Well hello there everyone! It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Dublin, and to make it EVEN BETTER, some pictures from Paddy and Plunkett dropped into my inbox last week. I was beginning to wonder where they’d got to… When they’re quiet, that’s often a sign of mischief brewing. But here they are, on the road (or rather, the rails) again!
The lads do enjoy a nice trip on the train.
Hey look, we’re here!
Um, Cullywherenow?
Cullybackey is a village that sits almost halfway between Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. It may be small, but they have an interesting welcoming party standing by to greet our adventurous Beastie duo!
And it doesn’t stop with leprechauns, either. Look out, Plunkett… Here be dragons!
Oh, and unicorns and fairies too!
But you might be surprised to learn that these wondrous creatures are not the reason Paddy and Plunkett took the train to Cullybackey. Well, not the only reason.
Walk on a little further, and…
Ta-daaaaaah! Bluebells galore!
And as the boys ventured deeper into the wood, the bluebells really started to take over!
This incredible display is in Galgorm Wood, a forest managed by the Woodland Trust. Better still, these bluebells are the kind native to Britain and Ireland, rather than the invasive straight-stemmed Spanish variety which has elbowed them out in many places.
But in such a profusion of bluebell blooms, a Beastie could easily get lost.
“Paddy? Paaaddyyyyy!”
So, where’s he got to?
Oh, I see him! Paddy can never resist a bit of tree climbing, and storm-felled beech trees make a perfect Beastie climbing frame.
And on the other side… It’s a Beastie-sized cabin!
You’d better get the kettle on, Paddy… I think Plunkett will need a big cup of tea when he eventually tracks you down!
Do any of you have a local bluebell wood to explore? Or is there another plant that heralds the change of the season where you are? Tell us all about it in the comments!
And I’ll have a new Beastie for you all to meet next week, so be sure to join us then!
… But following a Grand Slam victory for Wales in the Six Nations rugby tournament earlier this year, she thought a special celebratory addition to their wardrobe was in order. So I found a willing Beastie model to help me get the sizing right, and TA-DAAAAAAH!
One Beastified Wales Rugby jersey!
… And added an appliquéd number 8 on the back!
The significance of the number 8 is still a mystery to us here at Beastie Towers, but it’s clearly got some sort of special meaning to Jon Beastie and his human counterpart. I’m keeping an eye on 
I can’t imagine why that might be.
Poor Explorer Beastie!
… But Explorer Beastie really enjoyed his therapeutic bubble bath!
“Aaaaah! We should do this every week!”
Whiter teeth and a nice clean beanie hat were just an added bonus!
And now he’s ready for action again!
Beastie Hospital services are available to all Beasties, too! You only need to reach into your pocket to pay postage back to Beastie Towers – we’ll take care of the rest. Contact me 
This boutique distillery is proud of its small size, and the owners are eager to keep as much of their production in-house as possible. That means using locally-grown grain as the base for their gin, whiskey, vodka and poitín, distilling and bottling everything in that cool-looking building in the photo above… And even designing their own specialised equipment to help the process along!
Those apple trees are pretty special – they’re descendants of a variety created for the original owners of the land where the distillery stands! They’ve a bit of growing to do yet, but I’m sure the Echlinville folks are already dreaming up fun things to make from those apples.
Hey there, Garcia Beastie! Loyal BeastieBlog readers may remember this fuzzy little guy as one of my very early commissions. The post where I introduce him is still knocking about 
Too late. I suppose it’s for the best that Garcia Beastie left his skis at home today!
Then the sun kept on shining all day… And Easter Monday too! Time to catch some rays.
Of course, you can’t count on the sun to stick around in these parts. So when we went to the beach on Tuesday…
“Hey, where did the good weather go?”
… But we had more fun looking for curious things on the tideline. And where could that mysterious gate lead?
Next, a little break to sit and watch the world (and some of the local bird life) go by. A perfect end to a relaxing holiday!
So, did any of you get away for a spring break? Be sure to tell us all about your adventures in the comments!
Meet Julia Beastie! This particular monster lady was made as a very special “Yay, you finished your MA thesis” gift… And as you can see, she’s not travelling alone. She’s being kept company by her feline felt friend, Paddy the cat!
