Hey there everyone! The sun is shining here in Dublin, and I hope you’re all enjoying some fine weather in your part of the world too! It’s also nice to see life returning to something like normal in places – here in Ireland certain shops are starting to reopen, and we can now meet in groups of 4 or fewer. We are still being asked to stay at home as much as possible, but that’s ok with me… The Beasties are keeping me busy as usual. And it seems I’m not the only one! Last week I got a lovely update from Melissa and her Cookie Beastie… With pictures!
So, Melissa had just settled down to enjoy a nice cup of tea when…
Hey there Cookie Beastie! Where did you spring from?
I suppose this little monster fancied a nice refreshing brew to go with that jellybean cookie. Tea and biscuits is always an irresistible combination. Also, check out the colour coordination – surely that’s no accident!
Not content with hijacking half of Melissa’s tea, Cookie Beastie thought it might be fun to take a tour of the garden… And pose for a few photos on the way. Check out this wall of cacti and succulents!
I do love a good cactus, and it seems Beasties are no different. That said, it’s pretty hard to relax with all those prickles around… How about we find somewhere else to put our paws up for a minute?
This sunny spot looks perfect. Aaaaaaaah!
Can there be any better place to spend a tea break?
Mind you, it’s not all laying back among the flowers here. During quarantine, it’s especially important to stay fit and healthy. Next stop – the gym!
Um, you might have to put the cookie down if you’re to make any headway with those weights.
“What, really? Oh, okay… Maybe I’ll just spot you this time around, then?”
You know, that sounds like my kind of exercising!
A massive monster THANK YOU to Melissa… Not just for sending awesome Beastie pics, but also for being one of the essential workers who are keeping the cogs of their communities turning while the rest of us are staying safe at home. You rock!
Aaaand if you’re at home and in need of something to put a smile on your face, why not spend a quarter of an hour with The Book Owl? This is a new podcast series hosted by Tammie Painter, author and human in charge of wayward book-lovin’ Beastie Finn McSpool. Every couple of weeks, she explores a literary curiosity… And the most recent episode, about kids reading to dogs in libraries, is real feel-good stuff. Enjoy!
So, hopefully that little lot will see you through until Friday, when we’ll be back and revisiting some more Beasties from days gone by. See you then!
While Dad was harking back to the “Madchester” era in a football shirt and parka. Check out the furry hood!
I also can’t believe I managed to do all that teeny embroidery on the album cover before I got my wondrous magnifying lamp!
Back before we were all confined to our homes, in a time when it was still perfectly normal to sit in a room and have a chat with someone, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by 
… And her miniature miniature schnauzer, Mikelet!
She also left Beastie Towers with two outfits…
… And a whole heap of accessories!
Her “survival kit” pays tribute to a few of Human Tierney’s favourite things – quilting, blogging and visiting her local library.
The match was placed here to give you an idea of just how teeny he is… Although I can’t guarantee he won’t be playing fetch with it later!
“Look, there’s still cherry blossom here!”
Hey, who’s that?
Yay! 
A little further up the hill, we wandered into the rose garden. And although there aren’t many roses in bloom yet, there was plenty of other greenery to explore!
We’ll definitely have to schedule another visit later in the year to catch it at its best!
And 
I had visited Bruges before, many years ago… But I’d forgotten how impossibly pretty it is. Here, take a look!
So, where are we off to first?
“Are we really climbing THAT?”
Explorer Beastie was supposed to stay tucked away until we got to the top, but he couldn’t resist popping out for photo ops in the Treasury…
… And the bell tower itself.
On the left is the Triumph Bell, which is the biggest of the 47 bells (47!) housed in the tower. It’s a shrimpy little thing, weighing a mere 6,000kg! On the right, Explorer Beastie is taking a closer look at the playing drum, which allows some of the lesser bells to play recognisable tunes every quarter hour. Each of those pins is actually a nut and bolt, so their positions could be changed….
Totally worth it!
“Gaaaah! Help!”
There was one very obvious reason why we were here.
