Squirrel Picnic

Handmade with Love and Stuff

Category Archives: SQUIRREL PICNIC (the book)


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The Big Acorn Race Update: We’ve Got a Cover!

This has been an exciting month! It’s also been extraordinarily busy. (Isn’t it funny how the two always seem to go hand in hand?) I promise to write a separate post about designing and creating all the new patterns, working with pattern testers, choosing fonts, and hashing out what will go in the techniques section. But for now I just really want to share with you something near and dear to my heart, something I’ve dreamed of for over two years now… we have a cover for Squirrel Picnic’s very first story and pattern book!The Big Acorn Race by Jennifer OlivarezBig love and thanks go out to Sylvie Abecassis for designing the graphics and working her magic on my photos. I am always amazed by the talent she possesses. She has a big heart, a wealth of design knowledge and skill, and a generous and caring spirit. I can’t thank her enough for this beautiful gift.

Now that I have a cover, expect to see it everywhere! Speaking of which, I’m working on a website for the book where you will be able to find news and updates and any interactive features I’m able to create. That all may be a little ways down the road, but I’m excited about this next step in the adventure. Thanks as always to every one of you. I hope you are enjoying this journey. I’m sure happy to have you along for the ride.

 


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The Big Acorn Race Update: Oak Leaves and Acorns

May was an unusually wet month for Colorado. The state prides itself on its 300 days of sunshine, but this month we had only 3 days without some form of precipitation. Rainy days are perfect for crocheting and I crocheted up a storm all month long!

I focused on designing, crocheting, and photographing the first four patterns and projects for the book. These include an oak leaf motif, an oak leaf clutch, an amigurumi acorn, and an oak leaf and acorn garland.

I also created the storyboard and began laying out a mock up of the book, starting with these four patterns. Continue reading →


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Big Acorn Race Update: Getting My Squirrels in a Row

Hodge helps me sew up the seam on the last tree.

Hodge helps me sew up the seam on the last tree.

April has gone by in a blur. I couldn’t tell you where the time went. My full-time job has been keeping me so busy that I am surprised when I have the energy to work on the blog or the book in the evenings. I have a feeling I will need to take some time off this summer to get all my squirrels in a row.

Tree Trunk

I played with freeform crochet to create the exposed roots on the trees.

This month – in the car, on the bus, in parks, and mostly on weekends – I concentrated on finishing up the set and creating the first new pattern for the book. Continue reading →


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Big Acorn Race Update: Backgrounds and Foregrounds

The first full month of work on Squirrel Picnic’s Big Acorn Race is ending, and I am pleased to say that progress has been made. My main goal for this month was to make the backgrounds for the main set for the scenes in the book. As you may recall, the objective is for everything in the book to be crocheted, including the grass and sky. Continue reading →


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Squirrel Picnic’s First Book: The Journey Begins

Hi everyone,

Hodge and Podge agree that this new book adventure is the most exciting one they've ever embarked upon. Even better than the trip to Fruita we took last year for the Headless Chicken Festival.

Hodge and Podge agree that this new book adventure is the most exciting one they’ve ever embarked upon. Even better than the trip we took last year to Fruita, Colorado, for the Headless Chicken Festival.

I just wanted to take a moment to give you an update on my progress with Squirrel Picnic’s first book. My thought is that by making it a habit to keep you all in on the adventure of creating and self-publishing this book, I will be even more motivated to get it out on time (March 1, 2016). Just knowing you all are out there looking forward to it (I so appreciate your encouragement) will help keep me accountable. I’ll try to do an update post every month or so. That should keep me on task.

This past weekend, I was able to get a lot of work done. I now have a pretty solid story and even a title. Woohoo! Are you ready for this? Cue the fanfare! Here it is… Continue reading →