Paddy and Plunkett on the Beach - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy and Plunkett – Last Day of the Holidays

Is it just me, or is there a whiff of change in the air? The sun, when it finally makes it out from behind the clouds, is shining with a more mellow light, and the breezes feel a little cooler than they did this time last week. It seems like summer is coming to an end – although how I’m able to notice this when it never really got started is anyone’s guess! But with the shops filling up with “back to school” supplies, and the evenings starting a little earlier each day, it’s time for a pair of adventurous little woolly monsters to think about heading for home.

But not before they’ve hit the beach one last time! This one looks nice – but where are Paddy and Plunkett?
The Beach At Dungeness - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesI suppose these pebbles would provide perfect camouflage for them. Helllooooooo?

Oh, wait… there they are!
Paddy and Plunkett at Dungeness Beach - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThey really couldn’t have asked for better weather on their last day – look at that sky, reflected in the perfectly still water behind them!
Beautiful Weather Today, Paddy! H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesUnfortunately, at this stage their budget has pretty much completely run out, so the boys will be foraging for lunch.
Mmm, lunch! H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesIs that sea kale? Let’s hope so! Sea kale actually did enjoy a brief spell of culinary popularity in the early 1800s, when a lot of people started growing it in their gardens. Although it’s easy to cultivate, it bruises easily and is best eaten soon after cutting, which is why you’re unlikely to see it in your local supermarket. Still, that doesn’t affect Paddy and Plunkett, who will be tucking in straight away!

And after lunch, perhaps it might be nice to snooze in the sun for a while…
Paddy and Plunkett Catch Some Rays - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Hey Paddy, what’s that noise in the background?”

“Ah, don’t worry about it, Plunkett…”
Paddy, Plunkett and the Nuclear Power Station - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“…It’s just the Dungeness B nuclear reactor.”

“WHAAAAAAAT?!”

Hmmm, how DO they end up in these places? Paddy spent the rest of the day trying to keep Plunkett away from the internet, so he couldn’t read about the many setbacks this power station experienced, both during its construction and ongoing maintenance! By the end of the day, both of them were all tuckered out…
Night-night! H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties…So they thought it was best to get an early night.

I wonder where they’ll be off to next? And how will you be spending the last days of summer (or winter, for those of you in the southern hemisphere)? Let us know in the comments!

The Recipe for a Monster Day Out!

Market Stall - CrawCrafts BeastiesHere at Beastie Towers we like nothing better than heading out together for a fun day at one of our local markets. And even though the weather here was less than stellar on Saturday morning, we still managed to have a good time at the Ha’Penny market – it’s definitely worth a look if you ever find yourself in Dublin!

A few of our group even went home with new human friends – first to go was Cookie Beastie…
Cookie Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties …who was snapped up by Ali from A Little Idea, one of our stall neighbours on the day!

Many of the other Beasties who ventured off to pastures new have featured on the BeastieBlog before. But one of my recent additions found a new home too! It’s been a while since I last made a Chef Beastie – perhaps two years – so I really enjoyed cracking out my old templates and making some subtle adjustments to the design. The basic formula is the same – Chef Beasties always need a classic tall white chef’s hat and an apron…
Chef Beastie's Outfit - CrawCrafts Beasties…And I still get a chuckle out of making “useful” things to put in the apron pocket!
Chef Beastie's Useful Accessories - CrawCrafts BeastiesPut it all together, and you get…
Chef Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties…And perhaps you can see the BeastiEvolution which has taken place since I made my very first Chef Beastie!Evolution of Chef Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesWho knows where they’ll go from here? Hmmm…

I have more new Beasties for you to meet, but I’m going to save ’em for next week. In the meantime, Paddy and Plunkett will be back to entertain you with more travellers’ tales on Friday. See you then!

Paddy and Plunkett Check out the Defences - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy and Plunkett, Over in Dover Again!

Well, it looks like Paddy and Plunkett are still rambling their way around the English southeast! I wonder whose rather elaborate doorstep they’ve landed on today?

Paddy, Plunkett and Dover Castle - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThis is Dover Castle, the largest castle in England. Most of this massive sprawling fortress was commissioned by Henry II, who probably hoped it would impress the many European pilgrims who passed through Dover on their way to Canterbury.

In keeping with this royal connection, Dover Castle holds replicas of what the crown jewels would have looked like at that time…Crown Jewels at Dover Castle - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesOooooh! Sparkly… Although probably a couple of sizes too big for our heroes’ heads.
One Size Fits None - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThe Castle also boasts some truly beautiful stained glass windows…
Paddy Admires the Stained Glass Windows - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties…And a reassuring quantity of cannons.
Paddy and Plunkett Check out the Defences - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesBut not all of the castle is above ground! The cliffs under the castle are riddled with a network of underground tunnels, the earliest ones dating back to the Napoleonic Wars. They were originally designed so that a large number of soldiers could get from the castle to the beaches below quickly and easily in case of invasion.