“All you can eat”? Really? Is that wise?
In fact, he was still feeling chipper enough at the end to pose with these guys – does anyone else recognise the 
Cheers for travelling with us!
The last time I saw that sweet teal-coloured Beastie in the red scarf was at the Christmas on the Square market back at the end of November. He was hoping to find a home to call his own, and he really lucked out! A few weeks later, I received a lovely email from his new family. They told me he was settling in well, and they’d called him Felix because he’d brought them so much happiness. Well, that Beastie has some serious happy-making powers, because hearing that made me smile too!
… Learning to ride a bike (I’m not sure how he’s working the pedals, but that doesn’t lessen the achievement)…
… And taking the family car for a spin.
Let’s hope he’s a better driver than our good friend Paddy!
Well held!
Well, an ice cream would definitely be a good start. Hopefully he’s planning to share all that with someone… It’s nearly as big as he is!
To further his career, he asked me to share this photo of him recreating a classic pic of U2 (image not my own, I should say), taken around 2000 in Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock.
Hey, Garcia Beastie! Great, let’s go and explore!
You can also see the King’s House (NB no king has ever actually lived here!)…
…And, on the other side of the square, the Town Hall.
This served as a makeshift hospital during the First World War, and it was our first indicator that Brussels loves its monsters. Check out the statuary and gargoyles!
Wait, did we lose Explorer Beastie? No, there he is – having a staring contest with one of the locals.
Come on! We have to go and check out one of the city’s less tasteful landmarks.
We had a pretty hard time trying to decipher the appeal of the Mannekin Pis, but here we are…
OK, well… That’s done.
A building with multicoloured bikes going up the front? Yes please! And some early signs of the approaching spring, too.
You might not have to wear your woolly jacket much longer, Explorer Beastie!
Yes, they really are everywhere! Check out this winged lion on the side of the Palais de Justice.
As I later found out, the scaffolding is 
… The shelter we’d hoped to find in the galleries of the Mont des Arts and the Musical Instruments Museum was denied to us! It was a Monday, and both were closed.
I’d definitely check out the Museum of Musical Instruments on a future visit though – the building is so cool! I’d like to use it as a blueprint for the next Beastie Towers refurb.
I hope you’re planning to share that with me, Beasties!
Hey there, FrankenBeastie!
Woooooooo! SCARY!
Finally, I dressed him in a ragged-edged shirt and faded charcoal trousers.
Let me know if you bump into him when you’re out for your daily half hour of exercise!
Well, the happy monster couple was only part of the deal. I was also asked to Beastify Marge, a charming and elegant pug who came into the guys’ life disguised as a humble birthday card, and then became a member (if not the ruling matriarch) of the family. Here she is getting ready to enjoy the marriage ceremony back in January.
Unfortunately, Beastie Marge wasn’t ready in time for the wedding. She takes her appearance very seriously, and that held things up a little! But while the boys and their Beasties were honeymooning, I had time aplenty to get busy with my felting needles.
Ta-daaaah! You know, it’s actually quite strange to see her with feet!
… And her glasses really have lenses!
Finally complete, she was ready to hop in a box and travel to her new home. By all accounts, she’s settling in nicely!
… Although, Beastie antics aside, it has been nice to be at home for the last week getting on with some commissions! They’ve been stacking up a bit this past while, but with my teaching schedule completely on hold for the time being, I’ve really been enjoying getting on with some teeny sewing!
… During which time the boys found a novel way of staying out of the rain.
“Outta the way, camera! This is a Beastie bag now!”
Well, they do find us humans endlessly fascinating. And while there were occasional opportunities for mischief…
For the first part of our visit, we were in Highgate Cemetery East. Humans and Beasties can wander freely around this newer part of the cemetery for a small fee, and there’s so much to see here! While many of the monuments are fairly traditional…
… But keep your eyes open as you stroll around and you could also meet Douglas Adams, George Eliot, Karl Marx or Bruce Reynolds, who masterminded the Great Train Robbery!
… To see the rest, you’ll have to take the tour yourself!