Hello there everyone! Well, after a hiccup-y couple of weeks, we’re back on our regular timetable. And how apt, because Paddy and Plunkett have been out and about on the trains again! They’re really getting around this summer, aren’t they?
Now, let’s check in and see where they’re off to today!
Oooh, nice view from here…
This beautiful beach with its tempting turquoise waters greeted the boys as they set out from Fort William. Paddy was all for stopping for a quick paddle, until Plunkett reminded him how very un-tropical that water was likely to be. Fortunately, there was something else to catch his attention a little further along the line…
“Plunkett! LOOK!”
“It’s the bridge from the Harry Potter films… We’re going to HOGWARTS!”
From his extensive reading of the guidebook, Plunkett knows this place is Glenfinnan Viaduct. He also knows that by letting Paddy think that he’s going to be joining Harry Potter Beastie and Hermione Beastie at Hogwarts this term…
… He will be able to admire its 21 soaring arches in relative peace.
And Plunkett was able to keep Paddy practicing his spellcraft all the way to the end of their journey, at Mallaig Harbour. Entranced by the boats and the fresh sea air, Paddy forgot all about his wizarding ambitions!
The port at Mallaig is the gateway to the Western Isles, and although Paddy would happily have traded in his rail ticket for the chance to be captain of a pirate ship, Plunkett gently reminded him that this post is supposed to be about trains. Speaking of which… We’ve another one to catch! Don’t be late!
“GASP! Plunkett, is this our train? It looks just like the Hogwarts Express!”
Plunkett reckoned that it was close enough – this still-active steam train is the Jacobite, and it’s a dead ringer for Paddy’s beloved Hogwarts Express. Better still, it runs an almost daily service from late April to early October. All aboard!
And while Paddy kept an eye out for marauding Dementors and supporters of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, Plunkett settled back to enjoy the wild beauty of Rannoch Moor.
A few trains later, the boys were back in Glasgow… And because travelling Beasties know how to have a good time, they invited themselves into an empty penthouse suite in a nearby hotel for a little R&R.
“Paddy, come and look at the view!”
“Can’t talk! Eating!”
Finally, several sandwiches later…
“Not bad at all! Hey Plunkett, where are we off to next?”
“I don’t know… Pass me that train timetable, and we’ll see!”
We’ll catch up with the boys again in a couple of weeks… I’ve some new Beasties to share with you all first, so be sure to join us again next Tuesday to meet them! See you then!
And, in Russian-doll-like fashion, that’s removable too!
Aha! It’s a blue running top! I chose a colour that matches the shirt Human Bruce got for taking part in the Dublin Marathon… See, I told you he was sporty! His stripey beanie hat is also a marathon souvenir.
Good work, Beastie Bruce! It gives me great pleasure to present you with this special Beastie-sized medal.
How about a tasty croissant to snack on? It’s Human Bruce’s favourite way to start the day! This one is made of felted wool – the perfect low-fat, high-fibre treat for a Beastie on the go.
I think he’s finally good to go!
Oh, and although he’s been wearing them throughout all the pictures in this post, let’s not forget those glasses! Some careful work with needle and pliers meant that I could capture the thin metal frames of Human Bruce’s specs.
Phew! It’s only when I write a post like this that I realise how much goes into each and every Beastification. Still, this was such a fun project. Then seeing Human Bruce sharing pictures of his new monster buddy was the icing on the cake!
Well, I can now reveal that this place with the lovely view is Fort William, in the Scottish Highlands!
It may be shrouded in mist, but it’s pretty difficult to hide completely. It’s Scotland’s highest mountain, after all!
“This is the sally port, Paddy! They used it to bring in supplies by boat back in the day. Look at that stonework…”
Perfect for little short Beastie legs! And luckily for the boys, just as their paws began to get tired, they happened upon a friendly local who offered them a lift home.
We’ll rejoin the boys in a couple of weeks. Next week… A new Beastie friend for you all to meet. And this one has SO MANY ACCESSORIES!
Hmmm… There is a lot of water around. It’s coming down from the sky too, by the looks of things. Hopefully it won’t rain for their entire trip!
… And were soon speeding along the road to their next port of call – Glasgow!
They might have hung out in the square a little longer than planned… Quick, get to the train station!
The boys got a few funny looks as they navigated the turnstile – honestly, you’d think people had never seen a Beastie before. But luckily they got to their seats just in time.
Well, I say seats – they find they get a much better view when they stand on the table.
This Beastie was requested as a very special birthday gift and she needed to match her new buddy’s look as closely as possible. So, that boiled down to a pairing of flashes of bright colour with a few nods to gothic/heavy metal style. No problemo!
