Merry Christmas // Glaedelig Jul

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

It's been a huge year. Thank you.

The Bumblebee Balloon is flying an exhausted Betty away for a while. Who knows where it will travel. But it will be back soon.

Until then, the circus troupe (and me) wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas!!

(Glaedelig Jul!)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Crafty Fox Wishlist #2

Following on from yesterday's Crafty Fox Wishlist #1 here is my wishlist number two. It's cunningly called Crafty Fox Wishlist #2.

CRAFTY FOX WISHLIST #2

 << 1. Alright Treacle Art Print by Stacie Swift >> 

 << 2. Star Mask by IWishIWasA >> 

 << 3. Girl Screenprinted Shopper by Alice Potter >> 

 << 4. Bird and Floral Coasters by lil3birdy >>

 << 5. Neville the Ninja by Pygmy Cloud >>

 << 6. Knitted Pencil Bag by Sally Nencini >>

 << 7. Pigeon in a Top Hat Print by Birds In Hats >>

★ Crafty Fox Market ★

Saturday 8th December + Sunday 9th December

11am - 5pm

The Dogstar, Brixton
Free Entry

As I think I've mentioned before, I'll be there with Butterscotch & Beesting on Saturday 8th December. 

Crafty Fox Christmas Market

This weekend, the Dogstar in Brixton will be transformed into the mecca of makers that is the Crafty Fox Market. Crafty Fox is one of my highlights of the whole year, with its feast of talented designers, workshops and glorious high-tea treats, accompanied by a live DJ soundtrack. It runs over two days, with different stallholders on each day, and when we all leave it converts back into a pub --- so you could easily spend a whole weekend within its doors. 

CRAFTY FOX WISHLIST #1

 << 1. Hungry Bear Sideplate by Jimbobart >> 

 << 2. Navy and Cream Cufflinks by House of Ismay >> 

 << 3. Tree Time Tales Print by Jamie Milk >> 

 << 4. Jonny Big Fan of Swimming Brooch by Manolo >> 

<< 5. Screenprinted Cotton Lawn Scarf by Katie Dear >> 

<< 6. Owl Capone Card by Mister Peebles >> 

<< 7. Fox Cameo Papercut by Rosie + The Boys >> 

My mission this Christmas is to only buy presents from independent makers and shops.* So I've put together a Crafty Fox Wishlist. You never know, some of them might even make it into someone else's present pile. Eyes peeled please for my second Crafty Fox Wishlist, published tomorrow and cunningly entitled Crafty Fox Wishlist #2. 

PS. If you want to see me, I'll be there with Butterscotch & Beesting on Saturday 8 December.
PPS + *. I already have my mum's present in the bag --- a beautiful print by the immensely talented Eloise Renouf. I'm pretty sure my mum doesn't read my blog, so she won't know. 

★ Crafty Fox Market ★

Saturday 8th December + Sunday 9th December

11am - 5pm

The Dogstar, Brixton
Free Entry

Circus Interiors

There's a fantastic feature in the latest issue of Gurgle magazine all about Circus Interiors . . . and, ummm, a piece about me too.

I love the products Gurgle have chosen. I especially love Lucky Boy Sunday's LouLou cushion (£86) from molly-meg.co.uk. Funnily enough Lucky Day Sunday is run by two friends called Camilla. Maybe we should start a Camillas ♥ The Circus gang. And I love everything Ferm Living do - they have diamonds on their cushions too, just like Betty. Also, if you haven't already seen it, there's a glimpse of Kate Dixon's incredible ferris wheel bedroom, which I've been swooning over since I pinned it on one of my Pinterest boards a few months ago. It seems to have settled somewhere in my imagination and just won't leave.

You can also read my tips how to have a circus-themed Christmas. (#1 string a piece of cord around your tree instead of tinsel. Then hang paper characters above it, so it looks like they're performing on a Christmas tree highwire.)

There's lots to see and even more gems over the next two pages.
If you want see it for yourself, you'll find it all in the December/January issue.
It's very exciting.

And the winner is...

The winner of my 20 Crafty Makes competition is . . . drumroll please

★★ Nikki-Lee Hampton ★★

Congratulations, Nikki-Lee. A copy of the book and the original Reinbin stamp will be winging their way to you very soon.

A huge thank you to everyone who entered. And if you didn't win, don't despair, you can still get your very own copy of the book from the 20 Crafty Makes Folksy Shop. Or order a copy by sending an email to 20craftymakes@gmail.com. The book costs just £5 for a whole heap of crafty ideas (20 in fact!). Profits from the book and e-book sales will be donated to the Stroke Association to support its fabulous work and future research.

I really want to thank Katie, Natalie and Alex for asking me to be involved with this project. It's been an absolute pleasure. And I'd like to give a gigantic ** WOW ** to Katie aka Katrine Brosnan for her beautiful book design and wonderful crafty owl illustration which you can see on the front cover and all the 20 Crafty Makes banners (including this one). You can see more of her work on her website and get your hands on some of her wonderful pieces in the Katrine Brosnan Folksy Shop. 