Now, Beasties with pet cats aren’t new – you may remember that I made a few for the 
However, this was the first time I had attempted to copy a particular cat’s markings. Since this Beastie’s human counterpart is the proud owner of a devilishly handsome polydactyl cat, it only seemed right that Felt Paddy paid proper tribute to Real Paddy.
… And the combination of delicate green skin with rich dusky rose stripes!
Aaah, you can’t beat those classics! Although I adjusted this Anne Bront
And how about a ticket to a show, to complete the set?
“Carousel” is one of Human Julia’s favourites, so it’s fairly safe to assume that her new Beastie companion will enjoy it too. Just one thing, though…
“… And pop it in my backpack for me?”
As you can see, the straps clip into place at the base of the bag. That means they can simply be slipped around a Beastie arm and attached!
Perfect!
Here’s wishing them all kinds of monster adventures together!
No, I haven’t been hiding out in the daffodil patch with Paddy and Plunkett for the last month… Although I bet that would be a party!
Since we last spoke, I’ve been gradually moving more of my crafting kit out of Beastie Towers and into the studio… One blue IKEA bag at a time! Honestly, what did craftspeople use to transport their gear around before?! I’ve also picked up a few things to make my little workspace a bit more “Beastie”, and I’ll be sure to give you the new and improved photo tour in a future post.
…Plus a couple to finish up and add to my online store (AT LAST)!
And what about you? What have you been up to since we last saw each other? Be sure to tell us all your latest news in the comments!
We’re just down this passageway, in the open-plan Back Loft area! Turn the corner and…
Please excuse the mess… I’m still in the process of moving in! A bit of that craftsplosion I mentioned earlier will definitely take care of those empty walls and clear tables, too.
… While still having a separate fabric-cutting and ironing station!
And here’s a sneaky peek at some of the communal spaces. I’m really looking forward to relaxing in the roof garden this summer.
Today, I brought along the first (and most important) decorations for my studio walls as well – pictures and cards from some of my Beastie friends! Perhaps a few of you will spot something familiar in here…
Oh… And one more thing. This studio comes with a free feline friend! Hey there, Ophelia!
Isn’t she pretty? Expect to see a lot of her in future posts! Apparently she has a bit of a thing for yarn though, so I’m making sure all my storage boxes are kitty-proof!
Paddy was only a little disappointed that he wasn’t allowed to climb up on one of the silvery points and shout “I’m the king of the world!” at passers by. But once Plunkett pointed out that no-one would be able to see him up there anyway, he agreed that a portrait on the steps was a better way to go.
This sculpture by English artist Andy Stallard shows the celebrated liner as an Airfix model kit… And local engineering firm Harland and Wolff (who built the real Titanic) assisted in its creation!
This is the 
Paddy is most impressed!
Beastie legs are of course wee-er than human legs, and more in need of rest!
This is where the Titanic was built and launched, more than 100 years ago. This slipway was originally designed to accommodate 3 ships, but because the Olympic-class liners were so big, the area was reconfigured for 2 larger vessels. The line of posts down the left side of the photo shows how long Titanic was – Plunkett is mesmerised by the sheer scale of it! Meanwhile, Paddy has gone to trace the ship’s “footprint”, which is outlined in granite cobbles, and lit up in blue after dark!
And as the sun set on another Beastie adventure, the boys took a detour to visit a new addition to the Titanic Quarter… One that they thought I would especially like to see.
This is the 
It’s been a while since I made a Rugby Beastie – you can check out past members of Team Beastie 
So, in knitting terms, this guy is rocking an extra row on his torso, and a couple of extra rows to lengthen his legs!
The colour is inspired by his human counterpart, and the yarn I used was a luxurious blend of alpaca and wool. You’ll have to take my word for it, but it’s unbelievably soft.
And hopefully he worked a little monster magic for his teammates, too!
… And look, I’ve finally caught up with them – in the vegetable garden!
Meanwhile, Plunkett is checking out his rhubarb for signs of life. Hmmm, looks like we could almost have an early harvest soon!
But, pleasant as the thought of hot summer days spent munching juicy raspberries may be, that’s not going to fill any Beastie bellies today! And the first rumblings of Paddy’s stomach add a sudden note of urgency to this vegetable garden foray… What can the boys find to eat right now? Surely there has to be something better on the menu than parsley and baby rhubarb stew?
Hurray for kale! Super tasty, and super good for you… And very much in season, even right now! YUM!