Hey Sisters! Go Sisters!

Hello there Beastie friends! I’ve another fresh new Beastification to share with you today… And better yet, it’s a two-for-one deal! I give you – the Beastie Sisters!
Beastie Sisters, a Personalised Gift by CrawCrafts BeastiesThis happy pair were made as a Christmas gift for two real-life human sisters, Emily and Holly.

Let’s meet Holly Beastie first!
Emily Beastie, Personalised Monster Doll by CrawCrafts BeastiesHuman Holly is super into horses, so a Beastie with an esquestrienne flavour fitted the bill perfectly. I started at the top, with a traditional black peaked riding hat…
Beastie-Size Riding Hat - CrawCrafts Beasties…And her soft alpaca hair is pulled neatly in underneath in a very stylish bun.
Emily Beastie's Hair - CrawCrafts BeastiesThen her outfit is completed with a natty little hand-sewn tweed jacket… Which really unbuttons!
Emily Beastie's Jacket - CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd underneath, she’s got a crisp white shirt and ribbon tie.

Anything else? Oh yes, here’s a riding crop in case you need it!
Emily Beastie's Crop - CrawCrafts BeastiesPerfect! And then for little sister…
Holly Beastie, a Personalised Monster Doll by CrawCrafts Beasties…A sweet little ribbon-tie dress, with a cute Matryoshka doll print! Ideal for little hands to play with.
Holly Beastie's Dress - CrawCrafts BeastiesI also love her hairstyle!
Holly Beastie's Hair - CrawCrafts BeastiesThese are the same alpaca tresses that Emily Beastie has (they are sisters, after all!) but they look completely different cut short in a halo of soft curls.

And of course, Holly Beastie needs an accessory too. Here you go!
Holly Gets a Bag - CrawCrafts BeastiesLooking good!

And we all know that when a Beastie has a bag, there’s usually something inside. This is the perfect place to stash a tasty snack for later… And maybe she’ll even share it with her sister!Holly with Accessories - CrawCrafts Beasties
And with that, these two were ready to go! They hopped in a box, and made it to their new home just in time for the Christmas festivities. According to inside sources, they spent most of their first day there being helped into and out of their outfits!

Next week, we’re taking a break from new Beasties to check in with Paddy and Plunkett for the first time in 2019. I’m not sure what they’re up to, but they did want me to remind you that their handsome green faces are gracing the first page of the Beastie Calendar for this year. You can still download your copy from our online store here.

See you then!

Spencer Beastie, A Personalised Commission by CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasties Are Doin’ It For Themselves!

Aaaah, the new year! It’s a time when many of us think about taking on a new interest, or learning a new skill… And perhaps more than a few of you are considering trying your hand at a little DIY.

Well, the Beasties are WAAAAAY ahead of you on that one! Meet Spencer Beastie, a practical little monster who lives for building, creating and fixing things.
Spencer Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesSpencer Beastie was requested by our good buddy Melissa at Knitting the Stash, as a gift for her husband. And he’ll have to be VERY on the ball to keep up with Human Spencer, who is always working away at something cool. In fact, Human Spencer’s latest oeuvre is a complete renovation of an old prison bus… It’s amazing! You can catch up with the project on his YouTube channel, or keep an eye on his progress on Instagram, here.

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So, I thought a good starting point would be to make sure that Spencer Beastie can pull his weight when there’s work to be done. Go go magic magnetic paws!
Magic Magnetic Beastie Paws - CrawCrafts BeastiesNot only can he now hold things, he can also “hang out” on metal surfaces in the prison bus!

Then with Melissa’s guidance, I was able to copy Human Spencer’s tattoo…
Beastie Tattoo - Spencer Beastie by CrawCrafts Beasties… Glasses…
Glasses for Spencer Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties… Favourite hat…Spencer Beastie's Hat - Felt and Embroidery - CrawCrafts Beasties… And trademark bandana handkerchief!
Spencer Beastie's Bandana - CrawCrafts Beasties

Now, what’s that? A backpack?
I spy a Backpack! Spencer Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesI think we all know what that means… Let’s see what’s inside!
What's in Spencer Beastie's Rucksack? CrawCrafts BeastiesAha! Everything a Beastie needs to tackle a serious refit project – a Beastie-sized torch, pocket knife and hammer!

