Easter or not, Hodge and Podge still had to do their laundry yesterday. To make the chore a little more interesting, they decided to hide plastic eggs with quarters in them for their fellow laundry patrons to find.
Happy Easter!
Daisies are one of my favorite flowers. They’re simple and cheerful and the ultimate symbol of cute. Just name something Daisy and its cuteness rating goes up exponentially. Take for instance Daisy the world’s cutest cat, Daisy Duke, Daisy Duck, Daisy Buchanan, Daisy Fuentes… the list goes on. But my favorite Daisy moniker is Daisy the Pterosaur, named for the nine-year-old girl who found this dinosaur’s bones in the sand while on a family visit to the beach.
Okay, daisies are cute: you get the point. Now you know why I included daisies in my spring diorama for Squirrel Picnic and why I have to restrain myself from embellishing everything within arms’ reach with these little flowers. If you too would like to add a little cheer to a headband, spring sweater, or Easter table setting, whip up a few of these easy crochet daisies.
A friendly little squirrel by the name of Stoney stopped by Squirrel Picnic on his way from the East Coast.
He had traveled 1,500 miles from North Carolina (that’s 8,025,600 squirrel hops!) to come to Colorado in search of adventure. And he says so far it’s the best place he’s ever been. He especially loves the city and all the fun people he has met.
Within minutes of arriving in Denver, he met a very nice lady who was so taken with him that she offered him a job as a mascot for her company, Keep It in Colorado. What luck!
He was very excited and anxious to wrap up his journey and get to his new job, but we couldn’t let him leave without a party. It wasn’t the same as the barbecues back home, but he said that it was awful kind of us. This fella really does like barbecue. He wouldn’t stop talking about how the first thing he’s going to do at his new job is to find the best barbecue in Denver.
Best of luck, Stoney! And welcome to Colorado.
“Frogs are really leprechauns. That’s why you always see so many of them after it rains — we’re all out looking for rainbows and pots of gold.” – Mayor Snack Frog
Who is the newest caped crusader to stalk the city at night, taking down villains and bringing justice to the streets? It’s none other than Justin O’Neill! Oh, shoot, I probably shouldn’t have given away his secret identity. No worries, Justin – I bet there’s a pretty slim chance that anyone you’re worried about is reading Squirrel Picnic.
When he challenged me to make this mask for him, Justin mentioned that in addition to crime fighting, he was planning to wear it in an upcoming race. With this in mind, I chose to use a bamboo viscose and silk blend yarn that would create a fabric that is light, breathable, and comfortable against the skin. Bamboo fiber is strong, flexible, and exceptionally soft. It’s even been said to have better moisture-wicking properties than cotton or polyester. Plus it’s an environmentally friendly choice because it is an easily renewable resource.
Continue reading for the free pattern to crochet a mask of your very own. Be sure to share with us about all the adventures it gets you into. Continue Reading →
These past few weeks, it seems as if I’ve been doing nothing but knitting, crocheting, and sewing, and yet I have so little to show for it. Do you have that problem too? I just can’t seem to keep my attention focused on one project long enough to finish it before moving on to the the next. It must be spring fever! So since I don’t have any completed projects to show you, I’ll just show you all the things I’m working on.
Spring is just about ready to bloom at Squirrel Picnic. I’ve been crocheting leaves and flowers everywhere I go. It’s been especially fun to talk to people on the bus about all these little leaves I’m making. I can hardly wait to get Hodge and Podge into their new seasonal diorama.
A friend of ours wants very much to have a baby, but she’s having a hard time convincing her husband. Her plan of action? To just go ahead and crochet a baby blanket. I love this! It’s her first crochet project and she’s doing great. I crocheted these airplane and flower appliques for her to add depending on whether she has a boy or a girl. Now come on husband, give this girl a baby.
Slowly but surely I’ll get the two summer dresses I started sewn by summer.
The fourth Make It! Challenge is about 95% complete. I should have the pattern for you very soon. It’s the perfect hat for stalking the city at night.
And because I just can’t stop myself from starting new projects, I ordered this fantastic yarn from KnitPicks to start a summer top. Don’t you just love the color!
Well I better get back to work. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Podge: “When I’m knitting and I mess up, sometimes I just leave it and say it’s my own unique design element.”
The only other moment that can compare is when on the first day that you wear it, you get to tell someone, “I made this!” I still have loose threads to weave in and super-cute flower buttons to sew on and, of course, spring has to arrive… But when it does, I’ll be sure to share a photo with you of its first day in action.
These red velvet pancakes are perfect for a Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed.
Makes 6 5-inch pancakes.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 0.3-ounce bottle of red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings: whipped cream and strawberries
Cream cheese drizzle: Beat 2 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar. Beat in enough milk (about 3 tablespoons) to reach drizzling consistency.
Strawberry sauce: Blend 3 cups fresh or thawed frozen strawberries in a food processor. In a medium saucepan, stir together 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened. Cool to room temperature.
