It Belongs To Turtle

On The Road Again

2011-12-08T21:28:00.000Z

And in the snow the creature met a passing tortoise, whose voice though full of festive song, had a mind consumed only with the dancing of tea leaves and dunking of biscuits.

It Seems to be...

2011-12-04T16:16:00.002Z

that Turtle's Christmas tree is a little lacking.

Any ideas?

Housework

2011-08-24T17:55:00.000+01:00

Whilst hoovering under his plant pots, Turtle came across a spectre of himself.

He wasn't too worried though. He knew it couldn't be real when he observed it putting on a pot of tea without any regard for the whereabouts of his tea cosy.

Ghost Earrings from IRIS♥JANE

Click the picture to visit the shop.

Counting Sheep

2011-08-03T16:55:00.001+01:00

It was only as a consequence of Turtle's recent insomnia that he was now sat across the table from Graham in an all-night Karaoke bar. But, no matter how Graham bargained with him , Turtle was not getting up and singing the theme from Columbo.

Graham cards now in Turtle's shops.

Up, Over and Around

2011-08-01T21:37:00.000+01:00

As Turtle leapt clean over it's surface, he felt for a second as if he were soaring majestically in orbit of the Moon.

Just like a tortoise-shaped rocket, he thought...

Europa Amigurumi Moon by ButterflyLove.

Click the picture to visit ButterflyLove's Etsy shop.

Cold, Crisp Carrot-Catching

2011-07-07T21:18:00.000+01:00

As he was bounding away from the fridge, his newly conquered bag of carrots dragging along the floor beside him, Harry Rabbit felt a pang of guilt in the pit of his stomach.

Never mind, he thought, that feeling would surely pass after a quick nibble or two.

This is Harry, a one year old Giant Continental rabbit, who is known for his acts of mischief; including kitchen-top dancing, shoe-nibbling and extreme acts of food theft.

Do Tortoises Dream of Electric Sheep?

2011-06-18T18:21:00.001+01:00

Sitting on the grass in the fading sunlight, Turtle heard the rattle of the sheep tumbling over the hills in the distance. Once before Turtle had been infected with their contagious whimsy and had joined in with all the bouncing, jumping and frolicking, only to find that tortoises were not made for the spritely acrobatics of electric sheep.

Just as well really since all that wire wool interfered with Turtle's mobile phone signal anyway.

Sheep Robot Pouch by Anatomy of a Skirt.

Click the picture to visit the shop.

In finding this super sheep robot, Turtle also found Robot a Day, frankly it's genius. Go look.

Clickety click!

B is for Bandit...

2011-06-13T20:37:00.001+01:00

Sometimes, when he's taking a snooze in a nice, comfy bed, Bandit dreams of having longer legs.

He reaches the highest placed snacks, towers over all his friends and is the perfect height for plenty of face-licking.

Meet the real Bandit here.

And get your own pet portrait gift pack
here.

Office Wars; The Beginning

2011-05-19T22:07:00.000+01:00

He sat across the desk in complete silence, responding to Turtle's questions with a series of growing smiles, each a few degrees warmer than the last.
Not to be perturbed by Turtle's unique interrogative style, he sat comfortably in his chair and watched as the tortoise began to cast his questions in the veil of song.
He resisted the lure of a craftily worded sea shanty, withstood the power of an eighties-style rock ballad and even somewhat enjoyed Turtle's soft jazz stylings.
But, although the tortoise had tried with all his might to glean just a sliver of information, it was not to be.
It seems Turtle would never know who'd supped the last of the office milk.

Needle Felted Happy Buddha Egg from Asherjasper.

Click the picture to visit.

A Tortoise Filled Snack

2011-05-11T14:43:00.000+01:00

And, with the final mouthful of rice, the curtain of darkness lifted from Turtle's face and the light of the outside world broke through.
Although a tasty experience, being the filling in an onigiri left Turtle with little time (or space) to get anything done.

Needless to say, Turtle was quite ready for a brew.

Onigiri Amigurumi from Moon's Creations.

Click the picture to visit.

Meet Me Under the Moustache

2011-04-03T16:46:00.000+01:00

Turns out that Turtle really did hear correctly.

Yak, Yak, Yak.

2011-03-03T22:30:00.002Z

Contrary to popular belief, Maurice knows how to have a good time.

He knows life isn't all about studying, practicing tai chi and categorising his underwear.

So, when it came to Zebra's yearly soirée, Maurice decided to prove it by laying out his yodelling skills for all to hear.

Job done, Maurice had thought after the final note; but judging by the look on Zebra's face, such a performance on top of a yak was taking things a step too far.

Looks like some grade 10 yodelling from Sirimuse Crafts.

Click the picture to visit.

A Brew for Two

2011-02-20T21:15:00.000Z

After one too many Long Island Iced Teas the night before, Turtle awoke to find himself overcome with the feeling that this afternoon's tea would definitely be a brew for two.

Mwah!

2011-02-14T21:29:00.001Z

Roll Up, Roll Up.

2011-02-11T20:57:00.000Z

Turtle's career as ringmaster in the travelling circus was short-lived.

He was an audacious lion tamer, an impossibly good trapeze artist and his juggling skills were second to none. But there was something about the static inside the circus tent that made all the popcorn stick to Turtle's shell; and it's hard to dodge a human cannonball when you're covered in tasty snacks.

Circus Tent Gift Box from The Inklings of Tess.
Click to visit.

Outstanding.

Ocean Spray

2011-01-31T21:47:00.001Z

Out on the bow of the ship, in the depth of the night, Turtle stood proud and unyielding against the winds of the open ocean. As he stared across the glistening waves he felt the beads of the cool ocean spray weighing down his long, golden hair. With a flourish, Turtle threw round his gleaming locks and turned to face his crew. His men stood silent, bar one, who as he stepped forward shot a look so deep into Turtle's eyes that it pierced his very soul. Slowly, the sailor's jaw began to fall open and out crept a sound, so gentle at first. But quickly the noise built volume and gathered pitch, until it matched the screech of a gull.

Though very odd, these goings on, Turtle found them somehow familiar, as if this was a sound he might hear every day.

After pondering this notion for a moment or two, Turtle noticed that the screeching had died down and his entire crew had disappeared. Before Turtle could climb down onto the deck to look for the salty sea dogs, a hand came from behind him and took off his hair.

Well now, that's not right...

It was much brighter now than it had been a moment ago, and as Turtle struggled to clear his vision, in front of him stood Georgio with a tray of tea and cakes and holding Turtle's favourite Sunday cushion in his trunk.

Georgio cleared his throat with gentle disdain. He never had understood the appeal of sleeping underneath a pile of old cushions.

Umm... Raaaaar! Was it?

2011-01-27T17:47:00.000Z

Whilst sitting in the tree and awaiting his return to the present time, Turtle began to ponder the disadvantages of accidental time travel. Of course, the most serious would be if Turtle were in his house with guests and was unable to finish making the "welcome" brew. This would indeed be considered most rude, not to mention a source of endless gossip. Luckily, as Turtle was flung back in time on this occasion, he was only on the way to the Post Office and had already had his morning cuppa.

Extra lucky really, as the Mesozoic era is well known to be the golden age for reptilian tea parties and unfortunately Turtle really couldn't get down.

Spotty Dinosaur from Made By Dolly at Folksy.

Click the picture to visit.

Turtle found Made By Dolly in his Flickr pool and he's glad he did.

If you've seen or made something that you'd like to be featured on Turtle's Blog, have a little look at the submissions page.

Yes, Turtle Can Indeed Be On Your Fridge.

2011-01-08T15:23:00.000Z

Thanks for asking.

It's nice to have something to read whilst pondering which cheese to grab, don't you think?

Now in Turtle's Folksy shop is this thoughtful Turtle fridge magnet.

Oh yes.

Thus Spoke The Rooster

2011-01-04T22:54:00.001Z

It was on a Tuesday out in his front garden when the rooster first sprung from Turtle's mind.
It came as quite the surprise.

Turtle had always imagined that when the rooster finally materialised, it would have been a beautiful bird of great mystique and presence; not the tiny, unkempt creature that now sat startled in front of him.
But, today was the day, it seemed, that Turtle would finally hear the rooster speak.
So, long into the evening, Turtle waited quietly in the grass. Then finally, just as Turtle began to slip into a hazy dream of this morning's biscuits, the rooster rose slowly to his feet and said
"...milk, no sugar, thanks"

Well, that's that question answered.

Block Print Rooster Stuffie by artgoodies.
Click to visit.

Rubber Stamp Set by HelloKia
Click to visit.

And The Rooster Print by ridiculorum
Click to visit.

The Piccalilli Post

2010-12-06T10:30:00.003Z

Feeling like you need some chatter with your tea?

Well then, Turtle has just the thing for you.

Yes indeedy.

Turtle's newsletter, The Piccalilli Post.

Click here to sign up.

Since it's nearly Christmas, the first edition of The Post will come with a free copy of Turtle's ebook debut;

Turtle's Night Before Christmas.

Just splendid, Turtle thinks.

Zebra Got Foffed

2010-11-30T18:29:00.000Z

Today, Zebra got Foffed. But don't worry, it wasn't at all painful, in fact it was quite pleasant.

Click to visit Found on Folksy blog.