One of the coolest things about the tunnels is how you get into them in the first place! If you look closely, you’ll see that this spiral staircase is actually a double helix, meaning that there are two separate staircases here, instead of just one. Architecture buff Plunkett found this fascinating, and wanted to share this photo with you all.
Double Helix Spiral Staircase at Dover Castle - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd Dover Castle’s history doesn’t stop there. The Castle and its tunnels were pressed back into service during the Second World War, initially as an air raid shelter, but later as a military command centre, telephone exchange and hospital. Some of the tunnels are even meant to be used as nuclear bunkers! Evidence of this more recent military involvement is there for any Beastie to see… and to climb over.
Paddy and Plunkett with a Modern Cannon - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesYikes! Look at that thing! It’s lucky Plunkett is driving this time – who knows what would happen if Paddy commandeered the wheel?
Plunkett Drives the Cannon - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesPaddy and Plunkett will be back next Friday – assuming they aren’t held for questioning by the local police – and don’t forget to tune in on Tuesday to meet some more new Beasties!

(Or, if you happen to be in Dublin tomorrow, you can meet them in person! We’ll be at the Ha’Penny Market in The Grand Social, Liffey Street, from 12-6!)

Meet Cookie Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties

Hooray! The Sun’s Out!

Look, everyone! The Irish summer has made a surprise reappearance!

So I thought today’s new Beastie should have his photo taken in the luxuriant(ish) gardens of Beastie Towers. I’m pleased to introduce you to Cookie Beastie, who is outside enjoying his favourite treat in the lovely warm sunshine.
Welcome, Cookie Beastie! CrawCrafts BeastiesBut picnicking alone isn’t much fun…
Cookie Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties…So a few friends came out to join him!
Beasties in the Garden - CrawCrafts BeastiesMuch better. But of course, it didn’t take much time for these mischievous monsters to start running riot among the plants! Maybe they had too much beer… or fizzy pop!
Red Lemonade Beastie and Pint Beastie - CrawCrafts BeastiesUm, how exactly DO you climb a plant whilst holding a full pint of Guinness?
Pint Beastie - not a drop spilled! CrawCrafts BeastiesBut not everyone was clambering through the undergrowth. Cheerleader Beastie was eager to practice a couple of new moves…
Cheerleader Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties…While Redhead Beastie was happy to stop and smell the flowers.
Redhead Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesBut rounding up these little critters was more than a little tricky – especially when they’re as well camouflaged as Aran Beastie!
Spot the Beastie! CrawCrafts BeastiesStill, I managed to lure them home by promising a market trip this weekend… our first of the year! We’ll be at our old stomping ground, The Ha’Penny Market at The Grand Social on Liffey Street, from 12-6 on Saturday. So if you’re in Dublin (or even if you’re not – take a day trip!) stop by and see us. We’d love to meet you!

Explorer Beastie Portrait - CrawCrafts Beasties

A Monster Gallery Overhaul!

Fairy Princess Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesAaaah, if only I had a magic wand like Fairy Princess Beastie’s! It would definitely save me an hour or two the next time I take a notion to give the BeastieBlog a little facelift. As it is, I’ve spent the morning looking through photos, making lists and trying to get my poor semi-senile laptop to cooperate… all in the name of deciding which Beasties get to star in my updated Gallery and Hall of Fame pages!

There have been a good few new arrivals in Beastie Towers since I first put the Gallery together back in February, and I wanted to make sure that some of these got a chance to take up residence in the prime internet real estate on my homepage! So I’ve added some recent favourites…
David Bowie Beastie, A Special Commission by CrawCrafts Beasties… While still keeping a few familiar faces in there too!

Grim Reaper Beastie, 2015

If you have a second, do go and check them out – I’d love to hear what you all think! Especially if you reckon there’s a Beastie missing who should be part of the lineup…

We’ll be back on Friday, with more Beastie antics! See you then… and in the meantime, have a great week!

Plunkett at Samphire Hoe - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

White Cliffs and Teeny Trains

White Cliffs at Samphire Hoe - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesPaddy and Plunkett’s tour of the southeast of England continues! Today they’re down by the famous White Cliffs of Dover, which are shining brightly in the sunshine. In fact, Plunkett seems to be quite dazzled by them!
Plunkett at Samphire Hoe - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesWhile they were here, the boys decided to have a look around Samphire Hoe Country Park. It’s a relatively new attraction in these parts – when work on the Channel Tunnel began in the 1980s, this area was given the (questionable) honour of being the dumping ground for all the chalk they dug out of the sea bed. The soil was used to reclaim 30 hectares of land from the sea, and a wall was built offshore to create an artificial lagoon. Then Mother Nature was left to recolonise the park as she saw fit!
Habitats at Samphire Hoe - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThere are a variety of different habitats to explore, and the lads even met a sunbathing adder on their travels – unfortunately they just weren’t quick enough with the camera to get a picture!