(( PS. The winner was drawn at random from all entries on the Butterscotch & Beesting blog and Facebook page using random.org ))

Turning back the clock

This clock found its way from a old cargo ship, through Bangladesh and into my dining room via the Pretty Dandy Flea (where it was traded in exchange for a Circus Triangles Cushion).

It was made in 1982 and when the ship was dismantled, it was one of the lucky parts to be salvaged. It used to be wired up to captain's clock, to make sure all the clocks on the ship told the same time as the ship passed through different time zones. Now it will serve the important task of overseeing our breakfast and helping us get to school on time. Isn't it beautiful?

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★ VICTORIAN MARKET ★

Talking of clocks, I'll be turning back time this weekend at the Victorian Market. I already have my corset ready. Although I may have to stop eating and breathing to squeeze into it.

Victorian Christmas Market
Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield
Saturday 1 December // 10am-7pm
Saturday 2 December // 10am-5pm

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

★ 20 CRAFTY MAKES COMPETITION ★

And there's still time to enter my competition to win a copy of the fabulous 20 Crafty Makes book and the original Reinbin stamp. As some people have had trouble logging in to leave a comment on the blog, you can now also enter by leaving a comment on the Butterscotch & Beesting Facebook page. So if that's easier, head on over there and say a little something about the competition.

More details here.

The deadline for entries is 9pm on Sunday 2 December.

★ 20 Crafty Makes ★ and a GIVEAWAY ★

20 Crafty Makes is a little book bursting with creative projects, published to mark the 20th anniversary of the Stroke Association. Each book has twenty little gems of deliciously crafty projects to keep you busy on the cold winter nights (or lazy summer evenings) and each book sold raises money for the charity. It's a perfect little Christmas present that also gives something back.

Twenty makers have produced super-easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to make lovely, clever, crafty things. You can learn how to print a collagraph card, crochet baubles, cross-stitch like Mr X Stitch himself, illustrate a tee, sew a purse and design a wonderful Christmas tree decoration, plus lots and lots more. You can even follow my project too if you fancy, which teaches you how to print your own reinbin wrapping paper (a reinbin being a reindeer and a robin muddled by magic, of course).

And here's the GIVEAWAY. Hurray!

It's super simple >>>>>>>

I'm giving away one copy of the book + the original Reinbin stamp I used in my project. So if you win, you not only get a 20 Crafty Makes book, but you can can merrily print lots and lots of wrapping to make your presents extra special this year too.

For your chance to win, just leave a comment on the bottom of this post before 9pm on Sunday 2nd December.* The winning comment will be picked at random and announced here on my blog.

The book is for sale from the 20 Crafty Makes Folksy Shop and costs £5, or you can order your copy by sending an email to 20craftymakes@gmail.com
Profits from the book and e-book sales will be donated to the Stroke Association to support its future work and research.

* Competition is open worldwide, and the prizes will be posted as soon as possible. 

 〪〭〫〬 Just leave a comment below for a chance to win this Reinbin stamp as well as a copy of the 20 Crafty Makes book 〪〭〫〬

Pretty Dandy Flea

This Saturday (24/11) I'll be taking Butterscotch & Beesting to the Pretty Dandy Flea. These people who will be there too >>>>>>>

From top left: < 1 > Abstract Print by Eloise Renouf.  < 2 >  'Folks That Do Coffee' by Katrine Brosnan. < 3 > Bearded Man Brooch by Emily Rowley from Curiosity Haus. < 4 > Illustration by Lou Illustrator. < 5 > Fox print by Amy Blackwell. < 6 > Birdie Brooch by Modflowers. < 7 > Kissing Birds Plate by Carly Dodsley. < 8 > Mobile by Ding Ding. < 9  > Racoon Card by Lisa Jones from The Curious Pancake

This is the second ever Pretty Dandy Flea, and if it's anything like the first it will be pretty darn fabulous. Not to mention the sandwiches . . . smoked mackerel, beetroot and horseradish from the Pop-Up Sandwich Kitchen. Yum Yum. And music by record label Hello Thor. Did I mention that? All organised by the very wonderful Becky from Pretty Dandy.

Neon cushions

Drum Roll please  -----  four new cushions have entered the Butterscotch & Beesting ring!!!!

These ones are from the Neon Strobes collection, and feature the circus silly birds performing among striped clouds and strobes of coral, mint, teal, ultramarine and mustard yellow.

This one is called Lion, and shows the Not-Really-All-That-Scary-At-All Lion standing on his podium surrounded by turquoise triangles.

All the cushions are available from my Etsy shop.

// DESIGNERS / MAKERS //

I'm very, very, very excited to announce that you can now find Butterscotch & Beesting on Designers / Makers. And if you're quick, Designers / Makers are offering a special festive discount of 10% off all items until 30th December 2012 with the discount code 10percentoff --- you can find all these cushions in the shop.

I'll also be taking part in the Designers / Makers Christmas fair at Spitalfields on Saturday 15th December, where I shall be wrapped up warm and drinking lots of juletide hot chocolate.

Of wolves and branches

It's a dank, miserable day here today --- the kind of day I imagine it was when Red Riding Hood ventured out into the forest and met a wolf. So here's a treasury of wolves and forests.