And of course, each piece contains a magnet so that Spencer Beastie can hold them by himself!
Hold on, Spencer Beastie! Magnetic Felt Accessories by CrawCrafts BeastiesFinally, for those of you who are suckers for the teeniest of tiny details, the torch contains a glass bead “bulb”…
A Beastie-Sized Torch, by CrawCrafts Beasties… And the blade of the pocket knife really folds out!
A Beastie-sized Pocket Knife - CrawCrafts BeastiesWell, I think you’re ready to help out in the workshop, Spencer Beastie! Better get packed up and make the journey Stateside…
Spencer Beastie Packs His Bags - CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd the best bit is, you can see him settling in to his new home! Melissa very kindly featured Spencer Beastie in the latest episode of her podcast series… Check it out here!


It gets Beastie-ful at 15 minutes, but I so enjoy Melissa’s engaging, interesting shows that I’d recommend watching from the start. Who knows, it might inspire you to pick up the needles and get knitting this year!

And that’s all from me this week… But I’ll be back next Tuesday with more of the Beasties who found new homes during the festive season! Hope to see you then!

A Happy Beastie Family - CrawCrafts Beasties

A Whole New Beastie Family!

Hey there Beastie friends! We’re broadcasting a little later than usual, because as we all know, proximity to the holiday season wreaks havoc with the best-laid plans of mice and monster-makers. Buuuuut I’m optimistic that I can make it up to you by distracting you with a whole family of new Beasties!

They actually left Beastie Towers some time ago, but only reached their new home over the weekend. So I’m really happy that I can finally share them without spoiling any surprises! Look, here comes the first one now… Hello there!
A Pretty Lady Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesOoooh, nice dress… Care to give us a twirl?
Beastie Dress - CrawCrafts BeastiesLovely!

Now, I think this little fellow is also part of the family.
A Teeny Baby Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesUh-oh! He’s missing his mum… Time to hand him back!
Handing Baby Beastie back to Mum - CrawCrafts BeastiesYou might just be able to see that she has special velcro paws, so that she can hug him extra tight.
Beastie Mama and Baby - CrawCrafts Beasties

But we can’t stay home all day – it’s time to get to work! Mama Beastie is also a doctor, so I’ve got her white coat pressed and ready to wear.
Beastie Doctor with White Coat - CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd with Baby Beastie peacefully napping in the nursery, Dad Beastie just manages to nab a quick cuddle as Mama Beastie dashes out to the hospital!
Dr Mama Beastie and Hubby - CrawCrafts BeastiesLet’s chat to him next. Hey, Cool Dad Beastie!
Cool Dad Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesLooks like he’s about to tuck into some lunch! A slice of pepperoni pizza…
Beastie Pizza - CrawCrafts Beasties… Topped with lashings of every Beastie’s favourite spicy sauce – Tabeastco!
Tabeastco Spicy Sauce - CrawCrafts BeastiesLet’s hope he doesn’t accidentally get any on that nice checked shirt! Very stylish.
Beastie-Sized Checked Shirt - CrawCrafts BeastiesNow, how about one more family portrait before we go?
A Happy Beastie Family - CrawCrafts BeastiesBeautiful!

Big congratulations to baby Michael who celebrated his christening on Sunday, and to his proud parents David and Naomi! And thank you to Louise, Peter and Isabel for knowing that a full-family Beastification is the best way to mark such an important event.

And while I’m doing thank yous – cheers to the lovely people I met at the Dublin Cat Fair this past weekend! I so enjoyed chatting to you all, and hopefully I’ll see you at next year’s fair. I promise I’ll bring more Tree Kitties next time.
Tree Ornaments in Box - Cat Tree Decorations - CrawCrafts BeasAaaaand finally – the wonderful Georgian houses of Dublin’s Merrion Square are throwing open their doors for Christmas on the Square this coming Saturday, and the Beasties will be there! Find us in the Irish Architectural Archive at no.45 from 10am-5pm. Full details are here if you need ’em!

Hope to see you there! And if not, I’ll be back with a quick post next Tuesday… Possibly even at the usual time!

Woolly Wedding Gift II – The Groom Arrives!