Then in the afternoon, it was time for something completely different!
At the Model Railway - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesOooh, look at that lovely old train! But all is not as it seems…
Paddy Watches the Trains Go By - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesWelcome to New Romney station, on the Romney, Hythe and Dimchurch heritage railway line – home of Britain’s largest model railway! Even Paddy and Plunkett felt like giants among these miniature landscapes!
At the New Romney Model Railway - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThey especially liked this part – well, who wouldn’t want to enjoy a monster day out for all the family?
Triassic Park! H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesBut what really got Paddy’s attention was waiting just outside – real trains, scaled down to one third their usual size! Perfect for a little woolly monster… Let’s just hope Plunkett managed to stop him from taking one for a test drive!
Paddy Plans to Borrow a Train - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesWe’ll be back on Tuesday with more monster antics! In the meantime, have a super weekend… and please get in touch immediately if a small green monster in an Aran sweater careens past you in what looks like a stolen miniature train!

The Happy Couple - CrawCrafts Beasties

Another Monster Big Day!

Wedding Beasties, by CrawCrafts BeastiesHey there Beastiebuddies! It’s Tuesday again, so that means I am duty bound to introduce you to the newest arrivals here at Beastie Towers – and since wedding season is still in full swing, it looks like you’re actually getting TWO new Beasties for the price of one. Don’t say I ain’t good to ya!

Ooookaaay, where shall we start? Aha! Here comes the bride now.
Here Comes the Beastie Bride! CrawCrafts BeastiesIsn’t she pretty? I loved styling her beautiful long hair!

Her dress is an understated yet elegant ivory satin, with a fitted wool bodice and net petticoats, and she has a veil to match… topped with pale yellow roses, to complement her golden skintone.
Bride Beastie's Veil, by CrawCrafts BeastiesThis Beastie bride’s human counterpart is a big fan of board games, so I also made her a personalised miniature Scrabble tile necklace to complete her outfit!
A Beastie-Sized Scrabble Tile Necklace! CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd what’s that in her paw?
Beastie Carcassonne Board Game, by CrawCrafts BeastiesIt’s a “Carcassonne” board game, shrunk to Beastie size! Apparently this is the human bride’s very favourite board game, and I thought Beastie Bride would like one too.
Carcassonne Close-Up - CrawCrafts BeastiesI used felt as the background, then appliquéd hand-cut pieces of felt on for the larger blocks of colour, before adding in the details and lettering with hand-stitched embroidery. The finished box measures just 5x6cm!

But let’s not forget about the groom! He’s looking dapper in a navy felt and wool suit, and his golden yellow tie is a thoughtful nod to his lady-wife’s complexion.
Groom Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties And because he’s an enthusiastic Latin scholar and budding writer, I couldn’t quite convince him to leave his dictionary and favourite pen at home…
Groom Beastie's Accessories - CrawCrafts Beasties…But I did manage to attach them both to his jacket…
Groom Beastie's Accessories, Close-up - CrawCrafts Beasties…So he can show off his sweet dance moves at the reception!
Groom Beastie's Dance Moves - CrawCrafts BeastiesCongratulations to the bride and groom, and thanks to Niamh for requesting this fun commission as a gift for her friends!
The Happy Couple - CrawCrafts BeastiesWe’ll be back on Friday, when we’ll be checking up on Paddy and Plunkett. Let’s hope the sun is still shining on them, wherever they are…

Until then, have a super week!

What's this Beastie up to? CrawCrafts Beasties

Getting Down to the Knitty-Gritty…

What's this Beastie up to? CrawCrafts BeastiesWell, this has been a long time coming.
Knitter Barróg Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesWho would have thought that I had never considered making a knitting Beastie until one of my diligent readers suggested it a couple of months back? But in between commissions, I found a spare minute to make some felt knitting needles (with needle-felted ends), and set this little monster on the road to the same yarn-based addiction that I myself suffer from discovering the joys of knitting!
What are you knitting, Beastie? CrawCrafts BeastiesThis Beastie has clearly got the hang of garter stitch already… but then, I suppose knitting is in his genes! I wonder what he’s making? Only time will tell, I suppose…
Barróg Beastie, Knitting! CrawCrafts Beasties… But knitting is a great way to pass the time on long journeys. And this Beastie has in fact headed off on a top-secret mission! I’ll let you know how he’s getting on as soon as he reports back!

Speaking of long journeys, I had another Barróg Beastie (those are the ones made from 100% Irish wool) leave Beastie Towers this week. Hurling Beastie is on his way to the USA!Hurling Barróg Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesThanks to Kerry for finding him on our Etsy shop, and offering him a brand new home!

