Beasties – Page 16

September Featured Image - Calendar Page - CrawCrafts Beasties

Hello September!

Posted on August 31, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Info, Life at Beastie Towers

Yes, I know I’m jumping the gun a little here! But over the last couple of days, the cooler breezes and suddenly shorter days have been signalling that the season is about to turn. And much as I enjoyed our very un-Irish Irish summer this year, I am SO ready for September! Autumn has long been my favourite season, so I’m already looking forward to digging out all my favourite cosy knits, cooking up giant pots of soup, and kicking through piles of fallen leaves.

And, as I’ve mentioned before, there’s something about this time of year that makes it feel like a good opportunity to start a new project… Or even to finish up one or two that you’ve let slide over the summer!

So, what better moment to announce that the free September calendar page is now available for your downloading pleasure?
I’ve been seeing sunflowers all over Dublin these last few weeks, so this picture was the obvious choice for this month’s page. I love their bright, friendly blooms, and Explorer Beastie thinks they really complement his yellow stripey legs.

As usual, this printable costs a very reasonable €0/$0/£0! Also, don’t forget that you only need to give your name and email address for delivery. All the other fields in the form are optional, so it’s ok to skip ’em!

Of course, the arrival of autumn also signals the start of the busiest time of the year for a Beastie-maker. So, this is going to be the last Friday post for a while. There are still a few outstanding summer orders to ship out… Then I’ll be starting to assemble squads of market-ready monsters to grace the stalls of Dublin’s seasonal craft fairs.

Buuuuut I’ll still be here every Tuesday! And over the next couple of weeks, there are new Beasties to meet, plus more shenanigans from Paddy and Plunkett. Be sure to join us then… And here’s wishing you all a monster weekend!

Heligan Security - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy, Plunkett and the Lost Garden

Posted on August 24, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Uncategorized

Wow, it’s been a loooooong time since we last saw Paddy and Plunkett, hasn’t it? So perhaps it’s appropriate that we catch up with them just as they’re about to venture into another place that the world forgot about for a while – the Lost Gardens of Heligan!

First, they took a peek through this hole in the fence, and decided that it would be an excellent place for a day’s exploring. Unfortunately, that window is just a liiiiiiiittle too small for them to climb through. Could it be that they’ll actually have to -GASP- pay an entrance fee for once?

Apparently not.
If you’re Beastie-sized, stowing away on a passing wheelbarrow is always an option. And once they were inside, they were quickly able to win over the staff with their Irish charm.

Great! Let’s celebrate with a snack. Pineapple, anyone?
You can’t see Paddy in these photos, because he’d already hopped over the wall and started munching. However, Plunkett wasn’t so sure…
“Paddy, it says on the sign that the heat these pineapples need to grow comes from filling the pit trenches with a steady supply of fresh horse manure.”
“Yes, Plunkett, but it also says that the pineapples are delicious… And one of the first ones harvested after this pit was unearthed and rebuilt in the 1990s was sent to the Queen as a 50th wedding anniversary gift! So if they’re good enough for her, they’re good enough for me. YUM!”

And what better way to celebrate the restoration of the only surviving pineapple pit in Britain? Apparently, these were quite the thing back in the 19th century, with gardeners in the “big houses” competing to see who could grow the tastiest pineapples! Unfortunately, the skills involved in maintaining one were pretty much lost – with the decline of apprenticeships, the knowledge was no longer being passed along, and no-one thought to write it down. It was only through trial and error that the staff at Heligan were able to make this project bear fruit… And the Beasties were more than happy to show a little appreciation for their efforts.

Suitably stuffed, the boys wandered a little further, and found themselves in the jungle! Luckily, they’re old hands at jungle exploration, having recently spent time at the Eden Project. And after eating all that pineapple, it’s incredible that this rope bridge was able to take the strain of them walking across it!
On the other side, the boys worked off a little bit of their recent extravagance by clambering around on the firewood pile…
… But a terrifying sight awaited them on the other side!
“Oh no! What happened here?”

But Plunkett was soon able to put two and two together, when he spotted this…
“Aaaaaah, this must be where they make the charcoal!”
“What do they need charcoal for?”
“For the barbecue, Paddy! They raise beef right here on the estate, and have big summer barbecues for visitors!”

Paddy went quiet.

“If I had known there was going to be a barbecue, Plunkett, I wouldn’t have filled up on pineapple!”

