Knitted Beasties – Page 9

Paddy and Plunkett in Winter - CrawCrafts Beasties

A Monster New Year To You All!

Posted on January 1, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Happy new year, everybody!

2017 was a pretty exciting year here at Beastie Towers – check out the review post I did a couple of weeks back, and you’ll see what I mean! I’m hoping there’s even more good stuff around the corner in 2018 for us, and for all of you out there too. It’s been great having you along for the ride over the past 12 months, and I can’t wait to see where the new year takes us all!

Oh, and if, like me, your life was teetering on the brink of complete chaos because I didn’t make a Beastie calendar this year, fear not! I’ve a new year’s gift for you all… Get thee to the Shop section of my website, where you’ll find a free downloadable calendar page to help you stay organised for the whole of January. To get yours, just add it to your cart… and don’t worry about filling out the whole “address details” form! You only need to enter your name and email address, then you’ll be able to download the page directly from the confirmation email you’ll receive shortly afterwards. After that, print it out… aaaand it’s up to you! Stick it on the wall, pop it on the fridge, tuck it into the pages of your bullet journal – wherever you like, really!
Big thanks to both Tammie and Jan for suggesting this idea! I’m hoping that those of you who (like me) still find that nothing really gets sorted out unless pen and paper are involved will find this useful. And hey, let me know where yours ends up… especially if you find an unusual place to display it!

The BeastieBlog returns to normal next Tuesday (that’s the 9th of January), when I’ll be starting to share the first of the Christmas gift commissions now that all the presents have been opened and no surprises will be spoiled!

See you then, and all the best to all of you for 2018. Happy new year!

2017 – A Year of Monster Adventures!

Posted on December 19, 2017 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Info, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Oh wow, I can’t believe we’re nearly at the end of 2017 already! It’s all been a bit of a blur – surely it was only just Hallowe’en? So I thought I would use this, the last “real” post of the year, to take a look back over the highlights of the last 12 months. If nothing else, it will help me figure out whether I’m right in thinking that I lost a month or two somewhere!

So, what did we get up to? Well, first of all, Explorer Beastie loved getting the chance to go a little further afield on his adventures! We started the year with a trip to Donegal…

… And then made it to Copenhagen in the spring…

…and Düsseldorf in early summer!

Paddy and Plunkett were also at large, dropping in on some ancient Irish wells…

…Punting down the Cam…

…And sampling some highly unusual cuisine in Croatia!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, Tammie‘s Beastie Finn McSpool has been keeping her readers entertained with his unique brand of “help”. With this guy around, it’s a miracle she gets any books written at all!

Finn’s adventures appear on Tammie’s blog every Saturday. I had a hard time picking a favourite to recommend to you all, but I think his underwater exploits in Hawaii back in September win out!

More recently, an old friend dropped us a line while on holidays in South Africa…

… And we welcomed a new face to the Beastie family!

Beastie’s first outing in England 🌿 @crawcraftsbeasties 💚

A post shared by xWG || #dazeandweekes (@dazeandweekes) on Dec 2, 2017 at 2:43pm PST

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You can meet Sinéad the pro-cat activist on Daze and Weekes, and find out more about her mission to improve Beastie-feline relations!

The Beasties have been getting social with other blogging folk this year, too! Back in April, we were lucky enough to be featured on Melissa’s excellent fibre craft blog Knitting The Stash…

… While an appeal for handmade items for a craftivism event in Manchester from Jan at The Snail of Happiness gave me the opportunity to make these little critters!

I also worked out a pattern and tutorial for these felt bees, which is FREE if you’d like to have a go at making your own!

Oooh, and let’s not forget that the BeastieBlog got a facelift back in August…

… Which included not only a snazzy new look, but also the addition of my very own online shop! Admittedly, the virtual shelves are a little bare at the moment, but there will be fresh monster faces in there again in the new year!

The Beasties also found themselves in some real shops, including this intrepid mob who journeyed all the way over to Carrick Mór in New Jersey!
We also did a few markets… But I reckon you’ve probably heard enough about those recently! I’m still super-grateful to all the good people who organised those events, or who came to visit us in person while we were there – it was lovely to meet you all!

