‘On the first day of spring, when day and night were equal and the celandines shone as bright as the summer sun, a new one was born. As is tradition, a message of the birth was to be sent to the Circle of Elders.

Old Shrew knew this was to be his last time as Messenger and, as he was walking to greet the Elders, he remembered all the past springs he had experienced and all the births he had announced.’

The Gift Gatherers is a celebration of old and new and of the cycle that binds them. The third in this series of four seasonal stories based around British folklore, it includes notes on springtime traditions by Pamela Thom-Rowe. Karin’s enchanting felt creations and the world they inhabit share a timeless, heartwarming and uplifting tale suitable for all ages.

Karin Celestine lives in a small house in Monmouth Wales. In their garden is a shed and in the shed is another world. The world of Celestine and the Hare. It is a place where kindness, mischief and beauty help people smile. Karin is an artist and author, who creates needle felted animals of charm and character, including the stars of their own delightful stop-motion animations and their series of children’s books published by Graffeg. Karin's joy in the natural world is also reflected in their sculptural copper pieces which complement their feltwork. Karin runs popular needle felting workshops, inspiring others to find their creative spirit and a membership club called the Tribe of Celestiner Chokliteers where kindness and mischief are the order of the day.