Well hello there! And WOW, for some reason it feels like ages since my last post – there’s been a lot happening this past week. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
But first, I think I promised you a new Beastie – although some of you might recognise this little guy from the post I did a couple of weeks ago about my new Beastie-sized photo studio!
Let’s take a look at how those pictures turned out, shall we?
Ooooh, look at that! Cerise and blue, side by side, with neither colour flaring or getting washed out – teeny photographic studio, I salute you!
As for the Beastie, he’s a Sweetheart Beastie… One of the mainstays of my monster crew for every market I go to. Hearts speak to everybody*, and a soft, squishy felt one stitches up nice and quickly. This particular one was made to order for a customer I met at the Dublin Christmas Flea, who wanted a friend to keep her niece company while she’s in hospital. Hopefully his big toothy smile will help keep her spirits up…
… And he’s so proud of his oversized cuddly heart!
I also couldn’t resist kitting him out with a funny little bobble hat! Very stylish.
This Beastie had quite a way to go as well – as soon as he was ready, he left Beastie Towers and headed Down Under. But he’s bringing a flavour of this side of the globe with him… Since half of the family originally hail from Huddersfield in the UK, he’s proudly sporting the local football team’s colours!
I hope he’s settling in well in his new home!
*Well, almost everybody. At a Christmas market a few years ago, a boy marched up to my stall and told me that he really liked the handsome black and red Sweetheart Beastie I’d brought along. “Apart from that,” he said, indicating the heart, and pulling the most disdainful face I’ve ever seen.
And now for my other big news – I’m in a magazine!
I first found out about Caboodle, an independent magazine from the UK that publishes twice yearly, through the blog Claireabellemakes. I ordered a copy, loved it, and when I saw an email calling for submissions a few months later, I thought why not? Then, can you imagine how excited I was when they actually accepted one of my tutorial ideas? WOWEEEEEEE!
The magazine is available now from the Caboodle website, but here’s a sneak preview to whet your appetite! I should add (although it is probably quite obvious) that those clumsy arrows in the first picture were added by me in paint.net as an expression of my joy at being a published author. Check it out!
My tutorial is a simple dip-your-toe-into-needle-felting project, inspired by my own first forays into this craft last year. If you’re interested in giving needle felting a try, this is a handy way to get used to the basic techniques by making and decorating some simple shapes!
Big thanks to Kayti Peschke from Caboodle for sharing an electronic version of the magazine, and giving us permission to use it! And also to Eirin, who took all my photos – believe me when I say that the tutorial would have been a disaster without her help! You can view her own stunning, atmospheric work on Instagram.
Phew! That’s about all I have time for this week! Swing by again next Tuesday, when I’ll have another new Beastie to share… In the meantime, have a great week!
Well, almost… Even though I gave him strictest instructions to head directly to his new home, and to be sure to get there in time for Christmas, he took it into his woolly head to go adventuring instead!
