Voila!

And exploding from the cannon, flying gracefully across the Big Top, plumage on parade and a broad grin on his whiskers, enters...

The Tattercock

So who is this beautiful new creature, I hear you ask (you did, didn't you?)...

Well... the Tattercock is part Tiger (t)

part Caterpillar (atter)* 

and part Peacock (cock).

This happens to make him the ideal animal cannonball. For, his Tigerness gives him a head for bravery; his caterpillar middle is perfect for crawling down the mouth of the cannon and uncurling upon exit; and his peacock tail is nothing short of captivating when opened in flight over enraptured audiences.

He was created by Solomon the Simian, in one of his many terrible sprees running around the circus waving his master's wand at any nearby creature. In this particular instance, the Tattercock resulted when a caterpillar crawling up the side of the sleeping tiger's cage and a peacock preening itself behind, were all caught in the same spell. 

Unlike most of the Magical Menagerie Muddles, though, the Tattercock is exceedingly thrilled with his new self and wishes to stay as he is. May we all give him a very warm welcome to the Butterstings Circus. Hurrah for the Tattercock!

* The extra 't' is for for clarity of pronunciation, and he is very pleased to have it there. Otherwise he would be a Tatercock (said a bit like potatocock), and that would never do.

Sweetie-Day Bags

I sewed some new bags for Mary's Marvellous Market last weekend, which sold almost straight-away, so I'm really pleased I remembered to take some pictures.

The bags are made from a beautiful soft, off-white linen-cotton blend, lined with lovely stripy fabric and trimmed with vintage lace.

Heidi LaLarge: The Original Flapper

This one features a print of Heidi LaLarge – an elephant who has exquisite panache on the high-wire (with a little help from Bumblewick Beesting's Weightlessness Tonic). Heidi was a star performer of the 1930s, and always dressed to perfection in the era's latest styles. Indeed, some say that the motion of her beautiful elephant ears lifting and falling with the rise of fall of her tricycle on the tightrope, was the origin behind the term "flapper". 

Underneath Heidi  is a panel of fabric I printed with the Butterscotch & Beesting circus pattern. This is then sewn into vertical sections so that you can slip in your lollipops.

Inside, the bag is lined with lovely red stripy fabric, and has lots of space for candy: confectionery: sweeties. Yum!

Betty Butterscotch Sweetie-Day Bag

The other bag has a print of the delightful Betty herself, and also has a little purse at the front for keeping your sweetie-day coins safe. 

The purse pocket is closed by a gorgeous turquoise button from my (naughty and ever-growing) stash of vintage buttons. This one is from the 1950s (I think) and almost looks like it's made from sugar. It's one of my favourites.

The top of the Betty Bag is trimmed with vintage Japanese lace from the 1960s. The lace has a gorgeous natural colour and delicate, slightly squared-off design, which I think complements the linen fabric really well.

I am thrilled, but also a bit sad, that they've both gone. I hope they will make the Sweetie Days of their new owners, Sophie and Anna, even more special. (Although I happen to know Sophie and Anna spend their sweetie days in the wonderland of Cocoa, so what could be more special than that?)

Mary's Marvellous Vintage Market

Butterscotch and Beesting will be at Mary's Marvellous Vintage Market this Saturday. 

I am extremely excited as I hear they serve excellent tea and home-made cakes. Always a treat, I find. And Betty (bless her cotton socks) has been tirelessly making more batches of sweets to ensure there are enough to go round...

It will be open from 11am until 4pm, on Saturday 24th September at St Mary's Church, Bramall Lane

Sheffield, S2 4QZ. (It's the big church on the roundabout, so it's really ever-so very easy to find.)

New Creature Alert

A new creature is about to make his way into the Butterstings Circus troupe. He was created in one of Solomon the Simian's magical wand sprees. (Such a difficult monkey that one, yet again causing a terrible kerfuffle, running around the circus casting spells on the poor animals, muddling them up in the most unexpected ways. So terribly trying for all involved.) 

This creature, however, is a very fine specimen. Indeed, he was so enamoured by his new mixed-up self, that he decided not to rectify things with a spot of Betty's antidote. 

Here are some clues as to his identity. 

He's part Tiger...

... part Caterpillar.... 

... part Peacock...

This interesting combination has gifted him with a quite dazzling (and somewhat death-defying) talent.

All will be revealed shortly. 

In the meantime, here are a few Tiger/Caterpillar/Peacock-related things made by other people which I think are really rather remarkably brilliant.

Tiger Tattoo by Julia Potts

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62120332/tiger-tattoo

I've been a huge fan of Julia's work for a while now and this week I bought an illustration of a bear from her film for The Decemberists 'Here Comes  the Waves – The Hazards of Love Visualised'. (You can see an extract of the film here http://vimeo.com/9086660). She's just graduated from the RCA, and you can read more about her and her work at http://juliapott.blogspot.com/ She's really really rather brilliant.

Katie Pillar by Cart Before The Horse

www.etsy.com/listing/61807781/katie-pillar-contemporary-folk-art

Cart Before The Horse make the most incredible toys and dolls that are so much more than that: they're a whole world of crazy imagination and talent. Katie Pillar makes me think this is how most caterpillars would choose to travel if they could, using wheels instead of having to steer all those pesky feet. I love visiting their Etsy Shop to see what new creations they've come up with. Their blog is definitely worth a visit too. 

Hand-tufted Peacock Rug by Rice

 from www.olivelovesalfie.co.uk

This beautiful Peacock Rug is made by Danish design house Rice, and you can get yours from Olive Loves Alfie – my all-time favourite children's shop in London, owned by the absolute icon of cool, Ashlyn. She finds wonderful clothes, books, home accessories and all sorts of loveliness from all around the world. Everything I have ever bought from there is something that I want to keep and treasure forever. 

And if you want to find out more about the new Tiger-Caterpillar-Peacock hybrid joining the Butterscotch & Beesting clan, come back soon when all will be revealed x

Stickers, Snails & a Pelipus

The circus has returned from the south of France and is now up and running again. Hurrah! As a welcome back, I've added a few bits and pieces to the Etsy shop.

So you can now brighten up your stationery with some Stickilicious Stickers...

Adorn yourself with snails...

Or pin a Pelipus to your pocket...