Anyway, time for me to get going – I have some Beasties here clamouring for new outfits. I’ll be sharing the results next Tuesday, but don’t forget to pop back on Friday to see Explorer Beastie’s holiday snaps from our recent “staycation”!

Have a great week!

Beasties and Baby - CrawCrafts Beasties

Happy Families at Beastie Towers!

Beastie Family, by CrawCrafts BeastiesWell, now that we’re back in Beastie Towers, suitably rested and relaxed from our little holiday, it’s business as usual here on the BeastieBlog! I’ve some new Beasties to introduce, and they’re super-excited to meet you all. So, without further ado, here they are… a whole FAMILY of Beasties!

These were made as a very special commission to celebrate the arrival of human baby Roibín… so of course the most important element was a little baby Beastie!
Baby Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesLook how cosy he is in his stripey handknitted blanket! I’ve given him big wide-open eyes and a little tuft of blond hair as well, to more closely match his human counterpart. But of course, we’d better not forget about Mum and Dad…

First of all, pretty Mama Beastie is modelling a mostly hand-stitched skater-style dress… yes, I’m FINALLY trying to do more of my monster tailoring on the sewing machine! All the stitches you can see in the photo are done by hand, but my machine made short work of speeding through the seams. I’ve also made Mama Beastie a necklace similar to the one her human normally wears!
Mama Beastie with Baby, by CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd check out her beautiful blonde merino wool locks!
Mama Beastie's Hair - CrawCrafts BeastiesBut what about Papa Beastie? Ah, here he is.
Cool Dad Beastie, by CrawCrafts BeastiesMore tailoring here – this time, a bespoke checked shirt! After watching “The Great British Sewing Bee”, I’ve learned the benefit of strategically placing template pieces so the fabric’s patterns line up better on the finished article. I have to admit to being quite pleased with how this little shirt turned out!
Papa Beastie's Shirt, by CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd since Mama Beastie is holding the baby, what’s Papa Beastie got? Well, it turns out he’s a bit of a musician, so…
Papa Beastie with his Guitar - CrawCrafts BeastiesPerfect! Now he can play a gentle lullaby to send Baby Beastie off to sleep!
A Happy Beastie Family! CrawCrafts BeastiesHere’s wishing this little monster family a nice quiet weekend together! And have any of you got fun family time planned for the next couple of days? Let us know in the comments!

As usual, we’ll be back on Tuesday… and there will be another new Beastie for you to meet, too. See you then!

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The Beastie’s Tale

Paddy and Plunkett, Wandering Beasties - CrawCrafts Beasties

“Yes, we’re still on holiday! See if you can guess where we are today…”

Paddy and Plunkett started their tour by getting lost in this Beastie-sized lavender labyrinth. Mazes like these used to be laid out in tiles in front of the city’s cathedrals, and walking the paths supposedly helped you to rack up extra “pilgrim points”,  which would fast-track you to the good parts of heaven.
A Pilgrim's Labyrinth - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThis place really was a hotspot for pilgrims back in the day… people came from all over Britain, and even further afield, to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket. In fact, although it’s is now one of England’s smallest cities, in pre-Plague times it fell just inside the top ten largest, and was known throughout Europe as the “home town” of a number of recently-canonised saints of the era. The flood of pilgrims making this journey even inspired one of the earliest examples of real English literature, at a time when most literary works were in French or Latin.

Did you figure it out yet?

We’re in Canterbury! Here are the boys posing in front of Canterbury Cathedral, their first port of call after Plunkett managed to extract Paddy from the maze…
Paddy and Plunkett at Canterbury Cathedral - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesCanterbury Cathedral was founded in 597, and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city itself dates right back to Paelolithic times, and contains landmarks left behind by a pick’n’mix of past residents – it seems like everyone from the Romans to the Normans made their mark on Canterbury!

While the cathedral is mostly a hive of activity, where a pair of Beasties risk getting trampled underfoot, there are quiet spots nearby where they can spend time exploring and posing for the camera. This shady herb garden has been planted in the old dormitory of the Cathedral – perfect for a picnic lunch!
Paddy and Plunkett in the Cathedral Herb Garden - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesAnd then they took a stroll to help settle down their hearty meal of… salad leaves. Well, if you want to spend the entire summer travelling, it’s important to save money where you can!

Plunkett spotted eight of these incredible lumpy plane trees as they wandered around the city.
Plane Tree in Canterbury - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesHe wanted to photograph all of them, but someone kept getting in the way…
Paddy Photobombs - AGAIN! H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesNow boys, no fighting please!

Hopefully they’ll be back next Friday, with the next instalment of their magical monster mystery tour. And I’ll have more new Beasties to share on Tuesday too!

Enjoy your weekend!

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