Plenty of good ideas for stocking fillers, including Zebra's Fridge Magnet:

Click-click.

Whiteout

2010-11-28T16:16:00.000Z

Turtle has some top tips for a whiteout:

1. prepare plenty of smalltalk; snowflakes can get pretty chatty

Carminita "snowflake" Matryoshka Doll from Micasita House.

Click to visit.

2. adorn your shell with something bright and cheery

Somewhere Over The Rainbow from Pirate Pixie's Treasure Trove.

Click to visit.

3. smell good, so as to be sniffed out easily

Natural Marshmallow Hand Butter from Goodness Me!

Click to visit.

4. keep your toes and your thermos warm by any means

A Perfect Pair Embroidery Pattern from Campfire Chic.

Click to visit.

Erm...

2010-11-16T09:00:00.003Z

Turtle doesn't want to alarm you,
but something very strange seems to be happening in the kitchen.

Click to visit Little Miss Delicious.

Click to visit Cute Designs.

Click to visit Sweet Suzy.

Hmmmm...?
At least they all look happy.
Nobody needs surly treats.

Happy Birthday Giraffe!

2010-11-11T19:45:00.001Z

Hello Friend

2010-11-10T15:42:00.001Z

Sometimes, when Turtle has had too many biscuits he can get a little grumpy. So it's always important for him to have a way to tell Georgio that he didn't mean it when he said that he didn't like his dancing.

In actual fact it was quite dainty, for an elephant.

Hello Friend Note Cards (with stickers) - pack of 4.

Garden Gramophone

2010-11-08T22:02:00.001Z

When it's Spring and Turtle is outside planting beans, he likes to listen to the radio; sometimes, he likes to sing along to his favourite songs.

One beautiful, sunny day, Turtle was singing along to "Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton when, much to Turtle's dismay, his radio was carried off by a swarm of golden butterflies.

Not one to be thwarted by unappreciative insects, Turtle continued with the song 'a capella'.

Love Song - fabric art by Lil Sonny Sky.

Click to visit.

Greatest Hits

2010-11-04T19:25:00.000Z

Upon releasing volume 4 of his greatest hits, Turtle began to feel somewhat smug.

But, there was no need to worry; Turtle simply scoffed down a cracker piled high with Piccalilli and the feeling soon passed.

The Old Songs are the Best Necklace from
A Little Rummage.

Pssst! Have you read this week's Shop Talk on the Folksy Blog?
Turtle bets you'll never guess which shop it is.

Clickety click!

Toasty Toes

2010-11-01T22:21:00.001Z

"Kettle's ready!"

Kira's Lil Tutorials: Chocolate Silhouettes

2010-10-29T09:30:00.001+01:00

Although once or twice spooked by a vampire pineapple, Turtle remains tentatively delighted by Kira's Lil Shop of Horror.

After a nice calming brew though, Turtle mustered up the courage to invite Kira over to the blog for a bit, she even brought something chocolatey-good with her.

This is Kira's Lil Tutorial for:

Chocolate Silhouettes.

For cupcakes and cakes.

1. Go online and find a silhouette of something you'd like to use.

Mine will be Halloween themed so I chose these!

2. Okay, to get started microwave 2 cups (360 grams) of chocolate chips in a bowl for 30 seconds and stir.

Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals until almost melted. Stir again until chocolate is completely melted.

Pour inside a plastic ziploc bag with one tip snipped off to create a piping sleeve.

Now when you cut the tip, try and make it small so you can do small detail work.

3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment/wax paper. Slide your silhouette or template underneath the wax paper. And you'll basically trace the image with the chocolate piping, if you'd like you can tape the paper down to hold it still.

Repeat the process until you've created as many as you like.

Chill them in freezer or fridge for 15 minutes or even overnight. Then instead of using a spatula to scrape them off... I just cut small sections and flip them over and gently push them off. And if you notice, the other side reveals a smoother surface.

4. Just simply put the chocolate pictures onto your finished cupcakes.

I noticed that they're better if you lay them flat. I tried to set some sitting up and if the edges are to heavy they dangle a bit. (example spiderweb)

Thanks Kira!

Have you met Kira?

She is of the shop Kira's Little Shop of Horror

and the blog Crafty Loos.

Hopefully Kira will come back another day with some more tutorial-type treats.

From Bumpo: Aidan's Monsters

2010-10-28T09:30:00.001+01:00

When Rob came to Turtle's house for a spot of tea, he had something special to tell Turtle.

The only trouble was that Turtle couldn't concentrate properly what with all the surrounding banana-bread treats that Rob had brought with him.

So, Turtle thought it was best if Rob came back, sans tasty-treats, and posted it on the blog.

Aidan's Monsters

I honestly don't know how to write about this one, but it's a story that deserves attention and despite all logic being to the contrary it's a beautiful little thing.

I'll keep this short because really there's very little for me to say; Aidan is 5 years old, he like's monsters, drawing, clowns, dressing up, and last month he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

I have no idea how I would handle news like that, I don't even want to associate the thought with my own niece or nephew, it's just too much. No child should have to face something so daunting.

But I started this with the mention of something kinda beautiful and that comes from Aidan himself, the kids got heart ya see? Throughout his Chemo sessions and recovery periods he's never lost his sense of fun or love of drawing monsters (I'm mad jealous of his Wolfman).

To help raise money for his medical bills an Etsy shop has been set up selling both prints and original artwork by Aidan.

Now I'm not one for schmaltz, the worlds a tough place full of sad stories but right here there's a chance for the creative community to look after one of it's own, you can directly help Aidan and his family, you can put a smile on the face of a sick 5 year old. You can make a difference and I really want you take this opportunity today to do something good.

(P.s. damn straight I bought a Wolfman print, it's awesome.)

You can visit the Aidan's Monsters Etsy shop here.
You can also read about Aidan here on the Aid For Aidan blog.
Guaranteed to make you smile.

Thanks again Rob.
Good work indeed.

New Mission!

2010-10-27T12:10:00.000+01:00

This week's mission is a pretty good 'un.

Turtle hopes you have fun joining in.

Mission: Puppet Master

Mission Puppet Master is pretty straightforward.

Turtle wants to see some shadow puppets.

He's pretty darn sure that he has an army of imaginative beans here so wants to see what you can do. Make shadows with your hands, with objects or with cut out card. If you don't want to design your own, you can borrow Turtle's, he doesn't mind. Just click on the image below and print it onto A4 card/thick paper. You can give the ghost a different face or decorate Turtle's shell if you like.

As ever, once you're done, take a photo and post it on the wall of Turtle's Facebook page or upload to the It Belongs To Turtle Flickr Pool.

If you don't have Flickr or Facebook then you can email your photo or image to Turtle at turtle.t.tortoise [at] gmail {dot} com and he'll post it up for you.

If you're not part of Turtle's Tea Army yet, check here for recruitment.

It's Autumn In Turtle-Land

2010-10-24T16:35:00.001+01:00

What with it being Autumn now, Turtle has given everything a bit of a spruce. His kettle is clean, shell shiny and his many jars of Piccalilli are neatly lined up in his pantry.

Not only this, but Turtle has packed up his whole Folksy shop and moved it to a brand new address. One that makes much more sense, Turtle reckons.

www.itbelongstoturtle.folksy.com

Turtle has also introduced some new fridge magnets, which he is rather proud of. Although he does wish that he were on one or two of them...

Pet Week Round Up

2010-10-23T14:45:00.000+01:00

After a successful pet week, Turtle has finally decided on just the one for him.

View source.

Well dressed, well mannered and, well... Turtle thinks you know.

Time to round up some of the photos added to Turtle's Flickr pool over the week.

Click here to see them all.

What's That Smatter?

2010-10-22T09:30:00.001+01:00

Whilst trekking home after standing in as a bingo caller at his local bingo hall, Turtle heard a strange smattering noise coming from not so far away. Turtle had been warned before that this route home was not the safest and so started to become somewhat concerned.

But, not being one to run from spooky noises (or more likely walk as briskly as possible) Turtle continued on through the dim light of his path. It wasn't long before Turtle turned a corner and there before him was gathered a tiny troop of oddly adorned dogs.

Now, Turtle had seen plenty of doggy outfits before; but none quite like this.

On each paw was some kind of flipper, on each muzzle an orange bill, and on every pooch's back hung a cape with the words "delinquent ducks" impressed upon it.

What all this meant, Turtle couldn't be sure; but frankly, all that smattering was beginning to get on his nerves.

So, on Turtle wandered, pondering these duck-dogs for only a moment or two. After all, there are much greater concerns for a thirsty tortoise to think of.

See that Jack! Dog Jacket from Crochety Craft.

Click to visit.

The Pookie - Hand Stamped Pet ID Tag from Very Vintage.

Click to visit.

Pet Treats Pouch from Max and Molly Designs.

This would be Turtle's favourite shop if he were a dog.

Click the picture to visit.

Cute Critters from Fantastic Toys

2010-10-21T09:30:00.001+01:00

Todays post for Turtle's Pet Week comes in the shape of a tutorial from the Fantastic Toys Blog. One of the cutest craft blogs that Turtle has ever seen.

Click to see the tutorial.

The tutorial shows you how to make some lovely cat toy critters.

There's a bird, a mouse and Turtle's least favourite of friends, a fish.

