We Make Monsters.
Aaaah, it’s not often that us monster makers get a chance to get away from it all… so when one popped up out of the blue, Explorer Beastie and I grabbed it with both hands/paws! Unfortunately we’re not 100% sure what the internet access will be like at our destination, so we’ll catch up with you all again when we get back on Friday. In the meantime, we might post the odd holiday snap on Twitter or Instagram to make you jealous!
See you soon, and have a great week 🙂
“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.
This 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…
Canterbury 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!
And 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.
He wanted to photograph all of them, but someone kept getting in the way…
Now 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!
At last! The sun has broken through the clouds and it feels like summer again! Not that it matters to Paddy and Plunkett, whose extended holiday is still ongoing… let’s find out where they are today!
It certainly seems nice and peaceful, anyway. And look, Paddy’s spotted some distant Beastie relatives – well, they are all made of wool, right?
But all is not as it seems!
“Hey Plunkett, what’s that building up there?”
“Glad you asked, Paddy – I’ve been reading up on this! That’s part of the remains of Battle Abbey. Can you believe that we’re standing on what is believed to be the site of the Battle of Hastings? Look, there’s a stone slab here to mark the spot where the English leader King Harold is supposed to have fallen!”
“Yikes! What happened to King Harold?”
“Arrow through the eye, apparently – the famous Bayeux Tapestry captured the whole thing…”
“In fact, Paddy, forget what you’ve been seeing on Game of Thrones lately… The Battle of Hastings was a pretty gruesome episode in English history! Casualties on both sides were so numerous that the leader of the victorious invading Norman army, who later became known as William the Conqueror, was ordered by Pope Alexander II to atone for this immense loss of life. So he built a church here – it was finished in around 1094. Then in the late 13th century, it was remodelled into Battle Abbey.”
“Wow, that’s some history! How on earth do we follow that?”
“How about some lunch?”
“Good thinking, Plunkett!”
It’s back to Blighty on the BeastieBlog today! As it turns out, Paddy and Plunkett are still in beautiful Sussex, and they’re finding plenty there to keep them entertained. We’ll join them on the beach in a minute, but first they wanted to share a couple of photos from the village of East Dean, which they passed through on the way… Check out the famous former “resident” of this picturesque cottage!
A little further along the road, the boys came to Birling Gap, where they got their first glimpse of the stunning white cliffs known as the Seven Sisters.
And they really are WHITE! Plunkett was kicking himself for not thinking to pack his sunglasses!
The cliffs maintain their shiny brightness thanks to natural erosion – the soft chalk rock is constantly being nibbled away by the sea, which means that plants and lichens never really get a chance to take over the pristine white surface. Because of this, the Seven Sisters are often used as a stand-in for the more famous White Cliffs of Dover in films and TV… The Dover cliffs are so close to the huge international port that they’re no longer allowed to erode naturally, so they’re a little less white than they used to be!
Let’s follow the boys down onto the beach!
With all those white pebbles lying around, it would be quite easy to lose them down here – they’re surprisingly well camouflaged!
After a few games of hide and seek among the stones, the lads decided to spend the afternoon strolling along the clifftop path which links Birling Gap with Beachy Head. On the way, they passed the wonderfully-named Belle Toute lighthouse… Although it was never considered a particularly good lighthouse (according to Wikipedia, its position on the clifftop meant that sea mists often obscured the light, and those people who most needed to be able to see it – sailors venturing too close to the rocky shore – had their view blocked by the cliffs), it is a well-known local landmark, and it’s even appeared on the silver screen a couple of times! And it’s lucky that it’s so popular – in 1999, the cliffs Belle Toute stands on threatened to crumble away from under it and drop it into the sea, so the whole lighthouse was picked up and moved inland! It’s now enjoying a comfortable retirement as a B&B, safe from the ravages of the tides, and its job has been taken over by a much younger, better positioned lighthouse.
Here it is – Beachy Head Lighthouse, which greeted the boys at the end of their wander!
Where will you be spending this weekend? Be sure to share your adventures with us in the comments!
Its a rainy old day here in Dublin… and that makes it even nicer to get an update from some Beasties abroad! I’m sure many of you will remember Antonello and Tiziana Beastie and their cat Beas-Tris from previous monster adventures… But if you’re new here, why not take a second to catch up with their first trip to their local Irish pub and their (B)Easter weekend away in Perugia?
Today, they’re on the road again – this time, they’re visiting the Abruzzo region in central Italy, home to the country’s oldest National Park. The park’s headquarters are located in the picturesque town of Pescasseroli, a place with plenty to keep two curious little Beasties entertained!
First stop was the beautiful church of St Peter and St Paul, which dates back to the 14th century. Never satisfied with the view from the ground, our adventurous friends climbed a nearby tree to get a better look!
The church also has this colourful floral wall on its left side… Spot the Beasties!