And that only leaves one bit of news to share, and it’s one that I’ve been holding onto since the end of the summer. Since I decided to quit regular 9-5 employment in favour of making monsters a couple of years back, I’ve always worked part-time on the side – it’s reassuring to know that I’m not going to end up out in the streets if I have a couple of commission-free months, or if a market turns out to be a bit of a dud. But back in August, I was let go from my job… And I thought, why not try being a maker of monsters full time for a couple of months, just to see how things go? I’d often wondered what I could do if I got the chance to focus exclusively on the Beasties, and with Christmas looming on the horizon, it seemed like a good time to give it a bash. So, that’s what I’ve been doing! And while it’s had its hairy moments – like me losing my voice for the entire of the biggest market in my calendar – it’s been quite the adventure, and I’m already looking forward to seeing how much more I can do in the coming year!

But of course, dear readers, none of this could have happened without your support – so thanks to all of you who regularly read, like, comment and send me photos of your own monster adventures! I realise that I’ve been a little less diligent in keeping up with you all over the last couple of months, as I tackled the challenge of my first self-employed Christmas season, but I’m so looking forward to getting caught up again in the new year, and seeing what delights 2018 holds for us!

So, that was my 2017 – no wonder I’m tired! How was yours? And what have you got planned for the coming year? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

Dublin Football Beastie, Ready To Go! CrawCrafts Beasties

Dublin The Beastie Fun!

Posted on December 12, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Knitted Beasties

Wow, what a hectic week it’s been! And before I introduce you to another pre-Christmas new Beastie, I wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everybody who came along to meet me and my little monsters at our recent Christmas markets! It was so nice to see the faces behind some of my favourite Instagram accounts, catch up with Beastie buddies I’ve met at past events, and make some new friends, too. You all rock!

Now, we’re really keeping it local with this week’s new Beastie – she’s a true Dublin girl! She was created as a surprise birthday gift for a lady who’s a big Dublin GAA fan, and who loves her coffee. Knowing that, and with a few photos to work from, it was easy to sketch up some ideas for a little monster friend!

Then, a few tweaks and a lot of teeny sewing later… She was ready!

This Beastie has soft, curly wool and alpaca hair, and a pair of super-cool glasses…

… Which she can take off, if she likes.

She’s also proudly sporting the latest Dublin GAA football jersey, complete with sponsor logo and the team crest!

I used a combination of hand embroidery and appliqué to get these details as close as possible to the real thing… here, take a closer look at that teeny tiny Dublin crest!

There’s also a little personalisation on the back of the jersey, to make this gift extra special!

And finally… That all-important cup of coffee! This Beastie’s new human friend is especially fond of Americano, so that’s what she’s drinking too. I thought it might be fun to add a wisp of crema around the edges, to give the coffee that proper barista-made look!

Now, making Beasties makes me very happy… But what makes me happier is seeing them well settled in their new homes! So you can imagine how delighted I was to receive this photo of these two girls posing together for the camera!

Hopefully this is the first of many fun adventures for this pair! And if you’d like to know how you (or someone you love) would look as a little woolly monster, I’m already starting to take orders for 2018! Sooo…
Find out more about the design process here
or get in touch with me through the Contact page to book your spot!

Next week, join us for a look back through the highlights of 2017 – it’s been quite a year! See you then!

Beastie-sized Vinyl, by CrawCrafts Beasties

Making Sweet Monster Music!

Posted on December 5, 2017 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Knitted Beasties

Hey there everybody!

I’m taking a break from frantic pre-market Beastie making to share a new Beastie with you… A rare thing at this time of the year, since so many of my pre-Christmas commissions are destined to be presents, and I wouldn’t want to spoil any surprises! But I received confirmation that this little monster lady had made it safely to her new home at the end of last week, and I reckoned it was high time I introduced her to the world.

Meet Weekes Beastie!

This was an extra special make, because she was requested by a fellow blogger! I always get a kick out of Ms Weekes’s witty posts – they’re a delicious cocktail of history, daily life and humour, and I’ve now lost count of the number of times I’ve nearly choked on my breakfast tea because I’m laughing so hard. So, if you haven’t already, make sure you add Daze & Weekes to your regular reading list. Go on, do it now! We’ll wait here for you.

All done? Good. Let’s continue with the tour, and take a closer look at that hoodie!

Weekes Beastie’s hoodie is modelled on her human counterpart’s favourite item of clothing – an official “Cats” zip-up sweater with – gasp – cat ears on the hood!

As you can see, this is a very useful addition for a Beastie. Her own pointy ears fit snugly in there, keeping them nice and toasty! Then I finished off the hoodie with an embroidered “Cats” logo, zip, and a drawstring for the hood.