Oh dear. Perhaps a quick stroll around more of the gardens will help Paddy to work up an appetite for a second helping of Heligan’s tasty treats? We’ll have more from the boys on Tuesday… But in the meantime, do feel free to make Paddy jealous by sharing your weekend dining plans with us in the comments!

Have a good one, everybody!

Santa Paws is Comin' to Town! CrawCrafts Beasties

It’s That Time Again…

Posted on August 21, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Crafting, Info, Life at Beastie Towers

It’s just a quick one this Tuesday, as deadlines are a-loomin’. But I have an important public service announcement about orders!

I know it’s reeeeeallllllly early for this kind of nonsense, but…
… If you want to find a Beastie under the tree for a certain festival which rolls around at the end of every calendar year, now is the time to place your order!

You see, with Beastifications becoming ever more elaborate and complex, and after the wall-to-wall craziness of the final quarter of last year, and, well, most of this year, I’ve realised that I need to put out the call even earlier than in previous years.

From past experience, I now know that I’ll also need to move the cutoff point forward. So that means that…

Orders for Christmas close on Friday 19th October

to ensure that all custom Beasties reach their new homes in good time.

So please, if you’re thinking of picking up a bespoke Beastie buddy for yourself, your friends or your family, drop me a line now to reserve your spot! Here, you can even use this form…

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

And if that all seems a bit scary, don’t worry! I’ll be hitting up the usual markets closer to the time, with a whole gang of little monsters in tow… All of them eager to get out and ~~start wreaking havoc in other people’s houses~~ find their forever home.

Alrighty, time for me to get back to the teeny sewing! We’ll be back on Friday with some proper monster shenanigans to share… See you then!

Secrets of Beastie Photography

Posted on August 17, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Ideas

Over the last couple of weeks, the subject of Beastie photography has raised its head a few times in the comments! And that got me looking back at all the crazy things I’ve done over the years in the name of capturing a blog-worthy Beastie snapshot. Better still, it made me think of the sneaky fixes that other Beastie-wranglers around the world have shared with me!

So, I thought it might be fun to combine some of this knowledge into one handy post. Because, let’s be honest, sometimes those little woolly monsters just aren’t feeling the photoshoot, and getting them to cooperate can be hard work!
The first challenge in Beastie photography is keeping these little guys on their feet. Their sometimes overwhelming desire to just pitch over and have a quick lie-down is probably something they get from me.

Fortunately, help is at hand! A simple wire stand like this one takes the weight off their little short legs, and helps to keep them standing while you adjust your camera settings.
As you can probably tell, this is super-easy to make… All you’ll need is a length of florist’s wire, which you bend like this:
Taa-daaaah!
Of course, sometimes you leave home without a stand in your bag, and that calls for a little improvisation! On my recent trip to Germany, I discovered that my snazzy business card holder makes an excellent substitute…
… And Explorer Beastie is a dab hand at seeking out twigs to hold onto when his energy levels start to dip, too.

Other discoveries include using sticky tape…

David Beastie at the Library — Image borrowed from tammiepainter.com

Thanks, Tammie and Mr Husband!

Velcro is also an option – Tierney came up with this one for keeping her Beastie’s boots on, and I borrowed the idea for my latest commission!Then once they’re standing, the world is their oyster!
I especially like pictures of Explorer Beastie where he’s toddling away from the camera – yes, he may be small, but he’s not going to let that get in the way of a good adventure!

Also, don’t forget about those paws! Show that your Beastie is interacting with the world around them by getting them to touch things within arm’s reach. Check out these two pictures…
See the difference? Although the fish was moving a bit too quickly to be photographed properly in the photo on the right, doesn’t Explorer Beastie look so much more interested in him than he was in the mongoose in the image on the left? And notice how his paw is on the glass in that picture, rather than just hanging by his side. It really works!

But the prize for the most intrepid Beastie photoshoot to date has to go to Tammie. She found a way to snap her Beastie, Finn McSpool, underwater.

Underwater Adventuring - Extreme Beastie Photography — Extreme Underwater Beastie photo borrowed from tammiepainter.com

You can read the story behind that monster adventure here! And if you have any tips of your own, please share them in the comments!

Here’s to a weekend of Beastie photography fun… Enjoy!