Darn those fish, always so sneaky.

Even if you don't have kitty-shaped friends, Fantastic Toys is certainly worth a visit as it's full of amazing crafts and super-tutorials.

Plus it's nice to look at too!

Visit the Fantastic Toys Blog.

Paws, Tails, Noses and Hairdos.

2010-10-20T11:37:00.000+01:00

So far this week, Turtle has made some lovely new friends so he thought he'd introduce a few of them on his blog:

Image: bluebellandrosie

How many cats do you spot?

Image: -Sliverbeat-

Image: Blue Forest Jewellery

Poppy, who apparently quite enjoys eating sand... yagh!

Pepper - laughing? "Life is just so good when that dog's not around"

Images: Ellie's Treasures

Image: Faye Godwin

And, finally, the superbly named Mr. Snoops (pictured with Miss L) who is "a cheeky little fella who enjoys cuddles, biscuits, zorbing and Tchaikovsky."

You can see plenty more of Turtle's new friends in his Flickr Pool or on his Facebook page. And there's plenty of room for more, so don't forget to add photos of your pets too!

Day 2 of Pet Week: Ruben The Cat

2010-10-19T10:00:00.000+01:00

After Turtle's spell of being 'dressed to the nines', as it were, in all kinds of sparkles and bright colours, he much appreciates the more chic and sophisticated look of a beautiful pet collar.

And so, for all the pets out there that wish their owners would add a little luxury to their look, Turtle would like to suggest Ruben the Cat.

Ruben the Cat sells luxury handcrafted collars, leads and charms for cats and dogs.

Turtle thinks that they are simply beautiful.

Anchor Cat Collar.

Hearts Dog Collar.

Flowers in Aqua Blue Cat Collar.

Turtle was rather intrigued by the notion of a real life Ruben the Cat and so earlier today asked the store owner and maker Lisa a little bit about him.

Lisa told Turtle:

Yes, l do have a cat called Ruben, me and my partner adopted him just over
a year ago. We don't know much about his past only that he was run over by
a car and lost one of his legs as a result.

Over the past year we've
watched him change from a cat that would bite and scratch (but never hurt
us) to a cat that loves to curl up on our laps and have his ears rubbed.
It's been really rewarding watching the change in him and it's amazing how
much he's made our place into a home.

When we first got Ruben, l wanted to find him a really lovely collar but l
couldn't find anything in the shops remotely like what l wanted. Then
sometime later a friend encouraged me to give the crafts a try and l
decided that l wanted to make something for Ruben. Some months later, l
began to turn it into a business.

That's one handsome cat, Turtle thinks.

Visit Ruben the Cat.

Day 1 of Pet Week

2010-10-18T09:00:00.003+01:00

Agreeing to be a pet for a month wasn't the best thing that Turtle's ever done. He thought it would be all sleeping, eating, getting pats and the occasional fetch-based activity. And though there was a good snooze or two to be had, it seemed also that Turtle was expected to wear some very odd clothing. Firstly, it was quite some effort to get anything stretched over his shell and secondly, probably most importantly, Turtle looked positively absurd.

Meow indeed.

Anyway, Turtle is his own Tortoise now and prefers to go 'au naturel'.

On the first day of Turtle's Pet Week, he'd like to tell you about the most addictive blog for animal lovers.

Cute Overload is it's name and it's positively spectacular in every way, in fact, you may need to sit down for this one.

Click to visit Cute Overload.

Turtle would strongly recommend that you set aside some time to look at Cute Overload as you may find that it takes over your whole day.

Next week is Pet Week!

2010-10-16T16:46:00.000+01:00

Turtle has always wanted a pet. He's searched high and low for that perfect companion but has never found anyone who has fit the bill. After reading Alice in Wonderland, Turtle thought that a dormouse might just be the one he was looking for, what with his sleepy nature and clear penchant for story-telling. But, in the end, Turtle wasn't so sure that he'd like a pet who was often depicted as sitting within a teapot. Where would the tea go?

But anyway, as Turtle's search continues on, he'd very much like to meet everybody else's pets and find out a little about them.

So next week, starting Monday, it's Pet Week on Turtle's Blog.

All next week Turtle will be talking about all things pet related. He has some websites, shops, blogs and more to show you. Not forgetting introducing some of your pets to the world of course.

Turtle would love to meet your pets, especially the tea-drinkers (it's good to have common ground with someone who could potentially squash you with their paw). You can upload your photos to Turtle's Flickr Pool, post them on his Facebook page or email them to turtle.t.tortoise {at} gmail [dot] com. Tell Turtle a little bit about your pet; name, likes, dislikes etc. and he will be posting a few of his favourites on the blog.

Plus, if you're a maker/seller then don't forget to add your pet items to Flickr/Facebook too!

High Sea Teas

2010-10-14T21:06:00.000+01:00

Turtle has the uncanny ability to seek out a pot of tea from even the furthest corners of the Earth. And as a sea captain, although often distracted by his distaste for water, Turtle could always steer his crew in the direction of some liquid treasure. Once or twice he has even happened across a dinghy full of biscuits on the way.

Glitterbugwishes Finds: The Penpal Project

2010-10-11T22:31:00.001+01:00

Turtle would like to introduce you to his newest guest blogger!

She's a good'un.

It's Glitterbugwishes, and she has something a mite special to tell you about:

Wow! I am excited at the thought of what I have discovered, the fluttering, deep belly-giggle kind of excited, want to know why and how you can get involved? Then read on and enjoy.

Notebook & image from She Draws.
Click the picture to visit.

Hi I am Glitterbugwishes - otherwise known as Lisa, I have an obsession for all things that sparkle, I love reading and collecting books of any kind, and gorgeous one of a kind and vintage items.

I am lucky that I can now use my job as an excuse to research for and buy any of the above; as a jewellery designer I am always looking for the perfect find, that missing piece that just fires the imagination, and it was whilst I was surfing the waves on the big wide ocean - otherwise known as the internet, that I stumbled on my next non jewellery project.

As a lover of writing, the written word, nice pens, and pretty paper I was excited to discover the Indie Fixx penpal project, 'what is this!?!' I hear you cry, well it is the art of trying to bring snail mail and a smile back into people's lives.

Click to visit and find out how to take part in the Indie Fixx Penpal Project.

I loved this idea and jumped in with both feet. After all what could be nicer than searching for and finding pretty papers, vintage postcards and notelets to write on? Nice pens and pretty coloured inks to write with? And a quiet afternoon when its raining outside, snuggled in your favourite chair by the fire, taking your time to write out your thoughts for the day, what you are doing with your life in the present moment, your future hopes, plans, dreams and common interests to someone who starts out as a far away fellow glitterbug (in my case) but who may end up a bugs best friend in time.

I think in today's world we all lead such busy lives and the likes of text talk and social networking has taken over the art of conversation, so I for one am so excited and thrilled at the thought of receiving letters written on pretty papers and hearing from someone in a place I may never get to visit in my lifetime, and witnessing different cultures even if they're only on paper.

And woo hoo! I am excited to say I already have some fellow bugs to swap snail mail with.... Jason, a photographer from southern california who's pictures are truly stunning; and Tracey a fellow Folksy bug who is a crafter/designer from Dorset, England. My first letter winged its way across the globe yesterday and I hope to gain more fellow bugs in the near future.

I really hope this project takes off and has many people in the world writing to each other, for I feel there is nothing nicer than the anticipation of opening a pretty letter and sharing thoughts and dreams across the globe over a well earned cup of tea and biscuits.

I hope I have inspired you to learn more about this wonderful project to check it out type into google indie fixx penpal project and it should take you to the wonderful world of snail mail.

I hope you find some fellow snail mail bugs of your very own to share your hopes and dreams with.

Hugs & Wishes

Glitterbugwishes xx

Turtle's pretty pleased with this find and would like to thank Lisa for letting everyone here know about it.

If you'd like to know more about Lisa and Glitterbugwishes jewellery then pop over to her Folksy shop here, or her blog here.
Or have a read of her profile in the Guest Bloggers section of Turtle's Blog.

Clickety-click.

Where's Turtle? Episode 2

2010-10-10T16:43:00.004+01:00

After escaping the fate that had befallen him last time he'd wandered off for a tasty treat, Turtle decided it might be best if he were to take Sam with him on this next outing. Now that it's getting cool outside, Turtle thought a spot of warm cherry crumble might be in order; plus it is one of Sam's favourites. So off they trundled to find a slice or two. But, once again, pudding-based thoughts led them awry. And, for a second time Turtle was lost in some kind of cluttered oblivion, but this time Sam was truly lost as well.

Can you find Turtle and Sam?

Click to view bigger.

A bit perplexed? Click here for the answer.

Where's Turtle? Ep. 1.

Wooing Monday

2010-10-07T22:19:00.000+01:00

When wooing his favourite lady-friend, Turtle employs the use of soft candlelight, a warm teapot and olfactory excitement. It's a real recipe for love.

It's good then that Turtle has discovered Mr. Wick; a shop full of lovely things that he's sure will please his most treasured companion the next time she pops round for a brew.

Click the pictures to visit Mr. Wick.

Natural Mussel Shell Tea Lights.

Coleman's Bubblegum Soy Wax Candle.

Soy Wax Tea Light Eggs.