But being surrounded by all this natural greenery had an unexpected effect on Beas-Tris – could it be that she felt the call of the wild?
And no sooner had her Beastie minders managed to extract her from her hiding place in the herbaceous border, she was off again – this time, scaling the elaborate metal vine sculpture that was entwined around this staircase!
It’s lucky that Antonello Beastie and Tiziana Beastie are both excellent climbers… And generous pet owners. Figuring that Beas-Tris was in need of some four-legged company, they decided to spend the rest of the day in the park’s zoo. Here, sick and injured animals from the park are taken in and cared for until they’re ready to be released back into the wild. The local wildlife certainly makes for some interesting viewing – did you know that this part of Italy is still home to wild boar, lynx, deer and bears?
Yes, bears!
The Beasties met this one, who is currently feeling a little under the weather. Hopefully he’ll soon be well enough to be left back in the woods where he was found. As you can see, Beas-Tris decided to stay close to her parents here!
And now, time for one more group photo before we head back home!
Thanks to Antonello and Tiziana Beastie (and their human counterparts) for sending us these photos! They’ve certainly brought a bit of sunshine to my day.
Has anyone else encountered some interesting wildlife recently? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to drop back in on Tuesday, when I hope to have some new Beasties for you all to meet…
Hmmm, who’s that lurking in the undergrowth outside Arundel Castle? Paddy and Plunkett picked the perfect day to explore this mediaeval castle in West Sussex – just look at that sunshine! Let’s join them as they take a trip around this incredible place, which has been the home of the Dukes of Norfolk (and their predecessors) for nearly a thousand years!
Given the most un-British weather that day, it made sense for them to start in the rose garden…
There were a only a few roses out, but the boys found a sundial to keep themselves entertained! That said, it wasn’t long before they were overcome with curiosity… Time to explore the castle! Let’s go!
Arundel Castle is a bit of an architectural hodge-podge – the oldest parts were built in the late 11th century and subsequent generations left their mark on the building, both inside and out. In the late 16th-early 17th century, the 14th Earl of Arundel (nicknamed “the Collector Earl”) went on a bit of an interiors shopping spree, and many of his purchases can still be found in the castle today! Although the castle was damaged in the English Civil War, repairs were eventually carried out in the early and late 1700s, and a further round of restoration, completed in 1900, produced the remarkable building that stands today.
All this means that architecture buff Plunkett is in seventh heaven! However, Paddy maybe isn’t the most willing audience for his musings…
…Not when he can hang out with the man-at-arms and his cat, anyway!
At least it’s given Plunkett a chance to brush up on his Latin.
They also met a former castle resident in the private chapel – well, kind of.
But the bright sunshine soon lured the lads back outside. It would be a shame to miss the opportunity to see the gardens in all their glory! First stop was this formal garden, created as a memorial to the “Collector Earl”, which was full to bursting with beautiful tulips. Then they headed to the Stumpery – a novel concept garden where native woodland plants are encouraged to grow over the stumps of felled trees. This creates a really unusual and artistic display… and a great habitat for local wildlife!
The boys also encountered a few curiosities on their travels… A whole family of scarecrows, and a rather unusual sign!
Paddy thought it might have been the first cryptic clue in a treasure hunt… He spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what it meant. Perhaps he’ll have something to show for his mental exertions next time we catch up with these two!
What have you all got planned for the weekend? For any yarn-lovin’ folks out there, don’t forget that tomorrow is World Wide Knit In Public Day – what better excuse to grab your needles and make a start on a fun new project?
Enjoy!
Wow, May was a busy month for us this year! It feels like the Beasties and I were on the go all the time, taking full advantage of all the fun and games that the crafting and blogging communities have to offer! So, today I’ve decided to follow the lead of Jem Arrowsmith Knits and Claireabelle Makes, and do a roundup of everything we got up to last month. I’d like to relive every moment in glorious technicolour – and hopefully it will keep you all entertained until I can share the top secret projects I’ve been working on lately behind the scenes!
First up, new arrivals! May saw the addition of two new Beasties to our worldwide monster family – another Diver Beastie and a sweet little Fairy Princess Beastie!
We also got updates from a few Beasties abroad – Antonello and Tiziana Beastie headed to Perugia with their Beastiekitty in tow, MiniBeastie discovered some appropriately teeny alpine plants at Wisley Gardens, and Finn McSpool settled into his new home in Portland, Oregon!
Oh, and of course Paddy and Plunkett were out and about!
But for once, they weren’t the only ones living the high life! Explorer Beastie and I ventured out of the Beastie Towers craft lab and learned about taking better photos, met some fellow bloggers over dinner and took some time out in the countryside!
We also enjoyed meeting up with some of our crafty colleagues – it’s always fun for me to talk shop with other people who find wool and fabric as compelling as I do, and Explorer Beastie likes making new friends too! Here he is hanging out chez Guadalupe Creations, and getting up close and personal with some felt viruses at Niki Collier‘s studio!