In The Frame – A Learning Experience

Posted on August 14, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Crafting, Life at Beastie Towers

Well hello there everybody! I hope you all enjoyed the weekend. For any of you who missed Friday’s post, I introduced this brand-new family of Beasties…
… But I did also mentioned that there was something special ahead for this bunch of little monsters and their faithful Beastiedog. Something that meant that they needed to have specially-adapted sticky toes!
So what’s the deal? Well, I can now reveal that these Beasties are going to live in a frame!

The idea of framing Beasties, so that they can lead a life untainted by fears of dust, moths and over-friendly pets, is one that I’ve been toying with for a while. I’ve even gone as far as to mention it to customers at markets… But no-one had ever taken me up on the offer.

Until recently.

And WOWEE, it’s been a steep learning curve! So in today’s post, I wanted to talk about how I went about framing a whole family of Beasties… And what I learned along the way.

Lesson 1 – A Frame ain’t cheap!

When I first estimated a price for this project, I assumed that IKEA would have a suitable Beastie habitat among their vast range of picture frames and display boxes. Errr… Nope. And when I started to research the alternatives online, the price nearly took my breath away. YIKES! Turns out a nice deep box frame in the size I needed involved a custom order, and would significantly increase the cost of making this piece.

So, I had no choice but to go back to my customer – but I was at least able to give him a couple of options if he wanted to stick to the original quote. I figured I could make the Beasties flatter, so that they’d fit in a narrower frame, or create a sewn or embroidered piece for him instead. Fortunately, he preferred to stick to the original plan and pay a little more for “real” 3D Beasties in a custom-sized frame.

All that was left to do then was to have a quick word with Pigbert E. Banks, our financial advisor…
… And we were good to go! But then…

Lesson 2 – Go Bigger or Go Home

Before I ordered my frame, I got Explorer Beastie and a few friends together to help me estimate the size I’d need. I obsessively measured and remeasured, and then added in a couple of extra inches just to be sure.

Let me tell you, I’m so glad I did. Because as the family of Beasties began to take shape, I realised that their hair and outfits were making them considerably bigger than my models had been. The frame was already en route, but would the Beasties all fit inside? I was so worried they wouldn’t that I even considered ordering a second one in the next size up! But when it arrived (please excuse gratuitous Beastie nudity and bed-head hair)…
Saved! What a relief. But then I noticed that raw wood and MDF inside… And it was time for the next hiccup.

Lesson 3 – When the order form says “Would you like a mount board?” the correct answer is YES

Why did I opt out? Well, my uncertainty about getting everybody inside the frame meant that I was reluctant to put anything else in there that might eat up valuable space. I also thought “How hard can it be to get a mount board?” – talk about a rookie mistake!

So, I did the rounds of art supply stores and stationers, in search of either a board that would fit or a nice person who would cut a standard board to size for me. The lady in K&M Evans was especially lovely, even offering to call a nearby printers to see if they would help! But in the end, I realised that I would need to go back to those oh-so-pricey local framing companies.

Fortunately, in my Googlings, I stumbled on a real gem. Dublin Picture Framing have a studio in the very heart of the city, in the most awesome old building. They were super-helpful, and sent me on my way with 3 different boards so I could pick the one that best fitted my frame. Talk about saving the day!
Then all we had to do was to find a matching paint to take care of the sides…
… And the inside of the frame was transformed! Surely that’s everything taken care of now? Not quite… Mum and Dad Beastie can’t very well hang in the air, can they? Looks like we’re going to need something for them to stand on!

Lesson 4 – Make Friends with your Local Builder’s Merchant

At this point, I should have known better than to utter the words “how hard can it be?”, but that’s exactly how I approached the problem of getting a piece of timber cut to create a riser for some of the Beasties to stand on. A tour of the hardware stores revealed that, on a Saturday at least, this service is near impossible to come by. The good folks at Decwells do have a resident handyman who would have sorted this out for me, but alas! He doesn’t work weekends. However, they suggested I try Chadwicks, a local builder’s merchant, which I had always assumed to be trade-only.

Not so! Even though I arrived just minutes before closing time, they directed me to a pile of offcuts and let me take my pick. Best of all – it was free! Then, armed with my Junior Hacksaw, a file and some sandpaper, I set about prettifying my plank.
And with a couple of coats of paint…
Success!

And that just leaves one last lesson to share…

Lesson 5 – Don’t Panic!

If you keep chipping away at any problem, you’ll figure it out. I had plenty of nail-biting moments with this one, but I’ve learned HEAPS along the way. I also found plenty of people who were happy to lend a hand!