Hey everybody! I hope the new week (and new month) are treating you well! It’s been another busy week here at Beastie Towers… So much so that last Tuesday’s post feels like a loooong time ago! But you might remember meeting this lovely Beastie lady…
Everything for a Bridal Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties… And getting a brief peek at the handsome monster man in her life, too!
The Happy Couple, Wedding Gift Beasties by CrawCrafts BeastiesThis happy pair were created as a one-of-a-kind wedding gift, to be given to the groom on the big day itself! So perhaps we should take this opportunity to get to know him a little better.

Hey there, Mr Adam Beastie!
Mr Adam Beastie, A Wedding Gift Commission by CrawCrafts BeastiesAhhh, look at that winning smile!

In keeping with the “us as we are everyday” wardrobe brief, I kitted him out in knitted jeans and a bright green felt t-shirt. I think the zingy lime shade really makes the most of his lovely blue complexion!
Adam Beastie's Outfit - Wedding Gift Beasties by CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd what’s this? Do we have another guitar-playing Beastie in our midst? I think so!
Beastie Guitar - Wedding Gift Beasties by CrawCrafts BeastiesAs usual, I’ve tried to capture the essence of Human Adam’s favourite guitar in Beastified form! This process always takes a while – when I made my first Beastie guitar many years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the huge number of shapes the humble guitar could potentially take! Every Beastie guitar calls for a serious tweaking of existing templates – if not a complete redesign.

That said, the end result always makes me smile… And I’m grateful that I’ve never (yet) been asked to Beastify something really tricky, like a tuba or a trombone! Perhaps you’d like to play us something, Adam Beastie?
Adam Beastie Plays Guitar! CrawCrafts BeastiesAaaah, music to my ears! And it looks like I’m not the only one enjoying it…
Sweet Beastie Music - CrawCrafts BeastiesHis Beastie Bride certainly seems to be a fan too! Oh, and who’s this coming over to join them?
Who's This? A Beastie Family, by CrawCrafts BeastiesIt’s Zoey, their fuzzy, faithful Beastiedog!
Beastie Zoey - Needle-felted Dog by CrawCrafts BeastiesBeastie Zoey was an essential part of this wedding gift, and I brought her to life through the magic of needle felting! She’s also wearing a felt collar personalised with her initial, so there’s no mistaking who she is.

Oh, it looks like she’d like to get to know YOU a little better!
Beastie Zoey Smiles - CrawCrafts BeastiesBut of course, her heart belongs to her adopted mum!
Doggies are a Beast's Best Friend - CrawCrafts BeastiesLooks like doggies really ARE a Beast’s best friend!

And now that everyone’s here, it’s time for…
Walkies! Wedding Gift Beasties by CrawCrafts Beasties…WALKIES!

Thanks again to Kristen for requesting this super-special wedding gift, and trusting me to Beastify her family! It’s been a lot of fun, and got me trying out some new skills to boot!

Oh, and in case you missed Saturday’s post, I blitzed the final 3 calendar pages of 2018 at the end of last week, and uploaded them all together as a single handy package.
Calendar October to December - CrawCrafts BeastiesAs usual, they’re totally free… So don’t forget to grab your copy from our online store! And October’s page is a bit special, because it’s another colour-it-yourself drawing. We’d love to see your finished masterpieces, so tag ’em on Instagram or Twitter with #beastiegallery so I can enjoy them!

To inspire you, here’s one Weekes did earlier!

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And now I’m off to set a good example, and colour mine in too! I’ll be back next week with some autumnal pictures from Dublin’s parks, so be sure to join us then!

Have a super week!

Kristen Beastie by CrawCrafts Beasties

Woolly Wedding Day!

Hello there Beastie friends! It’s Tuesday again, and guess what? It’s another new Beastie day! I think I might have mentioned once or twice that I had a pretty busy summer, and I love that I can share these creations with you at last. Today’s project was commissioned as a very special surprise gift from a bride-to-be to her new hubby on their wedding day. So, no pressure!

How about we start with the beautiful Beastie bride?
Kristen's Wedding Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesThe brief for this Beastification was to show how this couple looks every day, rather than their one-off wedding outfits. So Mrs Kristen Beastie is wearing her favourite yoga pants and a stylish vest top… Although I couldn’t resist adding some extra detail on the back of the top to make it extra special!
Crossover Detail on Vest Top - CrawCrafts BeastiesI also had a great time capturing her multi-toned blonde hair!