ORIGINAL PAINTING "Than... emeraldsnow $500.00	Vintage Tonala Bird Figurine... bergenhouse $9.00	Mid Century Iron Candle Hold... bergenhouse $58.00	Pack of three folded origami... brittamanger $8.90
Original Painting, White, Bl... JenniferSanche... $810.00	nymeria the direwolf - game ... MountRoyalMint $74.00	Meadow wolf- beige leggings ... ZIBtextile $45.00	Flower 3 linocut print 8 x 1... WeThinkSmall $15.00
Kingfisher - Martín Pescado... MandarinaPrint $5.00	Antique Broken Frozen Charlo... shavingkitsupp... $18.00	Wolf-- Original Contemporary... cartbeforetheh... $70.00	Deer Wall Art - Original Dra... DoubleFoxStudi... $65.00
Screen Print - Limited Editi... LEAFCITYPRESS $40.00	Bear Geometric Design Plates... PerDozenDesign $60.00	Blue Forest, limited edition... EloiseRenouf $25.00	HAWK NEST 8.5" x 11&quo... yellowbuttonst... $20.00

Ghosts of Gone Birds

A while ago, I said that I'd been busy working on a couple of projects. Well, this is one of them.

'Red Snail-Eating Dodo'  by Camilla Westergaard aka Butterscotch & Beesting

I'm lucky enough to be part of the wonderful Moonko Collective, which represents and supports both emerging and established artists and designers. Through Moonko I became involved in the Ghosts of Gone Birds project, whose mission is to "raise a creative army for conservation through a series of multimedia exhibitions and events that will breathe artistic life back into extinct birds species".

Last year Ghosts of Gone Birds held an exhibition in London, where its 'creative army' included Sir Peter Blake, Oliver Jeffers, Ralph Steadman, and Angie Lewin. This year it's moved to the seaside, to the ONCA Gallery in Brighton.

'Oh Martha' by Victoria Foster aka The Aviary

'Red-Moustached Fruit Dove' by Emily Sutton

 'Triptych of Hawaiian Gone Birds' by Eduardo Fuentes

 'Snail-Eating Coua' by Brandon Lodge

'Laughing Owl' by Alexia Claire

Faunagraphic

I was one of the artists asked to help breathe life back into an extinct bird for the show. Reading through the list of extinct species, I found it really hard to pick one. All their stories are so sad, how do you choose just one? Some of them we know so little about, and even the ones which were captured on paper while they were alive, like the Dodo, vary so much in their depictions.

'Dodo' by Emily Reader aka Rose Petal Deer

One of the most touching stories was the tale of the Kaua'i'o'o which was native to Hawaii. In 1981, a single pair remained, but by 1982 the female had gone, probably killed by a hurricane. So then just one male was left. There is a recording of his voice from 1987, but nothing since. Imagine being the very last of your kind. It's his story that Deborah Moon chose to tell in her beautiful piece, where he sits among the branches of a tree, surrounded by pinned flowers, looking for his mate. 
 

Kaua'i'o'o by Deborah Moon

Kaua'i'o'o (in progress) by Deborah Moon

As I was reading through the list, I started to imagine what might have happened if these birds had been allowed to survive. What would they look like now? Would the Dodo still be flightless or would he have regained some flight to escape the reach of man's knives, non-indigenous pigs and rats? Could any have started evolving into new species? 

Maybe if they had survived, David Attenborough would right now be crouching in a bush in Mauritius, whispering above bird song about a species no one had seen before, which appeared to have the characteristics of a dodo but mixed with some features of the extinct Red Rail that shared its island. 

Even though my knowledge of biology and evolution is shaky at best, I do know that would be very unlikely and would take thousands of years ... but what if a monkey called Solomon had been there? What if the Butterscotch & Beesting Circus had arrived on to the island? What if the Dodo, the Red Rail and the Snail-Eating Coua had loved the circus so much they had run off with it. What if, while they were there, they had been muddled by magic? Well then, we could have had a … drumroll please… Red Snail-Eating Dodo. But we never will. And we'll never know if the Red Snail-Eating Dodo would have flown across the Big Top, or balanced plates on the end of his beak. Imagine the stories he could have told.

So I thought I should tell his story instead. The one of the imaginary Red Snail-Eating Dodo.

'Red Snail-Eating Dodo' original screenprint by Butterscotch & Beesting

Sadly I can't save those poor birds from their fate. But I can take them into my imaginary circus, where they can live forever. And I'll try my best to help protect and cherish the birds I share my real-life world with too.

All the original pieces featured here are available to buy through the gallery, and I also have a limited edition of 50 four-colour screenprints available. If you would like to buy any of the pieces, you can email ONCA or contact me directly and I can forward your message on to the gallery. A percentage of the profits from the sale of all the original art and prints will go directly to help frontline conservation projects fighting to save the lives of endangered species around the world.

The exhibition runs until the end of January at Onca (One Network for Conservation and the Arts), 14 St George's Place, BN1 4GB, Brighton. 

There are more details on the 

>> Onca website >>

>> Ghosts of Gone Birds website >>