Monsters – Page 10

Cat Sweater Beasties, by CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasties! Cats! Gin!

Posted on November 20, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Crafting, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

It may only be Tuesday, but it seems like we’re already in party mode here at Beastie Towers! Come and join us as we pick a name for the 2018 sloe gin batch, as promised last week, and give you a sneak peek of some of the other kitty-inspired goodies we’ll be bringing to the Dublin Cat Fair this Sunday! First up…

It’s Sloe Time!

Thanks to all of you who contributed pun-tastic name suggestions for this year’s Beastie Towers Blend sloe gin! The only downside was that they were all so good that I couldn’t choose one purely on merit, and I decided to hand over the reins to chance instead. Well, chance and a couple of Beastie assistants.

First, I gathered up all the suggestions, wrote them on slips of paper, folded them neatly and… Fed them to Crablet.
Then I called on Explorer Beastie to pick a winner.
This didn’t exactly go according to plan.
But Explorer Beastie is made of sturdy stuff. Look, he’s got one!
Who is it?
Taaaa-daaaaah! 2018 is the year of “Sloe on the Uptake”, courtesy of Tammie!
Of course, Explorer Beastie would have to pick the most messily-written slip of the bunch! But an excellent result. And now I can finally get those bottles labelled!
Thanks, Tammie… And to all of you who took part! I reckon I’m all set with sloe puns for at least the next decade!

Now, how about another…

Cat Fair Preview!

This morning I assembled a sampling of my Cat Fair specials together for a pre-market photoshoot. Care to take the tour?

First of all, I thought some snow-white kitties for the tree would be a good addition to the lineup! The grey ones from last week got a good response, so let’s see how these work out. Do you have a favourite?
I also turned my hand to making some stitched embroidery hoop pictures. I’ve been meaning to do this for years! There’s a small (4in/10cm) version and a large (6in/15cm) one.
And of course, the Beasties had to get a slice of the action! First up, I made some Beasties in cosy, smiley cat sweaters.
And there will also be Beasties with their own felty, feline friends, like this guy!
Plus I reckon a few other little woolly monsters will stow away in my Beastie backpack on market day… I’ll see how much space I have!

And on that note, I’d better get back to my sewing table! Join us for more Beastie shenanigans next Tuesday, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Old Wall, New Market Season Beasties - CrawCrafts Beasties

The Calm Before Market Season

Posted on November 6, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Info, Knitted Beasties

Hello everybody! There’s heavy weather forecast for Dublin later today, so as I write I’m looking out the window and enjoying the bright sky and autumn colours before the storm sets in! And it seems doubly apt, because with market season on the way, right now is the calm before THAT particular storm kicks off too.

So, I thought it would be the perfect moment to share some sunny snaps I took on a bright, crisp Saturday a couple of weeks ago, when I let a few Beasties off the leash in the gardens at the Irish Museum of Modern Art!

First of all, I had to get them there. And that wasn’t easy, with every other tree presenting them with a tantalising climbing challenge and colourful photo opportunity!
Although it turns out that urban scenery appeals to them too.And interestingly, Aran Beastie has stumbled upon The River That Google Maps Forgot! This is the River Camac, whose name took some pretty intense searching to find… Possibly because it has been sent underground in several places along its course to avoid various roads, canals and other man-made features, and then it trickles unobtrusively into the Liffey at the end of its journey. Around here, though, its rushing waters made a pleasant soundtrack to our wanderings.

Now, onwards! We’re almost there.

Inside the gate, we found a rustic stone wall that was crying out for some Beastie action!
And a faded alcove at the entrance to the formal gardens made an excellent spot for a group photo.
But when I turned the Beasties loose in the hedges, they really started to have fun!
They also enjoyed walking down the tree-lined avenues, and marvelling at how tall their shadows looked in the sunshine!
As the sun started to set, it was time to think about heading for home. But wait a sec, isn’t there someone missing?

GAAAAAAAAH! PANIC!

Fortunately, Gift Beastie’s lovely bright pink complexion was easy to spot among the green grass and fallen leaves.
“I just stopped to look at this leaf… Check out that yellow! You should get some wool this colour for next year.”

And with that, all the Beasties piled into my bag and let me carry them home. Thanks, lads.

Back at Beastie Towers, I was able to put these pics to good use… As market season promotional shots! I sent them off to the nice folks at the Dublin Flea Christmas Market, and my profile on their site went live this morning! See which photos made the cut here.

And don’t forget to join us again next week, when I’ll be confirming my final lineup for Market Season 2018!

See you then!

A Bevy of Hallowe'en Beasties, by CrawCrafts Beasties

Happy Hallowe’en!

Posted on October 31, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Woooooooooooo!

We couldn’t resist popping in an extra post to celebrate the Beasties’ favourite holiday!

Soooo…

Have a spooktacular Hallowe’en!

And here are some seasonal monsters to get your own festivities started!
First of all, we’ve got Dracula Beastie stopping in for a bite!

