Hello there Beastie friends! It’s been a wild and windy week here in the North Atlantic, with a couple more storms-with-names (so you know they mean business) battering Ireland and the UK over the last few days. So do you fancy taking it eeeeeasy, and looking at some awesome sculpture? Goody, because I’m excited to share a small percentage (I promise!) of the millions of photos I took of the Dale Chihuly glass pieces at Kew Gardens last autumn.
We were lucky enough to scrape in on the very last day of “Chihuly – Reflections on Nature”, which I was dying to see after reading about it on The Snail of Happiness’s blog over the summer. And of course, I had Beastie help as I did the tour of the grounds. They made sure I didn’t miss anything.
The Temperate House was absolutely packed with these incredible creations, some of them blending beautifully with their surroundings…
… While others were a lot less subtle.
I liked how some of the shapes echoed each other a little, like these two pieces. As above, so below!
Mind you, much as I loved the unearthly, ethereal shapes, there was something a little unsettling about this one… It looks like those white bulbs are poised for a global takeover, starting right here! It didn’t seem to bother the Beasties though – maybe they’re planning a takeover of their own?
But these are just the hothouse Chihuly sculptures! There were plenty more outside, in the wild… And even on a grey English day, they seemed to glow.
They fitted in especially well in the Japanese garden – I feel more Zen already.
And when the rain got a little too heavy, we went to check out the indoor exhibition in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. In the dark rooms, each of the carefully-lit sculptures took on a life of their own. They looked like flowers, or shells, or living things… But definitely not glass!
Did any of you visit this exhibition during its run? Or is there a Chihuly living in a gallery near you? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
We’ll be back next week with another new Beastie for you to meet – see you then!
Now, I don’t mind admitting that this was a pretty big project. All Beastifications are important, of course, but it was hinted that this pair would be joining the wedding party on the day. They’d be given the monster task of looking after (not eating!) the wedding cake, and the ceremony and reception were to take place in the oh-so-fancy Merchant Hotel in Belfast.
The jackets close with a snap fastener, and are completely removable. Underneath, a shirt with felt collar and cuffs completes the look… Then a black ribbon bow tie adds a final flourish. Here’s Mr P Beastie to give us a close-up!
Let’s just take another look at those jackets… First of all, they’re fully lined!
I used a lighter weight wool and viscose blend felt for this, to make sure the jackets kept their lines and didn’t end up looking like bulky winter coats. They’ve got black satin collars, and…
… I even copied the cuff buttons from the human-sized version!
… And then sending them down the aisle with a special accessory each!
Meanwhile, Mr D Beastie decided to toast to the success of the marriage with a refreshing Beastie-sized pint.
Strategically-placed magnets mean that the Beasties can set their goodies down and hit the dancefloor at the end of the night, too!
And while they’re off honeymooning, we might indulge in a bit more holiday reminiscing ourselves! Join us next week for more from 
That’s the 
But what a difference this time around! Look at all this greenery! It’s the perfect place for a pair of woolly monsters to hang out.
And while there were plenty of interesting things to see at ground level…
“Check us out! We’re flowers!”
… The Beasties couldn’t wait to climb up the spiral staircase to the balcony and feel tall!
From our high perch, you really see how huge the Temperate House is. It’s the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world today… And it needs to be big! Since “temperate” covers pretty much any part of the world outside of the tropics and the polar regions, 1500 species of plants from 5 continents and 16 islands call this giant greenhouse home.
But they were soon distracted by many more curious plants and idyllic quiet corners.
Eventually though…
But the weather outside the Temperate House is decidedly less temperate…
What now? Should the Beasties stay indoors, or risk getting their paws wet as they explore the rest of Kew? We’ll find out next time we catch up with them… But be sure to join us next week when I’ll have some new Beasties for you to meet!
“
It’s our old buddy 
“Ooooh, check this out!”
It’s almost possible for Beasties to get lost in among all that colour. Can you spot them?
The treetop walkway is really spectacular… But the boys really had to hold on tight! It was a little breezy up there!
What’s this then? Perhaps it will help if we zoom out a little.
This is “Memory Palace”, an 18-metre-wide sculpture by British designer and artist Es Devlin. It’s named after the mnemonic technique where memories are preserved by mentally linking them to familiar locations – I’m sure any fans of “Sherlock” out there will recognise the idea! In “Memory Palace”, each feature on this curved white landscape is a place where a significant societal shift took place.
Mirrors on one wall and the ceiling expand the boundaries of the sculpture, and slightly change the way you see the individual elements… The same way memory can, I suppose!
That said, the most attentive BeastieBlog readers will surely remember 
And I’m hoping she’s as happy with her hairstyle as I am – check out those cute wool and mohair curls!
Well, the way I see it, you never know when you might be faced with a baking emergency. And I’d hate to send any Beastie out into the world without their favourite piece of kit. But if you can think of any other eventualities where a rolling pin might be useful, or if you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you thought “I really wish I’d had a rolling pin with me”, be sure to share them in the comments!
In 2019, I took a big leap and had a go at organising my own craft fair! I rounded up a group of my favourite local craftspeople, and met some awesome new makers as well.
If you’re not entirely sure who this is, you can find out in 
“… Belongs to a guy who’s travelling to Washington DC tomorrow!”
“Not quite there…”
“Sorry! Is that any better?”
And after a slightly inelegant scramble…
“Eeek! My rolling pin has got stuck!”
Paddy and Plunkett were just getting ready to tuck into a human-sized portion of their very favourite meal – honey mustard chicken.
“Hang on… When were you in Albania? Did you go without me?!”
“Sure thing… Shame to let it get cold, though. I’ll just have a bit. YUM!”
Meanwhile, at the door…
“And she’d like our guidan… WHERE’S MY LUNCH?!”
“Oh, you must be the intrepid Paddy Beastie! I’ve read all about you – what a pleasure to meet you at last!”
… Which is apparently hovering above us somewhere!
But how is he holding onto that thing?
Now he can grab all sorts of cool stuff.
A Beastie has to stay fit, after all! And since this little guy’s human counterpart works in a gym, he’ll fit right in there too. Especially in his cool shorts and muscle vest outfit…
Wait a sec, who’s that I hear?
It’s our Beastie’s trusty pup – a Beastie-sized Pekingese! (Or should that be Beastie-ngese?)
SUNGLASSES!
… Because this modelling malarkey is tougher than it looks!