She can also take the hood down, if she likes.

That way, you can get a better look at her makeup, piercings and classic Sinead O’Connor hairstyle!

But, most importantly, lets talk about what she’s got in her paw. Because Weekes is not just a blogger – she’s also a talented singer and musician, and her debut album Pocket Bible is out this week! So, it only seemed right and proper to pay tribute to this momentous occasion in felt and teeny sewing…

And, of course, there’s a special edition Beastie-sized record inside the sleeve!

Obviously, this version will only play on special Beastie stereos… But don’t worry! You can pick up a proper human copy for yourself when the full album is released this Friday – that’s the 8th of December 2017. All the info you need is on weekesmusic.com, plus you can also listen to the four singles, find links to curated Spotify playlists and learn a little bit about the stories behind the song lyrics!

Meanwhile, it looks like the two Weekeses have already been out adventuring together…

Beastie’s first outing in England 🌿 @crawcraftsbeasties 💚

A post shared by xWG || #dazeandweekes (@dazeandweekes) on Dec 2, 2017 at 2:43pm PST

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What have you all been up to this week? Let us know in the comments! Oh, and don’t forget that the Beasties and I will be here later this week…
… So if you find yourself in or near Dublin, pop on down and say hello! We’d love to see you!

The View From Table Mountain - S Allen/CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasties on Safari!

Posted on November 21, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties

We’ve a special guest Beastie on the blog today! It’s been a while since he last showed his fuzzy little face around here, but those of you who have been following the BeastieBlog long-term might well recognise him. Hey there, Garcia Beastie!

If you’ve met him before, you may remember that he is partial to a spot of skiiing…
… But this time he’s found himself up a mountain, and there’s no snow in sight! What’s going on?

Well, it’s not exactly ski season where he is, for starters. Summer is just around the corner in South Africa! Still, that means it’s a perfect time to enjoy the view from the top of Table Mountain…

But there’s so much else out there to see! And it wasn’t long before Garcia Beastie found himself back down at sea level… Even without the help of his trusty skis.

First port of call – The V&A Waterfront!

When I first saw the name, I assumed it was the “Victoria and Albert” Waterfront, but the “A” actually stands for Alfred. He was Queen Victoria’s second son, and his visit to Cape Town earned him such popularity with the colonial community that they named one of the basins of the newly-built Navy Yard after him… and the other after his mother, of course. This port on the Atlantic shore also happens to be South Africa’s oldest working harbour!

But that sea air really does work up an appetite… Snack time!

And of course, you can’t come to South Africa without sampling one of their most famous exports either…

…Everything in moderation, Garcia Beastie!

Fortunately, he was none the worse for his tumble… Just as well, because it was soon time to leave the city and head out on safari!

Across the border in Botswana, Garcia Beastie got acquainted with some of the local wildlife in the controlled environment of the game lodge’s natural history museum.

He also had fun recreating that scene from “Jurassic Park”…

But let’s get out there and see what we can see, shall we?

It felt like they were driving forever, but then…
“LOOKLOOKLOOKLOOKLOOK! Elephants!”

Such excitement – so much so that he Beastiebombed the photo in his attempts to make sure everyone else in the car saw them too!

And by the end of the day, he’d really settled into the idea of life on the African plains…

…Even if the skiing isn’t up to much!

Thanks to Suzanne for sharing Garcia Beastie’s holiday snaps! And if any other Beasties out there have been off on an adventure lately, please do share your pics with us – all of us here at Beastie Towers would love to see what you’ve been up to!

We’ll be back next week with more monster shenanigans… In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my new Christmas Market page to keep up with the Beasties’ heady festive social schedule!

Paddy and Plunkett in Poreč

Posted on November 14, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers, Paddy and Plunkett

It’s starting to feel decidedly wintry here in Beastie Towers these last few days – the trees outside are almost bare, and the sun seems to be getting up ever later every morning, and having A LOT of early nights! So I’m sure you can understand why I was very happy to discover this last update from adventurous Irish Beasties Paddy and Plunkett in my inbox this morning… The final installment of their recent Croatian adventure! Care to join us as we take a sunny wander through the cobbled streets of Poreč, a pretty harbour town on Croatia’s Mediterranean coast?