Oh, and in case you were wondering what that blue stripe across her front in the first picture was…
Yoga Mat and Bag - CrawCrafts BeastiesIt’s a Beastie-sized yoga mat in its own custom-made bag! The mat has an embroidered edge that matches Mrs Beastie’s vest top, while the bag has a handy drawstring closure decorated with silver beads.

And speaking of all things silver and sparkly… Perhaps it’s time to add a little extra glamour to the proceedings!
Beastie Tiara by CrawCrafts BeastiesWaaaay back at the beginning of this Beastification, Kristen Beastie’s human counterpart sent a few photos to help me along. One of them showed her dressed for a big night out, with a twinkly tiara to complete the look. She asked if I could make a Beastie-sized version… How could I resist a challenge like that?!

I used silver-coated wire and Swarovski crystal beads to create the teardrop-shaped loops of the original in miniature. It was fun to work with these new materials, but they’re much harder on your hands than the soft wool and felt I usually work with. So, I have a new respect for all the jewellery makers out there! And although I wasn’t able to capture it on camera, the sparkle and rainbow reflections from the crystal beads when they caught the sunlight was off the charts! I might need to make one of these for myself…

After that, this little monster lady just needed one more thing to complete her lineup of accessories…
Starbeasts Coffee - Beastie Coffee Cup by CrawCrafts BeastiesWell, she has to keep her energy up, doesn’t she? And since a Beastie could easily take a bath in a human-size grande latte from international coffee purveyors Starbucks, she’s chosen a caffeinated pick-me-up from her local Starbeasts instead. Delicious!

This Beastie beverage comes in a wool felt cup, with needle-felted sculpted lid and a hand-embroidered Starbeasts logo. And it just fits nicely in her little woolly paw!
Everything for a Bridal Beastie - CrawCrafts BeastiesReady to go!

But wait, you probably need more than one person for a wedding! Has anyone seen Mr Beastie?

Aha! There he is.
The Happy Couple, Wedding Gift Beasties by CrawCrafts BeastiesA handsome fellow indeed! But you’ll have to wait until next week to meet him… And there might be another family member joining us in the pictures too, so stay tuned!

Also, don’t forget to swing by again on Friday for a between-the-numbers post about Beastie calendars… See you then!

Santa Paws is Comin' to Town! CrawCrafts Beasties

It’s That Time Again…

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…
Santa Beastie Among the Beans - E Torgersen/CrawCrafts Beasties… 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!

Painting Time! CrawCrafts Beasties

In The Frame – A Learning Experience

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…
All the Family Together - CrawCrafts 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!
Special Sticky Beastie Feet - CrawCrafts BeastiesSo 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…
Checking our Finances for Framing - CrawCrafts Beasties… 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)…
Framing Test - CrawCrafts BeastiesSaved! 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!
We Found a Mount Board! CrawCrafts BeastiesThen all we had to do was to find a matching paint to take care of the sides…
Painting Time! CrawCrafts Beasties… 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.
Time for Some Woodwork! CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd with a couple of coats of paint…
A Riser for the Frame - CrawCrafts BeastiesSuccess!

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?
All Done! Framed Family Portrait Beasties, by CrawCrafts BeastiesI’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!

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!
Lino Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesI used a wool and alpaca yarn for his hair, and dressed him in a smart blue felt t-shirt and grey shorts.
Lino Beastie's Outfit - CrawCrafts Beasties

And what’s that in his paw?
Beastie-Sized Olive Oil Bottle - CrawCrafts BeastiesIt’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!
Florence Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesThis 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!
Beastie Hairdressing - CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd let’s take a proper look at that dress, too.
Florence Beastie's Dress - CrawCrafts BeastiesI 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…
Sophia Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties…Voilà! One Beastie-sized leotard!
Beastie Leotard - CrawCrafts BeastiesPerfect for a day at the studio, or her next big stage performance! She looks happy, anyway.
Beastie Smile -  CrawCrafts Beasties