Turtle would happily show you everything in the Mr. Wick shop. But he doesn't want to spoil the surprise. He could look at the photos all day.

Visit Mr. Wick at Folksy.

Mission: Who's in your brew? Medal of Honour

2010-10-06T12:49:00.000+01:00

The recruits have been eagerly spotting teabag imposters as part of Mission: Who's in your brew?

And the time has come to award this Mission's Medal of Honour.

The Who's in Your Brew Medal of Honour goes to Fur Will Fly for this entry:

What a sneaky teabag.

Join Turtle's Tea Army and take part in this week's Mission: Rations Tin.

Visit the recruitment page here!

Back from the Snood

2010-10-04T20:02:00.000+01:00

It seems that Turtle took an unexpected trip and got a mite lost inside a particularly cosy snood.

But, never mind, Turtle's back now and has rather a lot to tell you...

after a brew or two, obviously.

"The Chunky Cable Cowl in Red" from Dolly Knits.

Click the picture to visit.

From Bumpo: Barnaby Richards Interview

2010-09-25T19:01:00.000+01:00

Today, Turtle is taking a well deserved rest and is handing over his blog to his new friend Rob from Bumpo's. There is much inside Turtle's computer that he is yet to discover, and he is most pleased that Rob has found a tasty gem to share with Turtle and all his readers.

So, while Turtle warms his favourite teapot in preparation for a pre-snooze brew, he would like to introduce you to Rob, aka Bumpo.

When I saw that Turtle was seeking guest contributors I knew this was a chance to redeem myself having been given the 'cold shell' since an unfortunate incident during Turtle's Sea Captain days (how was I to know the Whale understood English and that was his wife?!?)

Remembering these youthful excursions put me in mind of a very curious tale, told to me in hushed tones in darkened rooms; whispers of Cosmo, afoot in strange lands, beset by fantastical beasts.

His chosen medium to relay these tales? The Postcard no less!

Indeed Postcards addressed to one Barnaby Richards...

A Postcard From Cosmo
Barnaby Richards.

Rob : So Barnaby Richards...is that your real name?

Barnaby : Yup.

Rob : Don't suppose you've any identification...no? no, no that's fine, never mind...

Now, your 'friend' Cosmo...

Barnaby : I know as much as you- it's all on Trapped by Monsters.

Rob : You mean to say you have no idea who the wayfaring Cosmo is?

Barnaby : Nope.

Rob : Remarkable then that he has somehow chosen you to convey these wondrous tales to the world. How did this all begin?

Barnaby : Yes, I know! The first postcard was sitting on my desk when I went to start work on the morning of the 16th of June and each subsequent week, every Wednesday morning, I find another postcard addressed to me. Quite how long it's going to last I really have no idea. I might be moving house in a month or so... will I still get the postcards?

Rob : I would dearly hope so. It has been noted that on each postcard Cosmo alters the address slightly, could this somehow be part of his secret?

Barnaby : Well, the only thing that changes in the address is that the 12 letters of the word "Candlebridge" rotate. What that means, I don't know... but yes, I guess there must be something in that. Candlebridge itself is a place that fascinates me. Obviously the postcards say 'Candlebridge Supplies' on them. Also, the postage mark on the latest postcards appears to have a sort of candle/bridge emblem.

A Postcard From Cosmo

Barnaby Richards.

Rob : Curiouser and curiouser. Now as an Illustrator of some renown, regularly having work published in leading British periodicals such as The Guardian and The Observer, amongst others, it has been suggested in some sections that you could be fabricating these tales and indeed Cosmo himself, how do you respond to these tawdry accusations?

Barnaby : Well, you yourself used the word 'tawdry' and I thank you for that. One can shine a light into the dark but there really is no cure for dullness.

Rob : Quite so and if I may venture further, well said. I imagine, with being in the dark as much as the rest of us as to where Cosmo's adventures will take him, especially given the growing concern to wit Malthus' recent behavioural changes, it must be incredibly hard to make any plans but I know there is a growing clamour from the public for some sort of compendium to preserve these adventures for future generations...

Barnaby : It would certainly seem fitting to commemorate something so inexplicable! I'm just filing them away for safe keeping at present - somewhere where the cat can't get at them. However, I can assure you that when I do get round to putting together such a publication, you and your readers will be (among) the first to know!

Rob : We look forward to hearing from you. Barnaby Richards, thank you.

Barnaby : Thanks Robert.

So there we have it dear reader. I fear our investigation has thrown up more questions than answers.

Who is Cosmo? Or indeed what?? And how do these deltiological messages make their way to Barnaby's desk???

We can only hope more of the mystery will be revealed come Wednesday and the next Postcard From Cosmo.

A postcard from Cosmo is posted every Wednesday morning on the Trapped by Monsters website.
To find out more about Barnaby Richards, visit The Barnaby Richards Archive.

Turtle would like to give a big thanks to Rob for being his very first guest blogger, and highly recommends a visit to his blog: Bumpo's.

Do you fancy writing for Turtle's blog?

(Clickety click.)

Tea Army Update

2010-09-24T14:34:00.000+01:00

The Tea Army Recruits have been busy spotting tea bag imposters and showing off their favourite mugs.

Here are a few more of Turtle's favourite entries:

The 365 Scientist and Fur Will Fly's favourite mug.

Lost Star's favourite mug.

A kitty-imposter exposed by Quincifer.

Not joined Turtle's Tea Army yet? Visit the recruitment page here and start your first mission.

Business Partners

2010-09-23T11:19:00.000+01:00

Meetings with owls usually take place in the cool mist of the forest near Turtle's house. Here the sunlight doesn't quite reach the forest floor and the leaf litter stays comfy and damp. Turtle has noticed that these conditions tend to placate owls and are thus the best in which to do business. This way negotiations don't result in any of that grumpy, vehement outcry that everybody else seems to term "hooting".

Turtle can't get enough of Jessica Woodhouse. Click the picture to visit the Folksy shop and see some proper cute!

Fantastic VooDoo Owl Giclée print from The Lindström Effect.
Click the picture to visit the Folksy shop.
Click here to visit the astoundingly beautiful blog.

Stoneware Owl from Ceramics by Jessica Lucking.
Click the picture to visit.

Lovely fluffy little owl from Fibrous.
Click the picture to visit.

Big Yellow Owl Necklace from Wollies.
Love Wollies!
Click the picture to visit.

Hand Knitted Owl Tea Cosy from Jacksknits.
Click the picture to visit.
(Found in Turtle's Flickr Pool. Add your stuff here!)

Mission: Who's in your brew?

2010-09-22T15:44:00.000+01:00

Ready recruits?

Mission two is go!

Mission: Who's in your brew?

The Tenth Biscuit Brigade is ahead at the moment with mission entries. But it's only mission two chaps, so there's plenty of time for you Dragoons and Guards to catch up!

Medal of Honour

2010-09-21T10:20:00.000+01:00

Turtle has been most pleased by the number of recruits that have signed up for his Tea Army.

Mission Mugshot has been a real success. And as Turtle prepares for tomorrow's mission, the time has come to award this week's Medal of Honour.

The Mission Mugshot Medal of Honour goes to Quincifer!

For her photo of her favourite mug.

The regiment with the most cadets completing Mission Mugshot was the 10th Biscuit Today Brigade!

Good work troops!

How Do You Spell...?

2010-09-20T20:24:00.000+01:00

Ready kids?

Initial badge - for boys by nickynacknoo.

Click the picture to visit.

Wee Black Sheep by Quernus Crafts.
Click the picture to visit.

Pirate Panda - Saviour of the Planet furoshiki by myfuroshiki.
Click the picture to visit.

Tea Please Brooch by Betty & Gibson.
Click the picture to visit.

You're My Favourite Hello Necklace by Joanna Rutter.
Click the picture to visit.

Monster Plush Letter 'E' by Tiny Oyster from the Stuffed Team shop.
Click the picture to visit.

You do know what it spells don't you?

Mission Mugshot

2010-09-19T11:26:00.000+01:00

Recruitment has begun for Turtle's Tea Army and the first mission is underway.

Mission Mugshot.

These are the first entries:

Favourite mugs from Petit-Mignon and her boyfriend. With Stephen in the background of course.

Dainty cup and saucer from Papercake Makes.

And of course, Turtle's favourite mug.

He likes it because of the way it towers over him and a tower of tea is not something to be sniffed at.

If you fancy joining Turtle's Tea Army and doing Mission Mugshot then visit the recruitment page to find out what to do. There's a little quiz for you to take to find out which regiment you're in. Nothing too tasking though.

Will you write for Turtle?

2010-09-16T20:43:00.002+01:00

Fancy writing a post for Turtle's Blog?

Turtle would love to hear from you!

What can I write about?

As you might have noticed, Turtle enjoys a good cuppa, so any tea-related goings-on are of definite interest.

Any suggestions are welcome, but here are some ideas if you're stuck for what to write about:

A How-To

A tasty recipe

Picks of your favourite items found online

Your favourite items from the It Belongs To Turtle Flickr Group

Your favourite websites, shops or blogs

A sea-shanty you wrote late last night

A Turtle-based story...

If you are an online seller and make something that you think would be of interest to Turtle or one of his friends (see their profile pages for their interests and likes) then you are welcome to write a press release about your shop or items.

How do I get started?