So, after all that… You’d probably like to see the finished frame, right?
I’m almost scared to ask, but… What do you think? Any helpful framing tips for next time? Please feel free to share in the comments!

We’ll be back on Friday with something I DO know a thing or two about – Beastie photoshoots! See you all then…

Beastie-Sized Dog, by CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasties For OLIVE The Family!

Posted on August 10, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Crafting

Hey there everybody, and happy Friday to you all! Now, earlier in the week I promised you new Beasties… So, new Beasties you shall have. And not just a couple, either… There’s a whole family of them waiting to meet you!

This project started when I met Lino from Olivieri’s Fine Italian Foods at a market just before Christmas. We got chatting, and I mentioned that as well as the gang of little knitted monsters hanging out on my stall that day, I also do requests. Fast forward a few months, and I’m sure you can imagine how delighted I was when he got back in touch and asked me to Beastify his entire family AND their faithful pooch!

I should probably introduce you to the man himself – or at least his Beastie counterpart!
I used a wool and alpaca yarn for his hair, and dressed him in a smart blue felt t-shirt and grey shorts.

And what’s that in his paw?
It’s a Beastie-sized bottle of olive oil! Lino has been running his family’s olive grove and farm in southern Italy since 2010, and he brings the oil he produces there back to Ireland to supply specialist food stores and restaurants across the country. His oils were even listed as being among the best available in Ireland in this article in The Irish Times last year! Definitely an achievement worthy of being celebrated in felt and teeny sewing, I’m sure you’ll agree. I made sure to include his company logo on the bottle’s label – accept no substitutes!

But hey, where’s the rest of the family?

Let’s meet the girls first, starting with… Florence Beastie!
This sweet little monster lady seems to have a real way with animals… In many of the photos her dad sent me, there was usually a four-legged friend in there somewhere too. At his suggestion, I went hunting for a dress fabric with an animal print… And wow, that’s a tricky thing to find! Many of the fabrics I liked had an oversized design that would be totally lost on a Beastie-sized outfit. In the end, I found three designs that fit the bill, and this was the pick of the bunch – cute without being babyish, and the little pink birds sit nicely alongside her candy-coloured complexion.

I also had fun styling her hair!
And let’s take a proper look at that dress, too.
I changed my dress pattern up a bit for this project – I opted for a circle skirt instead of pleats, and I really like the neater line it gives. The dress closes with my new favourite hook-and-eye fastener, too!

Meanwhile, Beastie Florence’s sister Sophia Beastie is sporting an outfit that shows her love of dance! This was a first for me…
…Voilà! One Beastie-sized leotard!
Perfect for a day at the studio, or her next big stage performance! She looks happy, anyway.

And let’s not forget their brother, Lucca Beastie!
He’s looking sharp in a tailored button-down shirt and boxy-framed glasses.
And after seeing a set of headphones in one of my reference photos, I thought I’d better Beastify those too!
And, last but not least, meet Lino Beastie’s partner Lynn Beastie!This is another new dress design – a sweet sundress inspired by one of the reference photos I used. It’s cut on the bias with a cute A-line shape, has a halterneck (well, as much as I could manage given that Beasties don’t have necks) and fastens with a ribbon at each shoulder.
Then a pair of snazzy sunglasses completes her look!
Oh, and who’s this?
Well, I did mention there was a dog! Hey there, Beastie Lego!
Heehee! I think he likes you.
Now, let’s get everyone together in the Teeny Photo Studio for a group shot!
Lovely!

But this isn’t the end of the story for this monster family! Stop back in on Tuesday to find out where these Beasties are going, and why they have special feet…
… See you then!

Explorer Beastie at Glengesh Pass, Donegal - CrawCrafts Beasties

Coast to Coast

Posted on August 7, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie, Life at Beastie Towers

Hey there everybody! It’s great to be back after our little blogging break – and Explorer Beastie and I even had time to squeeze in a quick adventure while we were away! On Saturday, we took a trip right across the top of the island of Ireland to spend an afternoon in the beautiful rugged countryside around Glencolmcille in Co. Donegal.

Of course, when you find yourself out that way, it’s impossible not to stop at Nancy’s pub in Ardara for a tasty lunch. You’ll have to go a long way to find better fish dishes, and washing it down with a glass of their farmhouse cider is a must! I would have photographed my food for you all to enjoy, but I fell upon it like a pack of ravenous wolves… So here’s Explorer Beastie enjoying the cosy ambience instead.