You’d think after that little lot, we’d be ready for a rest… but no! Here’s a taster of one of the Beastie projects we have in the pipeline for the coming months…
…AAAAAND I’m really excited to announce that, for the summer at least, I’ll be cutting back on the amount of time I spend in Other Work to focus more on all things Beastie! As well as working through my latest batch of commissions, I’m hoping to convert some of this extra free time into market appearances, testing out some new designs and, dare I say it, starting to get ready for Christmas! That, and we might finally squeeze in a holiday somewhere!
(I wish… :D)
We’ll be back on Friday with more monster shenanigans! See you then!
It may have been a while since we last caught up with Paddy and Plunkett, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t been up to their usual tricks! Last month they set off to the south east of England, hoping to escape the decidedly un-spring-like weather we were enduring here in Ireland at the time. Luckily for them, they were greeted by sunny days, and lots of fun things to do!
Plunkett got to choose the first port of call – Fishbourne Roman Palace – but as you can see above, Paddy insisted they get into character first! Plunkett soon retook the lead though… here he is admiring the famous “Cupid and Dolphin” mosaic inside the palace.
Fishbourne Palace is considered the largest Roman villa discovered in the UK to date, and some of the decorated mosaic floors are in perfect condition. Plunkett asked a passing human to take a picture of this one for him as a souvenir – look at the detail!
But not all of the villa is in this pristine state. Other past inhabitants of this area have left their mark on Fishbourne too – look what the boys found here!
According to our trusty friend Wikipedia, Fishbourne burnt down in around 270AD, and was subsequently abandoned. Apparently they were doing extensive renovations at the time, so perhaps the builders decided to focus their energies on building a new villa, instead of fixing up an old one. Paddy is reasonably sure that this could have been the first recorded instance of an insurance scam, but Plunkett, as usual, needs more convincing. Anyway, many years later, the site was used as a Saxon burial ground – some of the graves cut right down through the mosaic floors! A few of them, like the one above, have been left in situ… But some of the Saxon remains have been exhumed for closer inspection by curious visiting Beasties.
Once the lads had seen everything inside the villa, they headed outside to have a look around the grounds. The gardens have been restored and filled with the kind of plants the Romans would have had here back in the palace’s heyday, and also included a “Triclinium”, or outdoor feasting area.
This would have been covered in sumptuous fabrics, allowing the family to sprawl around in the sunshine and enjoy tasty treats. Here’s Paddy demonstrating how to get the best out of your Triclinium.
“I think I could get used to this, Plunkett! Pass the stuffed dormouse!”
After they’d enjoyed picnic-ing like Romans, Paddy got to choose the afternoon’s entertainment. He decided on a trip on the Chichester Ship Canal… the passenger boats are captained by volunteers, so all the proceeds from the hour-and-a-quarter-long cruise go towards the upkeep and restoration of the canal. There was plenty to see along the way…
…Or was there?
Uh-oh! We all know what happens when Paddy takes the wheel… I wonder where they’ll end up next?
Be sure to join us on Tuesday for more monster antics! And in the meantime, have a super weekend!
Hooray! It’s finally Friday! So I thought we’d get the weekend off to a great (and slightly earlier than usual) start by visiting another Beastie abroad. This time, we’re skipping across the pond to Portland, Oregon, where a book-loving Beastie has made a new home for himself with writer and artist Tammie Painter – talk about a match made in heaven! He arrived just in time to join her for her birthday celebrations… Let’s see what they got up to! Oh, and I’d also recommend sticking around on Tammie’s blog to check out her incredibly finely-detailed artwork, or stop into her Etsy shop for some Father’s Day themed gift ideas 🙂
As promised many moons ago when I revamped my blog, although I no longer have a regular travel feature, I will occasionally share any travel adventures I do have. Last week was my birthday and to celebrate I decided I’d take a tour of Portland’s Japanese Garden.
While I do love gardens, there were a few ulterior motives behind this choice. First, it was free thanks to the Cultural Pass from my local library; second, it was only a short hop away from where I wanted to have a birthday pint; and third, I was hoping to get a few reference photos for future art projects.
Oh, and last but not least, I had a new friend who had recently moved to Portland from Ireland and wanted to see a few sites in his new home.
Look at that face. how could anyone resist him? Finn…
View original post 548 more words
A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from LucyAnn at LucyAnn and Luna Craft. She told me that she’d finally had a chance to take her MiniBeastie for a trip to the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley in Surrey, and the Beasties and I were so excited to see that she’d documented this micro-monster’s first day out in a post on her own blog! I thought it might be fun to share this with you all, so I’m going to take this opportunity to do my FIRST EVER REBLOG!
So, without further ado… Take it away, LucyAnn! And thanks again for taking the time and blog space to share your new little woolly buddy’s adventures with the world!