And let’s not forget their brother, Lucca Beastie!
Lucca Beastie Closeup - CrawCrafts BeastiesHe’s looking sharp in a tailored button-down shirt and boxy-framed glasses.
Lucca Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd after seeing a set of headphones in one of my reference photos, I thought I’d better Beastify those too!
Beastie-Sized Headphones - CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd, last but not least, meet Lino Beastie’s partner Lynn Beastie!Lynn Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesThis 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.
Beastie Sundress by CrawCrafts BeastiesThen a pair of snazzy sunglasses completes her look!
Beastie Sunglasses - CrawCrafts BeastiesOh, and who’s this?
Lego the Beastie Dog - CrawCrafts BeastiesWell, I did mention there was a dog! Hey there, Beastie Lego!
Beastie-Sized Dog, by CrawCrafts BeastiesHeehee! I think he likes you.
Lego the Dog's Closeup - CrawCrafts BeastiesNow, let’s get everyone together in the Teeny Photo Studio for a group shot!
All the Family Together - CrawCrafts BeastiesLovely!

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…
Special Sticky Beastie Feet - CrawCrafts Beasties… See you then!

A Shy Baby Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties, Beastie HQ

Beastie Super Science!

Hello everybody! It’s a new week, and a new month… So I reckon we’d better have a new Beastie, too! Following my first experimental leap into the world of the Scientist Beastie
Scientist Beastie, Ready for Work! CrawCrafts Beasties…I got a request for another science-minded monster from the same customer, who wanted a special gift for a friend! And this one has even more of a twist, because…
A Scientist Beastie with a Superhero Twist, by CrawCrafts Beasties… She’s also a SUPERHERO!

Here, take a look! I made her some special accessories to keep her heroic alter-ego a secret… A hand-stitched felt mask and a silky cape to billow behind her as she flies off to fight evil.
Superhero Accessories for Scientist Supermum Beastie by CrawCrafts BeastiesI also created a personalised superhero logo to go on her jumpsuit, in colours that complement her outfit and her delicate rose-pink complexion. Brand identity is very important in the superhero universe, y’know.
Custom Superhero Logo, by CrawCrafts Beasties

But who’s this? Looks like there’s someone else here too… Although apparently they’re feeling a little bit shy. Can we maybe see that pretty face?
A Shy Baby Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties, Beastie HQYay! That’s much better.
Supermum Scientist Beastie and her Baby - CrawCrafts BeastiesSupermum Scientist Beastie’s human counterpart is also a proud mum… So it only seemed right that this monster lady had a little girl Beastie of her own to keep her company. Ready for your closeup, Baby Girl Beastie?
Baby Girl Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties

She’s inherited her mum’s lovely pink skin tone, and her rich chestnut-coloured hair too. But hers is still baby-fine, so she loves to wear it in a cute pineapple ponytail on top of her head. I’ve completed her outfit with stripey legs and a sweet botanical-print cotton skirt!

But hey, where does the scientist bit come in?

Right now, actually. It’s time to head off to the day job! On with the lab coat…Scientist Beastie, Ready for Work! Handmade Personalised Gift by CrawCrafts Beasties… And grab a coffee along the way!
Beastie-Size Coffee, by CrawCrafts Beasties

Once she arrives, she’s got everything she needs for her working day, too. Supermum Scientist Beastie’s human counterpart is a biologist, so I made Beastified versions of some of the equipment she uses – a cell culture flask and a micropipette!
Beastie Size Lab Equipment, Handmade by CrawCrafts BeastiesI used a combination of sewing and needle felting techniques on these accessories to get the shaping just right… I even ended up stitching the flask with fishing line to keep it as close to transparent as possible!
Beastie Size Coffee Cup, Cell Culture Flask and Micropipette by CrawCrafts BeastiesPhew! I reckon I just about captured all the facets of this busy Beastie’s life! What do you think?
Many Faces - Personalised Beastie Commission by CrawCrafts BeastiesDon’t forget to drop back in on Friday for more German shenanigans (or should that be Germanigans?) with Explorer Beastie! And if you missed part 1, you can catch up here. See you then!

Beastie Besties - tierneycreates Beastie and Dog by CrawCrafts Beasties

A New Addition to the Beastie Family!