… And is removable, too. However, after several instances of 
And now that the hoodie hood is down, you will have noticed that this Beastie is rocking some rather spiffy piercings and a cute bob and fringe!
I made sure to keep the individual strands of hair quite fine, though – just to make sure her hair wasn’t too big to fit inside her hoodie hood.
Very nice!
As you can see, it tucks in neatly underneath the hoodie hood, so she can bring it with her come rain or shine!
Beastification complete… Rock on!
Many thanks to Caspar for this awesome Beastie project… And to all of you for dropping in to visit! Paddy and Plunkett will be back next Tuesday, so be sure to join us then.
The lads do enjoy a nice trip on the train.
Um, Cullywherenow?
And it doesn’t stop with leprechauns, either. Look out, Plunkett… Here be dragons!
Oh, and unicorns and fairies too!
But you might be surprised to learn that these wondrous creatures are not the reason Paddy and Plunkett took the train to Cullybackey. Well, not the only reason.
Ta-daaaaaah! Bluebells galore!
This incredible display is in 
So, where’s he got to?
And on the other side… It’s a Beastie-sized cabin!
You’d better get the kettle on, Paddy… I think Plunkett will need a big cup of tea when he eventually tracks you down!
… But following a Grand Slam victory for Wales in the Six Nations rugby tournament earlier this year, she thought a special celebratory addition to their wardrobe was in order. So I found a willing Beastie model to help me get the sizing right, and TA-DAAAAAAH!
One Beastified Wales Rugby jersey!
… And added an appliquéd number 8 on the back!
The significance of the number 8 is still a mystery to us here at Beastie Towers, but it’s clearly got some sort of special meaning to Jon Beastie and his human counterpart. I’m keeping an eye on 
This boutique distillery is proud of its small size, and the owners are eager to keep as much of their production in-house as possible. That means using locally-grown grain as the base for their gin, whiskey, vodka and poitín, distilling and bottling everything in that cool-looking building in the photo above… And even designing their own specialised equipment to help the process along!
Those apple trees are pretty special – they’re descendants of a variety created for the original owners of the land where the distillery stands! They’ve a bit of growing to do yet, but I’m sure the Echlinville folks are already dreaming up fun things to make from those apples.
Hey there, Garcia Beastie! Loyal BeastieBlog readers may remember this fuzzy little guy as one of my very early commissions. The post where I introduce him is still knocking about 
Too late. I suppose it’s for the best that Garcia Beastie left his skis at home today!
Then the sun kept on shining all day… And Easter Monday too! Time to catch some rays.
Of course, you can’t count on the sun to stick around in these parts. So when we went to the beach on Tuesday…
“Hey, where did the good weather go?”
… But we had more fun looking for curious things on the tideline. And where could that mysterious gate lead?
Next, a little break to sit and watch the world (and some of the local bird life) go by. A perfect end to a relaxing holiday!
So, did any of you get away for a spring break? Be sure to tell us all about your adventures in the comments!
Meet Julia Beastie! This particular monster lady was made as a very special “Yay, you finished your MA thesis” gift… And as you can see, she’s not travelling alone. She’s being kept company by her feline felt friend, Paddy the cat!
Now, Beasties with pet cats aren’t new – you may remember that I made a few for the 
However, this was the first time I had attempted to copy a particular cat’s markings. Since this Beastie’s human counterpart is the proud owner of a devilishly handsome polydactyl cat, it only seemed right that Felt Paddy paid proper tribute to Real Paddy.
… And the combination of delicate green skin with rich dusky rose stripes!
Aaah, you can’t beat those classics! Although I adjusted this Anne Bront
And how about a ticket to a show, to complete the set?
“Carousel” is one of Human Julia’s favourites, so it’s fairly safe to assume that her new Beastie companion will enjoy it too. Just one thing, though…
“… And pop it in my backpack for me?”
As you can see, the straps clip into place at the base of the bag. That means they can simply be slipped around a Beastie arm and attached!
Perfect!
Here’s wishing them all kinds of monster adventures together!
No, I haven’t been hiding out in the daffodil patch with Paddy and Plunkett for the last month… Although I bet that would be a party!
Since we last spoke, I’ve been gradually moving more of my crafting kit out of Beastie Towers and into the studio… One blue IKEA bag at a time! Honestly, what did craftspeople use to transport their gear around before?! I’ve also picked up a few things to make my little workspace a bit more “Beastie”, and I’ll be sure to give you the new and improved photo tour in a future post.
…Plus a couple to finish up and add to my online store (AT LAST)!
And what about you? What have you been up to since we last saw each other? Be sure to tell us all your latest news in the comments!