Feeling pleasantly full, it was time to continue our journey… Next stop Glencolmcille! Although we did have to take a quick pause along the way to enjoy the dramatic landscape at Glengesh Pass…
…And to let Explorer Beastie stretch his legs by climbing all over the signpost.

Then, back in the car…
… We watched the scenery zip by the window, and the sheep-spotting really began in earnest!
And once we arrived in Glencolmcille, Explorer Beastie decided to hitch a ride in a slightly more rustic mode of transport!
We had high hopes of exploring the Glencolmcille Folk Village, but we’d arrived a little too late to be able to take a proper look around before closing time. We were still able to take a peek over the wall though, and it’s going on the to-do list for our next visit!

And hey, what’s that over there?
Looks like Explorer Beastie has found a quicker way to travel around Ireland in a day.

“I can see our house from here!”

He also spotted some more woolly friends from his lofty perch. So, we had to go and take a closer look!
And is that a beach I spy in the distance?
Why yes, yes it is! That would be a perfect place to wrap up our day trip, don’t you think?
Not too bad at all.

“Aaah, this is the life!”
And after a quick game of hide and seek in the long dune grass …
… Maybe it’s time for a paddle?
Very refreshing!

And then, with one last look back at the cliffs in the distance (we’ll definitely have to tackle those on a future trip too)…
… It was time to head back home!

Have your summer wanderings taken you anywhere interesting lately? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments! And we’ll be back on Friday with a whole family of new Beasties to share. See you then!

Calendar Page August - FREE Downloadable Calendar by CrawCrafts Beasties

Just A Quickie…

Posted on July 31, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Info, Life at Beastie Towers

Oh wow, it’s all been a bit nuts here at Beastie Towers lately! I’ve been working my way through the veritable avalanche of special Beastie requests that came in while Explorer Beastie and I were away in Germany… And while that’s been fun, it doesn’t exactly make for an exciting blog post. Buuuut we did just have time to put together an August calendar page for you, and it’s available to download now!

Looking back through all of our holiday photos did give me a good dollop of inspiration… It was even quite a challenge to whittle down the main contenders to choose just one!

In the end, though, I just had to go for this!
I can almost smell the scent of sun-warmed grass and hear the singing of grasshoppers every time I look at this picture… So I thought it would be the perfect image to see us all through to the end of the summer.

You can grab your downloadable version of the August calendar page on our website store now… And as usual, the only information you need to provide to place your order is your name and an email address!

Phew! And now, the whirl of summer activity continues… One of my best friends from school is getting married TOMORROW! So I’ll be taking a couple of days away from the internet to help her celebrate her big day. Then it’ll be BeastieBlog business as usual next Tuesday, when we return with more monster antics.

See you then!

Monsters and Magical Houses

Posted on July 27, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

Happy Friday, everyone! And it’s not just the end of the week – today we’re also on the very last leg of our recent Germany trip. But I think I’ve saved the best for last, because it turns out that Germany is just full of the kind of cute monsters that the Beasties and I love so much! We’ll meet them later in the post.

First, let’s check out that magical house I mentioned!
How’s THAT for a cool place to live?

This very unusual building is called the Waldspirale (“Forest Spiral”), and it’s in Darmstadt, a city just south of Frankfurt. It was designed by an Austrian-born New Zealand artist and architect called Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and the best part is that it’s not just for show. Yes, people actually do live here!

Apart from the glowing gold domes on the roof, I also loved the gentle layers of colour, smooth curved surfaces and the proliferation of plants everywhere.And these things are recurring themes in Hundertwasser’s designs – he was very much against straight lines and standardisation. This is especially obvious when you see the staircase in the central courtyard!

So, if I ever feel the need to relocate Beastie Towers to Germany, I reeeeeeallllly hope they have a spot for us in here! Oh, and fun fact – while you’ll find most of Hundertwasser’s buildings in Germany and Austria, there are a few others scattered in choice locations across the world. They include a winery in the Napa Valley in the US, an incineration plant in Osaka, Japan, and… A public toilet block in Kawakawa, a small town in the northernmost region of New Zealand!

Now, who wants to meet some monsters? Because trust me, they were everywhere! We found monster street art…
… Mascots in shops…
… And friends on every street corner!