Email Turtle to let him know that you fancy writing for him. Tell him who you are and what you'd like to write about. Easy peasy!

turtle.t.tortoise{at}gmail[dot]com

Turtle can't wait to hear from you!

I don't feel like writing a whole post, but will Turtle feature my item?

If you make something that you'd like to put forward to be featured on Turtle's Blog, then upload your photos to the It Belongs To Turtle Flickr Group. Turtle will be making picks from the group pool to feature in his blog posts. Have a look through the blog to see the kinds of things that are featured; but generally speaking, anything tea-related, animal-related or superbly cute are definite winners. Feel free to add as many items as you'd like.

If you don't have a Flickr account, you are more than welcome to email your item submissions to Turtle or one of his friends. Please send a link to your item rather than pictures.

Turtle and friends email addresses can be found on their profile pages.

Unfortunately Turtle can't feature all items submitted, but he will try his darndest to feature as many as he can and really appreciates anything that you want to show him.

Whaleopedia

2010-09-15T11:43:00.002+01:00

On his way home from work Turtle took a left where normally he would take a right. This was most unlike Turtle and he himself did not know why he'd done it. But after marching on for a while Turtle arrived at a small country dwelling inhabited only by an overly-talkative robot. Before he could retrace his steps and amend the anomalous left turn, Turtle found himself dining al fresco with the robot and listening to what can only be described as his encyclopedic knowledge of beluga whales.

Lil Fella the Whale brooch and

Barnacle the Whale brooch

both from Lizzybeth's Felties.

Click the pictures to visit.

Super-cute!
Robot iphone/ipod etc. cosy from SugarplumFairyLand.
Click the picture to visit.

Humpbot Whale print.
Lots more animal-bot prints from Hamburgerpanda.
Click the picture to visit.

Turtlequat

2010-09-12T22:48:00.001+01:00

If Turtle were a fruit he'd be a Kumquat, because he spent last week as a Guava and it just didn't take.

Turtle Needs You!

2010-09-03T22:49:00.002+01:00

Time For Tea

2010-09-01T15:24:00.000+01:00

It was time for tea, Turtle thought; but what kind?

A tea of vast proportions would probably be best...

Moo Plus Moo Equals Four

2010-08-29T12:13:00.000+01:00

Aside from all that grass chewing and looking startled, Turtle thinks that cows are pretty smart. He once was trying to work out a complicated maths problem and a passing cow came up with the answer straight away. Of course, neither of them could actually write the answer down, but that was besides the point.

Crafting With Samuel

2010-08-19T18:02:00.001+01:00

Unfortunately, being that Turtle has no fingers of his own, he couldn't have any fun with his Finger Puppet printable pack. Luckily Turtle has a brand new friend that had a go and told him all about it via the medium of his Mum, aka Floppsie Moppsie.

Meet Samuel.

Age: 3 1/2

Favourite food: Fish Pie

Least favourite food: Cabbage

Favourite colour: black

Hobbies: painting and drawing, flying his kite, going to the woods and walking his Nan's dogs

Loves: his trampoline, anything Spiderman related, trains, boats and animals; and when he's older with his own house he wants lots of Dalmatians!

So, this is how Samuel got on:

"After being quarantined for over 10 days now due to chicken pox, my two boys are going house crazy! My eldest boy Samuel (3) was therefore very excited when we printed of Turtle's finger puppet PDF.

He ran downstairs and pulled out his pens, pencils, scissors and glue and he was off!

First of all he coloured in each of the animals in his 'unique' style!

Then he posed for a photo!

He next carefully cut around each of the finger puppets - mummy had to help a little bit on the curves.

He then glued along each of the glue lines and held them together until they had stuck.

He placed them on each of his fingers - mummy put hers on his other hand. He gave them a good wiggle and was very pleased with himself!!

More photo posing!!

He really enjoyed making these finger puppets and i'm sure he'll want to make them again and again.

I also think they are a brilliant idea for giving children something to do at birthday parties whilst your waiting for all of the children to arrive."

Turtle doesn't use this word often, but he's pretty darn chuffed that Samuel enjoyed his finger puppets. So chuffed in fact, that he needs a quick brew to calm down a bit.

Thanks to Samuel, and to Samuel's Mum from Floppsie Moppsie.
Visit the Floppsie Moppsie shop here.

Thanks!

If you'd like to try Turtle's animal finger puppets they are available from both the Folksy and Etsy It Belongs To Turtle shops.

A Happy Home

2010-08-11T17:15:00.001+01:00

It isn't that Turtle doesn't enjoy chatting to his house, it's just that sometimes when he's off out he'd like simply to be able to close the front door and go.

What with listening to his house's stories about the postman and passing dogs, Turtle is often unforgivably late to his appointments.

The only solution, Turtle reckons, is to get his house a pet shed. That should probably do the trick.

Turtle's a little bit in love with Steph Baxter.

See more of her super illustrations on her website Steph Says Hello.

She also has both Folksy and Etsy shops.

Happy Birthday Turtle!

2010-07-31T16:56:00.000+01:00

Today Turtle is another year older. This isn't something that Turtle likes to shout about; not that he ever really shouts anyway.

He's spent much of the day hiding in amongst some rather voluptuous cushions, trying not to think about the whole birthday situation.

But, Turtle's friends see things differently and decided that they would pop round to Turtle's house, drop off their gifts and most importantly stick the kettle on.

That'll be sure to cheer Turtle up.

Competition Winners: Turtle's New Shell!

2010-07-30T20:52:00.001+01:00

To select the winning entries of the Turtle's New Shell competition, Turtle has chosen a special guest judge. Well, actually, two special guest judges.

They are a debonair pair, both of whom Turtle is strongly considering inviting out for some tea and cake.

Oh, and one of them has a 'special fin'.

That's right, it's Waldo the Worm and Dave aka The Nosuch Disco.

Oh yes. It's true.

Well then, Turtle thinks it's best if they do the rest of the talking whilst he sits down for a nice relaxing brew.

Hello there!!

First off, thank you so much for choosing Waldo and I to judge the Turtle's New Shell competition, its a real honour.

We have been deliberating for a few days now on what the finalists are, we even got into a bit of a fight about it! but its all ok now, i think.

So to business!

3rd Place:

Sixes and Sevens: Zebra's Rule

Nosuch Disco: I once went out with a girl that had a coat like this...

Waldo: Was she nice?

Nosuch Disco: Not really, but the coat was worth the year long relationship.

Waldo: I like the expression on turtles face, its like "what the...?"

Nosuch Disco: Yeah, its like he's been graffitied in his sleep and just woke up all confused and what not.

2nd Place:

Ella's Shell

ND: WOW look at all the little characters on this shell, i could certainly steal one for your next adventure!

W: now that you've said that, if there is say a ladybird in the next book, its going to look like you've nicked it from here!

ND: good point! what i like best here is the amount of stuff thats going on, like the watering can and the evil looking dandelion

W: is he saying snap?

ND: its cool how turtles face is half and half!

WINNER

Maddy (all done with a pencil)

ND: look at the detail here, i like how i've been looking at it for hours and still spotting new stuff about it!

W: i like how it now looks like a big head with a worm popping out the ear!

ND: ahaha yes!! I also like how the feet are like bucked teeth!

W: its perfect for scaring off predators! Predators as in things that eat turtles, nor Predators in the film, i dont think they'd be scared of a face on a turtle.

ND: whats the 007 thing about?

W: No idea! i'm less than a year old

ND: still that aside, its an awesome drawing, well done Maddy!!

Congratulations everybody!

Turtle will be in touch soon so that he can post out your goodies!

Click here to see all of the entries.

A special thank you goes to Waldo and Dave for being Turtle's guest judges.

If you'd like to learn more about Waldo the Worm visit his website here.

And guess what? Waldo stars in his very own book!

Available to buy from the Waldo The Worm website and also from The Nosuch Disco on Folksy.

There are also plenty of super-cute Waldo based treats like badges, bags and greeting cards.

Click to visit The Nosuch Disco.

Thanks everybody for all your entries.
Turtle is most pleased.
And Zebra is most impressed.

The Movies

2010-07-25T12:44:00.000+01:00

Maurice, Zebra, Lion, Tiger and Giraffe decided to go to the cinema to see Toy Story 3. The showing was at 12.00 so they agreed to meet at 11.30.

But wait, where's Tiger?

Ugh, he always does this!

So, off they went to look for him.

Giraffe asked her friend from the stationery club:

but she didn't know where Tiger was.

Zebra asked the eggs in the fridge:

(They'd been helpful before when Turtle had lost his keys)

but they hadn't seen Tiger either.

Maurice checked inside all the empty toilet rolls:

but there was no trace of Tiger in any of them.

Lion decided to ask a passing cow:

And after reeling off a speech about the virtues of a good pizza oven, the cow told Lion that he'd seen somebody chasing bugs in the garden.

And, true enough, there was Tiger, having a taste of some tomato plants.

They didn't taste so good, but never mind, maybe when the tomatoes are ripe.

So after Lion and Tiger rounded everyone up, they went off to the cinema.

They just made it on time.

They all enjoyed the film; except Zebra, who found the whole thing a little unsettling and now really doesn't trust an unlocked toy box.

Make your own finger puppet story!

Competition! Turtle's New Shell.