Plunkett is certainly enjoying himself here – the back streets are so peaceful, and this place is brimming over with history. The town centre stands on the site of a Roman castrum (or fortified military camp), which was established there in the 2nd century BC. Then, a century later, Poreč (or Parens, to give it its Latin name) was officially declared a city, and it’s been continuously inhabited ever since. It hasn’t all been plain sailing though – during its lifetime, Poreč has survived almost complete destruction by the Genoese in the 14th century, a nasty brush with the Plague a couple of centuries later, and Allied bombings during the Second World War. Oh, if these streets could talk!

Meanwhile, Paddy is more interested in THIS…

However, since it was still quite soon after breakfast, he agreed that it was probably better to have a nice cup of tea instead.

But what’s going on over there?

It looks like they’re setting up for a wedding party!
“Oh Plunkett, let’s go! There might be some free cake and champagne!”
“No way, Paddy! Anyway, you can’t – it’s bad luck to show up at a wedding wearing white unless you’re the bride.”
“Ah, you’re probably right. I’d hate to upstage her with my beee-yooo-tiful smile!”

With that settled, the boys decided to take a stroll down by the harbour.
And then Paddy spotted this…

“Hmmm… Rent a boat? Yes please!”

“This one looks perfect… Nice and speedy!”
But Plunkett isn’t so sure.
“NO WAY am I letting you drive that thing, Paddy!”
Fortunately, Paddy has a plan up his woolly sleeve…

“Don’t worry, Plunkett! Meet my new friend Captain Jack… He says he’ll get us back to Ireland no problem, and it’ll only cost us 3 barrels of rum!”

Hmmm… Does anyone else think this might not be such a good idea? Hopefully we’ll catch up with Paddy and Plunkett again soon, but I’m not making any promises!

And before I go, I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to some fellow bloggers, who have been keeping me cheerful this past (hectic!) week with their kindness and generosity. Check out this haul of happy mail!
The box of goodies is from Jan at The Snail of Happiness, who sent me something from her garden (I can’t say any more on that one until after Christmas), plus some incredibly soft Welsh wool (I’m mentally running through project ideas already), locally-produced soap and a lovely card. Best of all, everything now smells deliciously like zesty black pepper – glorious! Then in the front, there’s one of Tierney’s (from Tierneycreates) little wallets, which I was lucky enough to WIN in her 4-Year-Blogiversary Giveaway! She’s been making these little wonders from leftover quilting fabrics, and it’s such a neat, lightweight purse. Plus she also included a handmade card, made from upcycled old business cards! So once again, thank you both – your parcels have really made me smile this week!

I’ll be back next Tuesday with more monster adventures, so stay tuned! Have a great week, everyone!

All the Barróg Beasties - CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasties, Beasties, EVERYWHERE!

Posted on November 7, 2017 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Info, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Wow, what a hectic week it’s been! We’re working flat out here at Beastie Towers, but of course we’re never too busy to stop in and have a chat with all you lovely readers on a Tuesday lunchtime. And today, we have some super exciting news… The Beasties have set foot on US soil!

Now, I am aware that a few intrepid monsters have already moved out there on their own – yes, Finn McSpool, I’m talking about you – but this is more of a migration, or a diplomatic mission.
(Not an invasion, though… I want to be very clear about that. The Beasties come in peace!)
They’ve set themselves up in Glen Rock, NJ, in a place that feels very much like home – Carrick Mór Irish Store! The owners, Kristin and Michael, have been long-standing Beastie supporters, and it was brilliant to be able to send them over a small delegation of monsters to stand alongside their incredible range of Irish goodies.

So, who are these brave travellers? Well, I wanted to cram as much of the Beasties’ homeland into this precious parcel as possible, and I figured the best way to do that was to send a crew of 100% Irish wool Barróg Beasties. The first ones to hop in the box were a pair of Tae (not a typo!) Beasties, each clutching a mug of deeeelicious hot, strong tea!

Next up, a pair of Redhead Beasties, with matching fiery tresses and tweed scarves!
For the sports fans out there, a couple of Hurling Beasties joined the team – one in Dublin colours, and one who appears to hail from Kilkenny!

Now, we’re all used to hearing that winter is coming… And from what I hear, winter in New Jersey hits a lot harder than it does here in Ireland! At least these two Aran Beasties are wrapped up and ready for whatever the weather throws at them!