Hello everybody! Wow, can you believe we’re nearly at the end of June already? It’s really flown in… But I figure we have just enough time to squeeze in another new Beastie post before we fully jump into July! So, allow me to formally introduce my latest Beastie commission – tierneycreates Beastie!
tierneycreates Beastie Face Closeup - CrawCrafts Beasties, Beastie HQSome of you may have met her already – she’s been very active on Tierney’s blog from the moment she arrived in her new home! But this project had me trying my hand at some new/long-neglected techniques which I’d like to share with you… And besides, it’s pretty much traditional to give every Beastie commission their 15 minutes of fame on the BeastieBlog! Now, on with the show!

Let’s start with the outfits, shall we? This little monster lady has a choice of two ensembles – a hand-stitched felt t-shirt in a burgundy shade that goes beautifully with her delicate orange complexion, and a cosy handknit Aran sweater for cooler days and possible return trips to her Irish homeland.
Beastie Aran Sweater and T Shirt, handmade by CrawCrafts BeastiesBeautifully modelled, tierneycreates Beastie!
tierneycreates Beastie Outfits, handmade by CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd like many of my recent commission pieces, she’s rocking an excellent pair of Beastie-size specs! Those are removable, by the way.
Beastie Miniature Glasses, by CrawCrafts BeastiesMy Mum also suggested that I start using props in my accessory photos to give you all an idea of their actual size. She’s full of good ideas!

Next, let’s talk hair. Oh, this hair! You see, I went a bit over the top trying to copy Human Tierney’s very awesome skinny dreads. Early in the Beastification process, I decided that the chunky wool I planned to use was entirely the wrong texture. But I figured that if I needle-felted it, it would become dread-ier… And I’d have an excuse to do some needle felting. Double win! Unfortunately, post-needle-felting, my crazy eyes detected too much fuzziness and uneveness in the strands. “I know! I’ll wet felt them to even them out!”

And once I’d started down that road, I couldn’t very well turn back. Cue several cycles of felting, waiting for the pieces to dry, attaching them and then realising I’d need more. Fortunately, we had a minor heatwave as my deadline approached, or I would have had to send tierneycreates Beastie out the door with wet hair!

That said, all this practice has really honed my wet felting technique… Something I plan to make use of in future projects! Oh, and here’s how those dreads turned out…
tierneycreates Beastie Dreads and Hat - Beastie HQAlso pictured is tierneycreates Beastie’s hand-knitted slouchy beanie hat, inspired by one Human Tierney recently made for herself, but with one slight difference – strategically-placed earholes to help hold it in place on her head!

Then, to complete the top-to-toe ensemble – check out those natty little Beastie boots!
Beastie Boots, Handmade by CrawCrafts BeastiesThe yellow stitching is modeled on my own beloved DM boots, but I chose a nice sky blue for the Beastified version to add a pop of colour!

Phew! Are you still with me? Because that’s not all.

This Beastie needs a bag!
Quilting Inspired Beastie Bag by CrawCrafts BeastiesHuman Tierney is a very talented quilter, and I wanted to reflect this in one of her accessories. So I selected some fabrics, cut teeny-tiny squares and pieced them together to create a miniature quilted panel, which I then stitched onto the exterior of a felt bag made to my usual pattern. This is the first quilting I’ve done in about 20 years – although the less said about my teenage efforts (which remain in my parents’ attic to this day) the better! And now tierneycreates Beastie can carry around her trusty laptop and library card in style!

So, that’s everything, right?
tierneycreates Beastie Accessories by CrawCrafts BeastiesNot quite! I think we forgot somebody…
Mikelet, the Super-Miniature Schnauzer, by CrawCrafts Beasties They’re a schnauzer household chez tierneycreates, so it only seemed right that this Beastie should have her own canine companion! And because the humans in the home already have a miniature schnauzer called Mike, this miniature miniature schnauzer has been named “Mikelet”!

Ready for walkies, Mikelet?
Beastie Walkies - Handmade Commission Work by CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd of course, there’s always time for a cuddle!
Beastie Besties - tierneycreates Beastie and Dog by CrawCrafts BeastiesYou can see where tierneycreates Beastie and Mikelet went on their walk in Tierney’s latest Beastie-based post… And don’t forget to join us again on Friday when I’ll be sharing a Beastie adventure of my own!

See you then!