Then Ghostie Beastie’s going to drift through later on.
And who knows… If the party starts to quieten down, Frankenstein’s Monster Beastie might well be on hand to bring it back to life!

Well, as long as nobody lets this guy in.

Have a monster time… And don’t forget to tell us all about your own Hallowe’en plans in the comments!

Paddy and Plunkett in the Woods - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasts in the Woods!

Posted on October 30, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Hello everybody! How’s your week going? We’ve been enjoying some beautiful crisp Autumn days here recently – the bright sun and cool air really helps clear the cobwebs. So, it will be no surprise to hear that Paddy and Plunkett have been out and about, and a little closer to home than usual, too. Let’s join them for a wander in the woods!

At the edge of the forest…

Ah, there they are! About to hop over the gate and go inside.
Uh-oh! Looks like excitement has got the better of Plunkett!
Fortunately, Paddy’s ninja-like reflexes saved him from a nasty tumble. But maybe next time they should go through the turnstile at the side, the way human visitors do.

Paddy has already spotted something interesting up ahead – that big white wedge-shaped stone!
“Hey, look! We’re in Canal Wood!”

Canal Wood is pretty young, as woods go. Volunteers from the Woodland Trust, a British conservation charity, planted the first trees to mark the millenium. Then, in 2014, extra funding allowed a few spiffy new features to be added, like better paths, a boardwalk over the marshy areas… And this sculpture! These leaves in the centre were designed by local schoolchildren – they show things like the wildlife you might meet on your visit, and the hand tools used to build the railway line and canal that border the woods.

To Paddy’s delight, it also features a Beastie-sized train and canal barge!
But as you go deeper into the woods, it’s easy to forget that these busy thoroughfares are close at hand. It’s so peaceful here! Plunkett is really in his element.
But peace and quiet isn’t really Paddy’s deal. It wasn’t long before he started looking for mischief… And he found it, in the shape of an unattended tandem.
He had high hopes of whizzing along the towpath of the Newry Canal on a bicycle made for two… Except that this one isn’t exactly made for two Beasties. Better just hop in one of the paniers and let the humans do the legwork when they come back!

Next stop, Poyntzpass!

This small village originally grew up around a crossing point in the surrounding marshes. Later, it became an important port on the canal, a link in the Belfast-Dublin railway and hosted a large monthly cattle market. It’s a little quieter now, but this beautiful metal sign celebrates its busy past. Plunkett had a closer look while Paddy dashed off to get some coffee – because of course, Paddy needs more hyperactive energy.
As well as the cattle market, horse-drawn barge and railway, the sign also shows the old schoolhouse and celebrates the awarding of the Victoria Cross (the most prestigious military decoration in Britain) to a locally-born man. Plunkett couldn’t resist getting a little closer – but then…
Oh no! He’s been bartered for a prize cow!

Will he ever find his way home? You’ll have to join us next week to find out!

Tae (Tea) Beasties, by CrawCrafts Beasties

Beastie News Roundup!

Posted on October 16, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Info, Life at Beastie Towers

Hello there Beastie friends! How’s your week going? This week’s post is going to be a bit of a mixed bag, as we catch up with a few snippets of Beastie news that I’ve been meaning to share for a while.

So, without further ado, let’s start the show…

Beastie Autumn Fun Worldwide!

Explorer Beastie isn’t the only little monster who’s been out and about enjoying the fall colours. Before he even stuck a paw outside, tierneycreates Beastie was enjoying the great outdoors with her mini-miniature schnauzer Mikelet!

tierneycreates Beastie and Mikelet - T Hogan — Picture sneakily borrowed from https://tierneycreates.com

This woolly little lady was so excited to change into her handknitted Aran sweater and kick through the fallen leaves… Although be advised that this post contains – SHOCK – Beastie nudity! You have been warned! Be sure to skip over to Tierney’s blog and check out the full post – it really made me smile.

If you’re in the mood for something more blood-curdling though, you might want to swing by Tammie Painter’s site and see what Finn McSpool encountered on his autumnal wanderings.

Finn McSpool at Hallowe'en - T Painter — Image spirited away from https://tammiepainter.com

Portland, Oregon is already gearing up for Hallowe’en, and the city is sporting some truly spine-chilling finery! Finn caught up with some celebrity spookies at City Hall, but the true horror was lurking in someone’s garden on the walk home. And if that wasn’t enough to turn you into a gibbering wreck, Tammie also used my October calendar page as the basis for a tale of Beastie terror that will scare the stuffing out of even the most courageous woolly monster!

Spooky Beastie Colouring - T Painter — Image Beastie-napped from https://tammiepainter.com

And Also in the Blogosphere…

Now, I usually like to keep things nice and upbeat here on the BeastieBlog. I mean, life is serious enough, right? But wow, this year September was tough! A couple of side projects that I’d invested a bit of time in came to nothing, and then I found out that I’d managed to completely miss the application call for my favourite Christmas market. Disaster!
Fortunately, I stumbled on some good readin’ among my fellow bloggers that helped perk me back up again. It was super cool to hear all about Weekes finding her creative feet again, and how taking photographs helped Paula of Typewriter Girl discover that she has an artistic streak after all! So thanks to both of you for making me smile!