2010-07-22T14:40:00.000+01:00

Don't tell him, but frankly Zebra just can't take Turtle's plain old ways any longer.

So Zebra's running a sneaky competition to give Turtle a new look.

Zebra wants you to help him decorate Turtle's shell.

To enter:

Print out the image above

Decorate Turtle's shell in whatever way you fancy, using whatever you want; paints, crayons, collage...

Take a photo of your entry and upload it to the It Belongs To Turtle Flickr Pool.

(If you don't have a Flickr account and don't want to get one then just email your image to Turtle or one of his friends and they will add it to the pool; their email addresses can be found on their profile pages.)

The competition closes at midnight on Thursday 29th July.

There will be 3 winners chosen by a special guest judge and they will be announced on Friday 30th July.

What's up for the win?

1st Prize: 3 animal cards, 1 animal coaster and 1 animal keyring

2nd Prize: 1 animal card and 1 animal keyring

3rd Prize: 1 animal keyring

(If you win you get to choose which animals you would like on your prizes.)

Have fun, and leave a comment with a link to your picture.

Doodle Schmoodle Day 4

2010-07-22T12:07:00.000+01:00

Day 4 of the Doodle Schmoodle Challenge is My Gallery.

Lucky then that Turtle already has this collection of pictures hanging in his rumpus room.

Zebra's feeling pretty miffed at the size of that portrait though.

Click below to check out the Flickr pool.

Special Offer!

2010-07-21T18:45:00.000+01:00

Turtle's friends often like to see themselves in Turtle's shop.

And they are super happy with these printable gift tags. Maurice likes to use his to label his food in the fridge (he's one of those monkeys).

The gift tags are available at a special introductory price.

Visit Turtle's shop to see!

Doodle Schmoodle? Oh Yarrrr!

2010-07-20T23:26:00.000+01:00

Today Turtle was nibbling on a few leftover cake crumbs that he'd found in the Folksy forum when he heard some chit-chattering about some sort of Doodle Schmoodle.

Every day for a month, Betty's Place puts forward a doodle page for anyone who wants to join in the Doodle Schmoodle challenge.

You then just chuck your imagination all over it, take a picture and hey presto, you have a Doodle Schmoodle page.

It's an arts and crafts obsessive's dream!

Visit Betty's Place here for the full explanation:

Anyway, Turtle missed day one, but got pretty excited when he saw what day two's Doodle Schmoodle challenge was. Any excuse for Turtle to talk about his sea-captain days...

Day 2, My Pirate Self.

(Turtle suspects that his old tea chest may be lying under the cross on the map. There's nothing much better than brew from an aged leaf.)

There are so many brilliant Doodle Schmoodles, check out the Flickr pool here:

Yarr! Turtle loves a challenge, he does.

New Look for Turtle's Blog

2010-07-20T14:37:00.000+01:00

Turtle was due a revamp, and much to Zebra's delight he's overhauled his blog design. There's a whole new look to Turtle's blog; a new background, featuring plenty of teapots and Turtles. Plus there are new pages for each of his friends where you can learn a little bit more about them. Click the tabs at the top of the page to see.

But the best part, Turtle thinks, is the new grab badges featuring some of Turtle's friends. Free for anyone to grab and put on their blog or website.

All you need to do is find the badge you want (they're down the left-hand side), copy the text in the box and paste it onto your website. For blogs, add a gadget and paste the text into an "HTML/JavaScript" gadget box.

Right, it's time for Turtle to have a well-earned brew.

Turtle on Facebook

2010-07-17T18:01:00.000+01:00

Turtle has a firm set of friends in the real world; Maurice, Tiger, Sam... but he's a little lacking in the e-world, if there is such a place. So he's taken the leap and joined Facebook, since it seems to be what all the popular kids are doing. Not that Turtle follows the crowd or anything like that.

He's his own tortoise.

Anyway, if you'd like to be Turtle's friend, you can find him here:

Turtle The-Tortoise

Where's Turtle?

2010-07-11T19:08:00.000+01:00

Today, Turtle felt like going for a wander. He walked for hours and hours, just enjoying the sunshine. He even stopped off for a tasty ice cream in a quaint little cafe. It was most delicious.

After finishing his ice cream, Turtle continued on his way, his mind riddled with thoughts about a tea-flavoured ice cream treat; a prospect which Turtle finds most tantalising. Eventually Turtle reined his thoughts back to his little excursion, only to realise that he was really not at all sure where he was or how he'd got there.

Can you help?

Where's Turtle?

Click the picture to see it bigger.

Free Turtle & Friends Bookmark

2010-07-07T18:31:00.001+01:00

Turtle's latest novel is a real page turner, or so he says at least. He's never revealed his pen-name or what genre he writes, but he has dropped a few inadvertant hints over the years. Whenever he and Giraffe go to the local book shop, Turtle gets all doughy-eyed and is straight over to the romance section. He swears blind that he's just laughing at the Mills and Boon titles but Giraffe's not so sure. Especially since he saw Turtle trying to hide this:

... anyway...

To celebrate Turtle's love of reading he's prepared a free downloadable bookmark featuring some of his favourite friends.

Click the image above to get your free Turtle & Friends bookmark.

Turtle hopes you enjoy making and using his bookmark. Let him know what you think!

1D, 2D, 3D!

2010-06-27T17:26:00.000+01:00

Oh my goodness! Turtle has a whole new dimension.

And it's all thanks to Kirsten of Quernus Crafts.

(He's been Quernus'd don't you know.)

Looks like he's a bit of a hit with the ladies too...

"Mwah!"

Just A Nibble

2010-06-25T21:19:00.000+01:00

Sometimes Turtle just can't resist helping himself to a quick taste; a habit that has occasionally landed him in a spot of trouble. It isn't that Turtle doesn't realise that what he's about to do might be considered a bit of a social misdemeanour; it's just that he simply can't resist. He has no control over the lust that steers his awkward tortoise gait towards the glistening tiers of a birthday cake in the corner. And one tortoise on his own can't easily hide a tell-tale trail of sprinkles and marzipan flowers.

Fancy a quick lick? Turtle sure does. Many a tasty treat from The Jewellery Angel.
Click the picture to visit.

Turtle would just adore to spend a sunny afternoon relaxing on this giant Custard Cream Cushion from Sarah Kerry. Turtle loves the descriptions in this shop and hopes that there's much more to come.
Click the picture to visit.

Turtle's sentiments exactly.
Beautiful Hungry Bear plate from James Ward Designs.
Click the picture to visit.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Population 51, 201

2010-06-20T12:48:00.000+01:00

Whilst waiting to hear the result of his audition for the role of Special Agent Dale Cooper in the television drama Twin Peaks, Turtle wandered into the mind of a passing snail. It was much cleaner in there than Turtle had first imagined and the whole scene implied a sense of understated affluence. It was hard for Turtle to feel comfortable in there, what with all the high-rise buildings and severe abundance of coffee franchises. He thought it best that he leave fairly hastily, preferably without knocking anything over.

Turtle absolutely adores this shop and all the designs from Tea & Ceremony. The illustrated notepads are some of Turtle's favourites.

Click the picture to visit Tea & Ceremony.

Lots and lots of super-funny prints, bookmarks, magnets etc. from Twisted Nature.
Fiddler crab on the roof? That may be an actual work of genius. Yes, yes.
Click the picture to visit Twisted Nature and have a look at the shop.

Maximum squee value for Gingerbred. Take a look at this Cherry Pie Letter Pack.
Worthy of the Double R Diner, Turtle thinks.
Click the picture to visit Gingerbred.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Testing The Polygraph

2010-06-16T21:03:00.000+01:00

Turtle has never been to a strip club. Period.

Hmmm... Let's just keep that between us shall we?

If anyone asks, Turtle's not sure what these are used for. But he thinks they're pretty anyway.

Many more pretty pasties from Tassles and Trinkets. Definately worth a looksie.

Click the picture to visit the shop.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Phwomp

2010-06-13T17:10:00.000+01:00

Turtle has always dreamed of being squishy. For a whole year he ate almost constantly just to try and pile on a few pounds; he even got a job as a food taster. But even after munching his way through countless cakes, pastries and sticky buns Turtle couldn't put on a pound. In fact, he actually lost weight after entering the local waggle dance competition. Something he's not particularly proud of for many reasons.

This cute little bunny looks enviably squishy to Turtle. And it's from Plum Pudding! (One of Turtle's favourites... mmm.)

Click the picture to visit Plum Pudding.

Super-squishy goodness and more from Longarms, like this oh-so-cute Baking Time print.
Click the picture to visit Longarms.

This art yarn by Rebekka Leigh reminds Turtle of the time that he got stuck in a jar of rainbow drops; it was very sticky, but Turtle felt quite dapper when he finally got out.
Art yarns aren't something that Turtle has come across before, but they look just beautiful. This shop is definately worth a visit.
Click the picture to visit Rebekka Leigh.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Z, z, z, zzzap!

2010-06-09T21:11:00.000+01:00

Walking through the forest at night can be quite dangerous, Turtle has been told. So for a time, when he worked the evening shift at a local corner shop, Turtle employed an escort to accompany him on his way home. The fee was very reasonable and Turtle was assured that he would be provided with the most vigilant and quick-thinking escort in the area. It turned out that the most vigilant and quick-thinking escort in the area was in fact a rather short-tempered squirrel with a toy space-gun. You couldn't fault Turtle's escort on his passion or commitment to the job; but Turtle couldn't help wonder what the squirrel achieved by throwing poses, pointing his gun and shouting "pow!", "zzap!" and "kablammo!"all the way to Turtle's house.