And for anyone who’d rather curl up by the fire with a good book…

Finally, I added a new face to these tried-and-true favourites – meet Luck O’the Irish Beastie, who set sail with a big bunch of shamrocks! It’s probably thanks to him that everyone made it across the Atlantic safely.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist cramming ALL the Beasties together in the teeny photo studio for some happy snappies before they left!

As you can see, Beasties are just like people – it’s impossible to get them all looking at the camera for a group picture.

So, if you find yourself in Glen Rock sometime soon, do swing by Carrick Mór and say hello to this happy band of explorers! And for anyone closer to our home here in Dublin…

I’ve been a regular at this market over the last few years, and I’m looking forward to joining them again this weekend! If you’re in the area, rock on up and say hello… We’d love to see you!

Right, I’d better get back to it… I have a houseful of Beasties clamouring for accessories, and only three days left to make them! Have a super week, everybody!

Beasties at Hallowe'en - CrawCrafts Beasties

Happy Hallowe’en!

Posted on October 31, 2017 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Info, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Ah, it’s that time of year again! The clocks have gone back, and although I’m already bemoaning the early disappearance of the daylight that I need to do teeny sewing, I’m really enjoying the cooler days and rich autumn colours! While any weather is crafting weather in my book, there’s something extra special about snuggling up with some needles and yarn on a dark, chilly evening. And also, Hallowe’en has always been my favourite festival of the year – I wonder why?

If you follow the Beasties’ antics on social media (you’ll find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), you’ll know that I’ve been revisiting some of my spookiest Beastie creations for my weekly Flashback Friday feature this past month! If you don’t, well, here’s your chance to play catchup!
I’d hate for anyone to miss out on Frankenstein’s Monster Beastie, for starters! I have to admit that I kind of love the bolts in his neck and the random lines of stitching holding his sweet green face together.

Then there’s the ethereal wispiness of Ghostie Beastie. I really like the floaty effect of the layers of net – I’ll have to remember to steal this trick for my costume next year!

Some of the very first Hallowe’en Beasties I made had simple seasonal accessories – but that’s fine too, right? Here’s a (very) rough sketch of an idea for a Jack O’Lantern Beastie from an early knitting notebook!
And yes, I still make these!

Skulls make great Hallowe’en accessories, too!

And of course, there’s nothing better than getting all dressed up and going trick or treating with good friends!
(Black cat optional)

Hallowe’en isn’t just All Hallows Eve, though. It’s also the gateway to the busiest, Beastiest time of the year! This time around, I’m hoping to get to even more markets than usual in the runup to the festive season, and I’ve taken on more commissions too – Beastie Towers is flippin’ hectic just now! So please excuse me if I’m a little less chatty than usual in my regular online hangouts – I’m going to try to keep up with you all as much as possible, and of course there will still be weekly blog posts and occasional social media-ing. I promise normal service will resume when the madness is over!

And hey, if you’re local, why not rock up and say hello in person? I’ve added a new page to the website today, which I’ll be keeping updated with all my upcoming market events. Hopefully I’ll catch up with a few of you there!

And on that note, I probably should get back to the Beastiemaking. But chances are I’ll be celebrating in traditional style (consuming a variety of squash-based foodstuffs, washing them down with a pumpkin ale, then maybe SPARKLERS) come nightfall! What have you all got planned? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Hallowe’en, everybody!

Beasties… On the Rocks!

Posted on October 17, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties, Paddy and Plunkett

Last time we caught up with Paddy and Plunkett, those globetrotting little monsters appeared to be living it up in the sunshine somewhere. But now…

Have they hit the slopes for a spot of skiing?

Ha! Nope. What you’re seeing is actually a beautiful rocky beach in Croatia, where the limestone “shelves” have been scrubbed by sea-tossed pebbles until they’re a bright, snowy white. It’s lucky the boys remembered to pack their sunglasses, or they’d have been truly dazzled!

Plunkett couldn’t resist poking through those pebbly patches in search of a new addition for his rock collection back home…

And hey, where’s Paddy? Oh, right. Of course.

CLIMBING! Looks like he’s scoped out the perfect spot for them both to stop and catch some rays in the late afternoon sunshine.

But soon, Paddy started to suspect that they didn’t have the beach to themselves…
“Plunkett, what’s that over there in the trees? I feel like we’re being watched!”

Strange for Paddy to be nervous, isn’t it? But Plunkett could already see that there was nothing to worry about…

…He can spot an interesting rock sculpture from a mile away! These guys might have slightly stony expressions (ha!), but even that couldn’t put him off having a closer look.