Oh, and my mood lifted completely when I learned that the market I thought I’d missed out on had added an extra weekend, so I’m in! Hurrah! Full steam ahead on the Beastie-making!

And Looking Further Ahead…

While we’re on the subject of Christmas markets, I’m in the process of confirming a few for this coming festive season! Check out my scedule so far!

The Dublin Christmas Flea is the big one, and, all being well, I’ll be there with bells on for the second weekend (that’s the 13th-16th December inclusive). If you’re in the neighbourhood, come on over and say hi! Entry is free, and there is always SO MUCH GREAT STUFF THERE! (Besides the Beasties, obviously.)
I’m also going to be selling at the Dublin Cat Fair for the first time! So I’m currently working on a few feline sidelines that will be exclusive to that event, as well as some cat-themed Beasties. That’s on the 25th November.

There are a couple more in the pipeline, which I’ll post about as soon as the details are finalised.

Phew! Beastie news roundup complete! So I’d better get on with some crafting now, or those market stalls are going to be a little bare!

How about you? Are you prepping for festivities, or planning to remain blissfully in denial until the 15th of December? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

Woolly Wedding Gift II – The Groom Arrives!

Posted on October 2, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Crafting, Knitted Beasties

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…
… And getting a brief peek at the handsome monster man in her life, too!
This 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!
Ahhh, 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!
And what’s this? Do we have another guitar-playing Beastie in our midst? I think so!
As 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?
Aaaah, music to my ears! And it looks like I’m not the only one enjoying it…
His Beastie Bride certainly seems to be a fan too! Oh, and who’s this coming over to join them?
It’s Zoey, their fuzzy, faithful Beastiedog!
Beastie 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!
But of course, her heart belongs to her adopted mum!
Looks like doggies really ARE a Beast’s best friend!

And now that everyone’s here, it’s time for…
…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.
As 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!

View this post on Instagram

Took time out for some relaxing adult colouring thanks to @crawcraftsbeasties 🍂🍁👩🏻‍🎨 @tammiepainter I featured Finn in his most likely position 🙄 #beastiegallery 🎨

A post shared by xWeekes ll @weekes (@dazeandweekes) on Oct 1, 2018 at 7:01am PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

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!

Woolly Wedding Day!

Posted on September 25, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Knitted Beasties

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?
The 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!
I 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…
It’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!
Waaaay 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…
Well, 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!
Ready to go!

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

Aha! There he is.
A 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!

Buckfast Abbey Exterior - B Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Buckfast Beasties!

Posted on September 18, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Hello everybody, and I hope this new week is treating you well! Today we’re going to catch up with Paddy and Plunkett, who we last saw exploring the weird and wonderful environs of the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
This time, they’re much less likely to have to save their woolly skins from prowling mud giants. Their wandering paws have brought them to this peaceful place!
This is Buckfast Abbey, home to an entirely self-supporting community of Benedictine monks.

The original abbey at Buckfast was demolished in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the site became a quarry, then the grounds of a private house. But then, in 1882, the land was purchased by the Benedictines, who set about re-establishing a monastic community here.

Building work started in 1907, and took around 30 years to complete. And looking at what they created…
… You’d never know that this was accomplished with virtually no mechanical assistance. The monks borrowed a horse and cart from a local farmer for transportation, and their scaffolding was held together with tied ropes! And if you think that’s impressive…
… The interior will take your breath away!
And outside the Abbey, the grounds also contain a farm, sensory garden, lavender garden and a working water mill. The atmosphere of calm and reflection here really amazed the boys – maybe that’s why they’re not gadding about in front of the camera as much as usual!

However, on the way out, they stopped by the Abbey’s produce shop…
… To pick up a Beastie-sized sample of one of the monks’ most celebrated creations – Buckfast Tonic Wine!

“I think it’s important we support all the good work these people do, Plunkett. Now, follow me!”
Finding the perfect picnic spot isn’t always easy, but remembering that the monks built an entire Abbey using the most rudimentary equipment, the lads figured they could probably manage a short flight of steps.
“Nearly there! Aha, this looks perfect!”
Of course, Paddy was first to take a hearty glug from the bottle… I think we can all see where this is going.
Then again, Plunkett doesn’t look too steady on his feet either! This is potent stuff!
“Paddy, you are my bessshhht friend…”

Uh-oh, he’s away.
Quick, Paddy! Help him up! But carefully now, in case you…
… Fall over.

Oh well, I suppose we’d better leave them to sleep it off! There’s a lesson here about enjoying your fortified wines responsibly – especially if you’re only 5 and a half inches tall.

And how about you lot? Have you tried any interesting or unusual elixirs lately? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments!

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!

	tierneycreates: a fu… on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	crawcraftsbeasties on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	quietwatercraft on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	crawcraftsbeasties on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	The Hidden Spain on (Mer)Made Just for You!