Stitched illustration isn't something that Turtle's come across before, frankly though he is most allured by it after seeing the work at Sam Gibson on Folksy. Just stunning.

Click the picture to visit.

Janine Bail has a range of excellent range of headband designs, including this lovely comic style one saying "POW!"
Click the picture to visit.

Maybe Turtle would have been better off with this bunny walking him home. He looks like he knows what he's doing.
Click the picture to visit Wonkyworks for possibly some of the most awesome illustrations!

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

To Squee, Or Not To Squee...

2010-06-06T18:58:00.000+01:00

Turtle first heard a genuine squee the day that Monday came to his parents' house for dinner. After a rather large trifle, Turtle's mom brought out the photo albums; as is her habit following such a dessert. There was alot of giggling and "aaw"-ing at the photos of Turtle from his various birthdays, school plays and holidays; but the squee came when Monday saw the photo of Turtle in costume on his first Halloween:

It's not something Turtle usually brags about, but he thinks he made a pretty convincing ice cream.

Adventures With Salt Dough

2010-05-31T17:12:00.000+01:00

Today Turtle did something that he hasn't done since he was a little nipper.

He made some salt dough!

"And what did he make?" I hear you cry. Cupcakes, of course!

Tasty, eh?

You'd think so, but thems cupcakes ain't for licking. Turtle learnt that the hard way.

Salt dough is the easiest thing to make. All you need is plain flour, salt and some water at a ratio of 2:1:1. You mix it all up and knead it about a bit, or stomp on it if you're challenged in the hand department.

Once you've shaped it into something good all you need to do is microwave it for a few minutes depending on how big your salt dough creation is.

Turtle found it best to zzzap it for 30 seconds at a time until the dough goes hard.

If you're going to microwave your salt dough make sure you put it on a microwave-safe plate or on a piece of greaseproof paper.

And watch out, the dough gets pretty darn toastie!

If you'd prefer you can just leave your salt dough to air-dry for a few days.

If you have any extra, you can wrap it in clingfilm and leave it in the fridge for up to a week.

If you've made any cupcakes, real or fake, and they're just too darn tasty-looking to keep to yourself, Turtle would love to see them. Email him a picture to: turtle [at] good-bean [dot] co [dot] uk.

Milk and Two Sugars

2010-05-30T17:30:00.000+01:00

A while ago Turtle asked for somebody to test his polka dot tea party set and the fantastic Zoe from Buttons and Bows volunteered and held a lovely tea party with her daughters. Luckily they took some lovely photos of their tea party for Turtle:

It looks like they had a really nice tea party, with lots of tasty tea and cakes.

Zoe's daughters even made these felt cupcakes and iced buns. They look good enough to eat, Turtle thinks.

Read the full post about their tea party here on Buttons and Bows.

If you'd like to have your own pretty polka dot tea party the kit is available in Turtle's shop.
Click the picture below to take a look.

Crabblers

2010-05-26T11:45:00.000+01:00

Crabblers live amongst Turtle's collection of fine bone china, in one of those fancy display cabinets with gleaming glass panes. Turtle doesn't know about the crabblers, but the crabblers know about him. They've seen him passing the time reading a book at the dining room table; they've watched him struggle to pick up hard-boiled eggs in the kitchen; and they've even heard him singing along with the kettle whilst it boils away on the stove. And yet, Turtle knows not of his house guests and their voyeuristic ways. Turtle has never seen any crabblers, but some of his friends say that they have seen them:

Maurice says that they watch tv all night long;
(Click the picture to visit Strawberry Anarchy.)

Zebra says that they got into Turtle's house through a magic door;
(Click the picture to visit Mujuworld.)

Tiger insists that crabblers are small, puffy and of course orange; but he would say that, being orange himself.
(Click the picture to visit Leanne Wood Designs.)

Giraffe says that once a month he and the crabblers take Giraffe's latest purchase from the stationery shop and make some nice art with it.
(Click the picture to visit Wepocards.)

Turtle would love to know if you've seen any crabblers. If you have, why not doodle him a picture here and send him a screen print. Or doodle it wherever you like and email him your picture. Turtle [at] good-bean [dot] co [dot] uk

Send Turtle a screen print of your crabblers.

Blog Focus 3: Milk Overdose

2010-05-18T21:55:00.000+01:00

Turtle's third choice in the run down of his twelve favourite blogs is Milk Overdose:

Click to visit Milk Overdose.

Now Turtle's Portuguese isn't what it used to be, but he finds it very hard to resist the lure of Milk Overdose. Anyway, Turtle's pretty sure that the general squeaky noises elicited from seeing cute things transcend any language barrier.

If you feel like some much needed "Eeeeeeeep!" and "Aaaaaaaaaw!" time, Milk Overdose is very much the place to go.

Colour Catching

2010-05-17T22:10:00.000+01:00

Turtle's always been pretty sure that the inside of his shell is decorated with a rainbow of colours. Of course, he's never been able to have a proper look, and he'll stick up his dukes to anyone who tries.

All Turtle's selections today come from Polka.

Where you can buy beautiful and bright brooches, bags and heart decorations.

Turtle would just like to say that Polka has rekindled his love for gingham. That is all.

Click the pictures to visit Polka.

Have you made something bright and colourful and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Hair Accessories

2010-05-15T15:54:00.000+01:00

It was a cool summer's evening that Turtle spent relaxing on the grass in his front garden, when before him travelled the most enchanting procession; a host of portly raccoons. As each danced along the road in front of Turtle's house, their heads bobbed above the shrubs at the end of the garden. Not far behind this mirthful display drifted a spectre with an air of obvious majesty. A keen glow radiated from the flower that she carried in her hand and a quiet whisper was spoken by the turning blades of the windmill in her hair. Only when the parade was out of sight did the trance that held Turtle break. At which point Turtle decided it might be best if he were to put down his Long Island Iced Tea and maybe head inside for a quick lie down.

Available in Turtle's Shop now is the first in his series of bookmarks featuring the design from above.

Click the pictures to visit It Belongs To Turtle.

Home Sweet Home

2010-05-08T16:19:00.001+01:00

To celebrate the mark of Turtle's 100th follower he's created a little treat for everyone:

(Click to open)

Yes, that's right, a teeny paper model of Turtle's house.

It also doubles up as a cute little gift box, just big enough for a few chocolates or a couple of tea bags.

Turtle sits his on the antique bureau that his great aunt left him, it houses some rather tasty jelly beans and acts as a handy little paper weight.

So if you fancy making Turtle's scaled-down abode, just click on the picture above to download the template.

You will need a pdf viewer such as Adobe Reader to print the page. If you don't have it already you can download it quick sharp for free here.

Turtle suggests printing the template onto A4 white card for the best results, or some thick white paper if you don't have card. Turtle also asks that you're very careful whilst cutting out the template, no injuring any hands or fingers please.

Anyway, Turtle hopes that you enjoy his house as much as he does.

Turtle wants to see your photos!
Done something interesting with Turtle's house, taken an arty photo of it, or just feel quite pleased with your construct? Send your photos to Turtle.
Email Turtle: turtle{at}good-bean.co.uk

Not Just For Scribbles

2010-05-03T12:33:00.000+01:00

There was a period in Turtle's life in which he strongly believed that he was made out of paper. He wouldn't take a bath or go out in the rain for fear of what it would do to his outer layer; and never would he even contemplate entering a room where a fire was burning. At said time Turtle worked in a prestigious law firm and his associates would often see him chatting to the sticky notes and printer paper in the stationery cupboard. Only when a filing cabinet refused his request to nestle in amongst the "other" papers did Turtle start to contemplate that his existence may be as something more than just a mass of compressed fibers and pulp.

Beautiful screenprinted garland from Mai'Mo.

Click the picture to visit Mai'Mo for more delicate prints and gifts.

Turtle can't even begin to imagine the work that went into these clockwork cupcake wrappers.

Click the picture to visit Geekinesis.

Stunning and unique items made from old unwanted books such as this garland of hearts from Bookity.

Click the picture to visit Bookity.

'Paper' cushion from the series of Paper Scissors Stone cushions from Sixes and Sevens.

Click the picture to visit Sixes and Sevens, definately worth a look for excellent cushion designs.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Saving Monday

2010-05-01T18:45:00.000+01:00

Turtle would like to introduce you to his friend Monday.

Turtle and Monday met whilst on a candle making course in the German countryside and have been good friends ever since. Monday's candles were a little 'rough-and-ready' for Turtle's liking but he accepted one anyway when she gave it as a parting gift.

Monday has been playing on Turtle's mind of late and has started to feature heavily in his creations; namely Turtle's first ever computer game!

Turtle is aware that his game is a little on the simple, buggy side and maybe isn't as addictive as some, but as this is his first go at this so he's pretty proud and would like to share his game with everyone.

To play 'Saving Monday' direct Turtle with the arrows on your keyboard.

Collect all the goodies that Turtle needs for a lovely tea-party and unlock the door between Turtle and his true love... ahem... good friend Monday.

