll have a new Beastie to share with you all, so be sure to stop by… Have a great week!
The display looks fabulous! It’s like they have their own portable version of Beastie Towers. Okay, better let you get back to knitting. Best of luck with the markets!!!!
Thanks, Tammie! I’ll see you on the other side! 😵
Good luck at the markets, they are looking fantastic
Thanks, LucyAnn! 😀
I hope all beasties are successfully homed…. although not too quickly – you don’t want to run out of stock!
Thanks, Jan! And you’re totally right… Sure, selling out early is a nice problem to have, but it’s a bit embarrassing standing behind an empty stall!
Aughghghgh busy Beasties!!! So sweet of your Brother and Boyfriend to bestow you with those well-deserved and useful gifties. Stall looks great! I like the postcards too. Next stop, official Beastie Business Cards with your title as ‘Helen of the Beastie Towers, the First of Her Name, The Unpricked, Queen of the Beasties, the Edamame and the First Mittens, Khaleesi of the Great Yarn Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regnant of the Christmas Markets, Breaker of Change and Mother of Beasties’? Best of luck! 🙂
Yesssssss! 😂😂😂 Thank you! That’s so much better than what’s on the back of my business cards right now… Can you believe I just put my contact details there? That tells people NOTHING! I think I’m going to need a sigil as well, while I’m at it… 😀 Cheers for stopping by!
Omg you SO need a sigil. And bannermen. And a wax seal for your correspondence. And probably a hooded cape, for good measure/to show you mean business.
Oh yeah! Guess what I’m working on in earnest come January… For now, I’ll just settle for cutting the arms off an old hoodie and hoping it looks suitably cape-like and mysterious.
HAHA you’ll either look mysterious or like the ‘jock’ character from an 80s teen movie so… win-win, really.
Hope to see you at the Dublin Flea! Always a great market!
Yay! Hey, Ann… It would be great to see you, so do pop by! Are you selling your awesome creations there this year?
Gorgeous and delightful display. The white boxes, lights, and little grass patches do a great job of showcasing the Beastie rainbow for the holiday shoppers. 🙂 Something about placing them together adds to their adorable-ness. And the Dublin Flea Market looks so awesome – how I wish I could go. It looks like a blast of arts and crafts fun. Lovely to see you stitching! Wishing you a productive work week and a good market Sunday!
Cheers, Shirley! I wasn’t sure about the white at first, but it really did help to make the Beastie inhabitants of the boxes stand out on the day… And thanks for noticing the grass! I hunted for it high and low in Dublin, and (of course) finally found it in an obscure little shop 5 minutes away from work! 😆 Have a great week too!
Your display is awesome! I think it’s really great to have these boxes, it gives the display depth and height/dimension. (My husband made me a flight of stairs from wood for my display and I just love how much more I can show when I’m not limited to the flat table surface.They are a bit of a pain to transport but well worth the effort.)
Your display really shows that you are really invested in this and make everything with lots of love.
Awwww, thanks Ivonne! Like you say, it adds so much to a stall when you can get a bit of extra height to play with. I hope your custom-made stairs have been getting lots of admiring comments this market season! Next stop for my display is to make some fitted covers for my boxes so they’re nice and neat… But I reckon that’s something for January Helen to do! 😂
I can’t wait to see them. Your ideas are always very inspiring.
Thanks! All I need now is some time! 😂
He’s fantastic
Thanks LucyAnn! 😀😀😀
What adorable little monsters:)
Thank you! They certainly keep me entertained! 😀
Oh I believe it, they look like lot’s of fun to make🙂
they are adorable! I love that they each have their personality.
Thank you! I have lots of fun coming up with new Beastie characters 😀 Cheers for stopping by!