Just as well, too, because there were lots of them to see! The boys found a family next – the Flintstones, maybe? I hope they didn’t mind that Paddy briefly tried to ride their pet dog around like a pony!

And there was one who looked a little the worse for drink…

Oh, here’s a teacher with a bunch of schoolchildren!

Plunkett especially liked these enchanted toadstools he found, too.

Some of the pebble people proved a little trickier to identify, though. The boys were happy enough to agree that Plunkett is standing in front of Napoleon here, while the dapper gent on Paddy’s left is Willy Wonka from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”… What do you reckon?
However, debate continues to rage about who or what might be represented here…

Any ideas? Let us know in the comments – the more outlandish, the better!

We’ll be back next Tuesday, when I’ll have a new Beastie to introduce to you all! See you then…

Explorer Beastie in Nancy's, Ardara - CrawCrafts Beasties

The Wild West Coast

Posted on October 10, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie, Knitted Beasties

It’s time to hit the road with Explorer Beastie again!

Last time the pair of us were in Donegal (the most north-westerly county in Ireland) we chose to head to its northernmost point. This time around, we decided to see how far west we could go before we fell into the sea. Since we were starting out from the opposite side of the island, we did have to stop along the way to get out and stretch our legs…

… But this rest stop was actually quite pretty itself!

Still, we didn’t want to hang around here all day! It was nearly lunchtime… Quick, back in the car and FLOOR IT!
What’s the hurry? Well, we had plans to eat in Nancy’s in Ardara! We’d heard great things about this place, and when we arrived, we were not disappointed. We took our seats at a table by the window in the front room, which is stuffed with the kind of curios that can even take a hungry Beastie’s mind off his rumbling tummy!

Star of the show (at least until the food came) was the dresser by the door. Look at all this cool vintage crockery! And bonus points if you can spot a certain woolly monster lurking in each of the photos…

Speaking of food – WOW. This was delicious… I have honestly never enjoyed a piece of fish as much as this in my life.

NO I AM NOT SHARING IT! Deeeelicious lunch (for me only 😉) at Nancy’s Bar today! . . . #beastieontour #beasties #explorerbeastie #ontheplate #lunchtime #tasty #instagood #fish #instadaily #photooftheday #beastietreats #noitsmine #donegal #ireland

A post shared by CrawCrafts Beasties (@crawcraftsbeasties) on Sep 28, 2017 at 6:41am PDT

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However, trouble was brewing outside… The rain was moving in!
Although I was sorely tempted to hide away in Nancy’s for the rest of the day, and sample some more of their delicious house cider, Explorer Beastie reminded me that we had planned to see more than just the inside of a pub. We also had others to consider – we were tagging along with my brother and Alfie the wonder dog, and at least one of them was due for walkies! So we headed off in the direction of Glencolmcille, to enjoy the cliff walk just outside the village and see some spectacular views.

But first, we spotted some distant Beastie relatives! This one’s for you, Melissa!

Hmmm… Even they didn’t seem too sure about the weather out there.

But we thought we’d at least give it a shot… And we did. For ten whole minutes! The gale force winds, stinging horizontal rain and slippery underfoot terrain meant that this walk was never really going places. But here’s a picture of our attempted destination (that little speck at the top of the cliff), taken from a safe distance as we embarked on our plan B!
It was still pretty blustery here though – as you can see! Poor Explorer Beastie was literally bent over backwards by the stiff sea breeze, and nearly lost his backpack to a particularly strong gust!

Rescuing it slowed us down a bit, so that’s probably why we got stuck in the rush hour traffic.

But we made it in the end! From a car park on the cliff top, 107 steps take you down to Silver Strand beach – a lovely sheltered bay with a huge expanse of sand to play on!

The hills that protect the bay from the elements are pretty interesting too!

Explorer Beastie found some rocks to clamber over…
… And this pastime seems to be something he shares with his woolly cousins. How did they get up there?

After a while, the daylight started to fade…

… So Alfie bid a fond farewell to the really interesting stick he found…
… And with one last look back…

… We headed for home!

Have your paws taken you anywhere interesting lately? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

Aaaaand Paddy and Plunkett will be back to entertain us all again next Tuesday, so be sure to join us then! Have a super week, everybody!

	tierneycreates: a fu… on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
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