Rate, Comment and More! | Personalize This Game | Visit The Sims Carnival

In The Rain The Pavement Shines Like Silver

2010-04-28T23:17:00.000+01:00

The thoughts that plagued Turtle's mind on the return from his excursion were in the most part concerned with fish. For one reason or another Turtle finds that fish make him feel uncomfortable. And yet, fish seem to look upon Turtle favourably no matter what he does. Over and over Turtle has tried to disenchant his aquatic devotees with bad jokes and poorly performed show tunes; Turtle's rendition of "On My Own" from Les Miserables nearly pushed them over the edge. But Turtle managed to surprise even himself with the crescendo he reached at the end of the song that brought those admiring gazes piercing right back through the gurgles and ripples of the water.

Fish card from tinyisland who make lots of very cute children's cards. Not just for kids Turtle thinks!

Click the picture to visit tinyisland.

Turtle's been swooning over this rather regal looking fish invitation from Lime Tree Paper Company.
He wishes his tail was that pretty, but don't tell anyone.
Click the picture to visit Lime Tree Paper Company for many beautiful invitations and stationery.

A most excellent use for a fish in Turtle's opinion; he'd use it to store his ever-expanding collection of green buttons.
Click the picture to visit Squirrellicious and see lots and lots of amazing designs including bags, iphone cases, brooches, homewares and much more. A definate treat.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

A Trip For Turtle

2010-04-20T09:38:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend Turtle chipped one of his most precious teacups and so has decided that he needs to take it to get fixed. Trouble is, it's quite a long journey and Turtle doesn't want to pay lots of money for travel. So he's sneaking himself into a suitcase bound for Babushkin in Russia where he first bought his tea set.

Anyway, Turtle should be back at the end of the week, just in time for more biscuits and ramblings.

Dolly Needs a Holiday necklace from Foundlings Jewellery.

Click the picture to visit Foundlings Jewellery.

до свидания

Post Pals

2010-04-18T13:36:00.000+01:00

Last night, Turtle was enjoying the company of his telly and caught the end of Russell Howard's Good News. The story at the end of the programme was about the most amazing project:

Post Pals

Turtle loves to get post, especially unexpected post. It cheers him right up. Turtle even enjoys sending the odd bit of post too.

The idea of Post Pals is to post something special to a child suffering from a serious illness and make them smile.

Simple, and brilliant.

Have a look at the Post Pals site here and find a pal to send something to.

Each pal has their own profile so you can get to know a little bit about them and find out what their interests are. It also tells you about their brothers and sisters and what they like too.

Turtle knows that lots of the followers of his blog are the rather-crafty type and make lots of nice cards and gifts that would be perfect for sending to a pal and their siblings.

So make yourself a lovely cup of tea and have a browse on the Post Pals site.

Because everybody loves post.

Ankle Biting

2010-04-18T11:03:00.000+01:00

Turtle has always been rather self-concious about his small stature and will never disclose his true height, even when under duress. He once pretended to be much bigger than he actually is just to enter the "adult" section of a tea convention. Turtle really wishes he hadn't.

Wee Highland Cow from Quernus crafts.

A shop that appreciates 'wee-ness' in all it's glory, something that Turtle truly admires.

Click the picture to visit Quernus Crafts at Folksy, or here to visit at Etsy.

There's a new tiny industrial revolution happening thanks to Pearson Maron and their adorable little factories. Turtle's favourite is this Mobile Idea Factory.

Click the pictures to visit Pearson Maron for lots more beautiful ceramics.

If Turtle was tiny enough he would spend some time in this stunning Woodland Terrarium Ring from Woodland Belle.
There are plenty more delicate beauties from Woodland Belle. Click the picture to visit.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Blog Focus 2: Super Cute Kawaii

2010-04-16T22:38:00.000+01:00

Turtle's next choice in his twelve favourite blogs is Super Cute Kawaii.

Click to visit Super Cute Kawaii.

Hosted by Jean Claude Le Bun-IV, Super Cute Kawaii gives Turtle his daily fix of cute. Turtle has found that it is pretty important for him to keep up a regular and steady intake of Super Cute Kawaii so as not to have too much at once. Such a high concentration of cute can cause Turtle to act somewhat strangely: hanging out with fluffy kittens all day, eating fondant fancies and drinking any number of different fruit teas.

If you experience similar side-effects, Turtle finds that a quick burst of "2-4-6-8 Motorway" and a slurp of cold water helps to quash those adorable but sometimes impractical feelings of cute-induced hysteria.

Lucy's Latest Giveaway

2010-04-14T20:07:00.000+01:00

Turtle has been busy devising a cetacean communique so as to reach out to the whale-world. The first issue will be distributed by a friendly team of hermit crabs and will feature a guest article written by Willard. It will also highlight this lovely giveaway that Turtle has found. We all know whales love a good prize draw.

Treats for grabs include:

Whale and Me art print.

Russian Doll pencil case.

Critters Notepad.

&

Robot Love shopper.

All worth a good looksie. Click below to visit Lucy's Happy Place for your chance to win.

New In: Tiny Zebra Pin

2010-04-11T22:04:00.000+01:00

Turtle has added this cute Zebra pin to his shops. Now everybody can have a few stripes like Zebra.

Click the picture to visit It Belongs To Turtle at Etsy.
Also available here at Turtle's Folksy shop.

Blog Focus 1: Blog Giveaways

2010-04-11T13:21:00.000+01:00

Turtle's first choice in his twelve favourite blogs is Blog Giveaways. Because, Turtle does in fact love free stuff, who doesn't?

This blog simply has a daily list of blog giveaways, some crafty, some foodie, some fashiony but most importantly all free!

So if you like entering blog giveaways, Turtle gives this blog a strong recommendation.

Plus it's very easy to put your own blog giveaway in the daily run and attract lots of lovely new readers.

Click the picture to visit Blog Giveaways.

Finally

2010-04-10T23:34:00.000+01:00

After receiving a sunshine blog award from Buttons & Bows, reading the lovely post and looking at the blogs chosen, Turtle has been inspired to finally make his choices.

Visit Buttons & Bows.

However, Turtle feels like doing things a little bit differently and so instead of listing all of the blogs in one go, he's decided to do a little post on each of them.

So after mulling things over with many a cup of the hot, tasty stuff, Turtle's twelve choices have been made.

But, since it's pretty late in Turtle's day, he'll have to start tomorrow.

Living In Monochrome

2010-04-10T18:05:00.000+01:00

Turtle's arguments with Mustafa the panda are always born of a friendly offer of a cup of green tea. But Turtle is a tea fundamentalist and wont tolerate the adulteration of a good cuppa; so when Mustafa offers a spoon of honey for Turtle's tea, Turtle flies off the handle every time. Of course, Mustafa knows this... and well... finds it quite amusing to be frank.

The latest addition to Turtle's shop is this Panda Panda Panda! birthday card.

Click the picture to visit It Belongs To Turtle.

Even after an argument with a panda like Mustafa, Turtle can't deny how very adorable this necklace from No Fen Just Ned is.

No Fen Just Ned sells beautiful retro-inspired gifts and is definately a shop worth having a peek at.

Click the picture to visit No Fen Just Ned.

This Panda Buddie Plushie from Crywolf Clothing looks like he needs the old universally effective medicine of a hug and a brew.
Visit Crywolf Clothing for lots of lovely hand-printed goodies.
Click the picture to visit.

This oh-so-cute Panda Hat Girl Ring is available from Sweet|Surprises.
This shop is AMAZING for cute!
Click the picture to visit Sweet|Surprises for so many lovely little charms.

Have you made something like this and want to show it off?
Leave a comment here with a link to your item and Turtle will put it in his parade.
See Turtle's Parade Here.

Make Your Own Parade Picks

2010-04-06T18:58:00.000+01:00

Turtle invites you to make your own Parade Picks.

If you've seen something you love in Turtle's Parade, why not showcase it on your blog.

Turtle has even made a handy badge for you to put in your post:

Just highlight it, and copy and paste it into your blog post.

Leave a comment and let Turtle know what you've chosen if you like and he'll put a link to your blog under the item in the Parade.

If there's nothing that takes your fancy, why not submit one of your own items and see if someone chooses you as their Pick of the Parade!

To see how to submit one of your items, visit Turtle's Parade.

2010-04-05T18:33:00.000+01:00

Looking through the Parade this week, Turtle spied some real beauties. And so, this is Turtle's first Parade Pick; the very beautiful

Snowdon

So, let Turtle show you a few of his favourites from Snowdon.

There's a selection of rather tasty-looking cupcake cards, perfect for an invite to tea, Turtle thinks.

And some rather fetching handprinted jute bags.

Turtle loves all the items available at Snowdon and could just see himself sneaking a quick taste of one of those cards.

Visit Snowdon here.

New In!

2010-04-03T19:13:00.000+01:00

Georgio likes to sing; sing at the top of his lungs. And Georgio likes to do it first thing in the morning when he wakes up. Normally Turtle is a tolerant kind of tortoise, but going on a three month road trip one summer and waking up to Georgio blasting out an operatic ditty every morning was the straw that broke Turtle's back.

New in Turtle's shop is a greeting card featuring Georgio.

Click the picture to visit It Belongs To Turtle.