Hey, is this making you thirsty? Have some monster juice!
And now I think it’s high time we kicked back with a nice cup of monster tea…
… And remember all the friends, old and new, we met on our trip!
Cheers for joining us on our travels – and also a massive THANK YOU to all the Beastiebuddies who made our German trip so much fun!

We’ll be back on Tuesday with more monster shenanigans… In the meantime, are your paws taking you anywhere interesting this weekend? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments!

Old Meets New in Frankfurt - CrawCrafts Beasties

Fine Art Fun in Frankfurt!

Posted on July 24, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

OK, so the last couple of posts here on the BeastieBlog have been a little on the wild side…
… But there’s more to Frankfurt than its zoo, y’know! Today, we’re going to take a trip into the city centre in search of some culture.

Even walking through the streets of Frankfurt was an interesting experience – everywhere we turned, it seemed that old-fashioned buildings were rubbing shoulders with the towering glass skyscrapers that you’d expect to see in one of Europe’s main financial centres.
That said, there’s a good chance that many of these classical-looking buildings aren’t much older than their shiny modern neighbours. Like many cities in the industrial Rhineland region, Frankfurt was heavily bombed in the Second World War, and its renowned medieval town centre was hit especially hard.

This blend is clearer as you approach the river Main…
…Well, it would be if a certain Beastie wasn’t hogging centre stage! The Main cuts the city neatly in half, and since we needed to be on the other side, we made a beeline for that bridge up ahead.

And we chose our crossing point well! This is the Eiserner Steg (Iron Bridge), a pedestrian bridge which is a great place to stop and admire the cityscape…
… Or, if you’re Explorer Beastie, to hang out among the love locks.

On the other side, we wandered down the riverbank for a while – mostly because I am atrocious at navigation and took a wrong turn at the end of the bridge. I’m glad I did though, because otherwise we would have missed this place!
It looks like a magical castle, lost in a leafy forest… But this unusual building actually houses a contemporary art gallery called Portikus. Portikus has had a couple of homes around Frankfurt since it was founded in 1987, the first of them being the portico of the old public library building, which is where the name comes from. The gallery finally moved into its first purpose-built home in this tower on an island in the Main in 2006.

We’ll have to save our visit for another day though, because we already had a plan! Onwards!

And here we are. Look, someone’s even opening the door for us.
This is the Städel Museum, home to a vast art collection that includes everything from old masters to contemporary artists from Germany and further afield.

We thought we’d start at the beginning, with the Old Masters on the top floor. That meant tackling some stairs!
Phew! Poor Explorer Beastie needed a bit of a rest after that lot… Although he pretended he was just examining this wall of portraits.
The Old Masters gallery is brimming over with incredible paintings, some of them dating back to the late Middle Ages! Since I know some of you will be reading this over lunchtime, I’ll spare you the gory crucifixion and martyrdom images that seemed to so inspire artists at that time, and share this picture of Explorer Beastie examining “The Geographer” by Vermeer instead.

And speaking of lunch… As we made our way onwards into the modern era, we stumbled upon a Renoir!
That’s it on the left – and how appropriate that it’s called “La Fin du Déjeuner” (After the Luncheon)! But if you’re still hungry, perhaps I can tempt you with some Mondspargel (Moon Asparagus)…

We also found a scene that looked mighty familiar in this Max Beckmann painting…
Hey, didn’t we just cross that bridge earlier? I suppose we were lucky that the river below wasn’t full of ice, as it is in the painting. Brrrr!

This brought us nearly to the present day. So after a quick photo opportunity at John Armleder’s Mirror Mosaic wallpiece…
… We headed underground to check out the Städel’s contemporary collection.

Out of all the pieces on display, Explorer Beastie particularly wanted to have his photo taken with this Rosemarie Trockel piece – can you figure out why?
No, its nothing to do with the reference to the 90s… Although that was always going to catch my eye! Here, look a little closer…
It’s knitted! Explorer Beastie found this particularly inspiring – he says he never realised art was in the very fabric of his being. Now he’s planning his first solo show.

So, since he had work to do, there was just time for one last shot in this awesome space…
… Before we headed back upstairs to ground level!

And believe me, we only scratched the surface of this incredible museum… So if you ever find yourself in Frankfurt, make sure it goes at the top of your to-see list!

We’ll be back on Friday with the last of our Germany photos, so be sure to join us for a monster-filled trip finale. See you then!

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