The 2014 winter holiday banner shows Hodge and Podge getting in the spirit of the season. After making snowsquirrels and wrapping them up with scarves they crocheted, our two favorite squirrel friends decorated a Christmas tree, complete with miniature Christmas lights! They did this all very quietly, so they wouldn’t wake the dove sleeping nearby.
This diorama took me about two months to complete. First I created the form for the holly wreath by crocheting two frames in black and sewing them together around a cardboard form. This gave it stability while also providing a surface that I knew would be easy to attach my crochet holly and poinsettias to.
Then came the real fun — designing the diorama and choosing all the patterns to create the scene I was looking for. One of my main goals was to use only free crochet patterns that are simple, clear, and thorough, so you all would enjoy using them too. I spent several weeks trying out different patterns before finally making my selections. I want to give a sincere thank-you to each of these designers for creating such lovely items and gifting the world with their patterns. So without further ado, here they are… Continue reading →
So they checked into the spa and spent the day getting all the kinks worked out. Jelly Belly Bunny enjoyed having her ears rubbed. Rosa Robin got a seaweed wrap, which she ended up eating instead. Tina developed a crush on her masseur and bought a fifty-visit punch card on her way out. Hodge and Podge received paraffin paw treatments and now they’re ready to crochet up a storm.
Welcome the new and improved cast of Squirrel Picnic! They’re bigger and better. Can you tell the difference?
What do you do when your muscles ache from an overindulgence in needle crafting? Do you relax with a heat pad or get a massage? Try a different style of hook or needles? Do you take time off and explore another medium? If you’re suffering from a needle-crafting injury, I’m sending you soothing thoughts and some good wishes to get you back to your craft soon again…
Because next week, I’ll release the pattern for Tina Ballerina Bear and I know you’ll want to try this!
I was so busy this summer that I really didn’t find any time to play outdoors, so now that it is fall — my favorite time of year, hands down — I’m committed to getting outside and taking advantage of all that this season has to offer.
Autumn is a great time to explore the outdoors, and there’s no better place than colorful Colorado! Okay, I’m more than a little biased on that one. I’m sure many of you heard about the devastating floods we had throughout the Front Range last week. Although communities both on the plains and in the mountains were greatly affected and recovery efforts are ongoing, some parks, and the roads up to them, are still open. Here are some of my favorite parks that are currently open for business: Golden Gate Canyon, Rifle Falls, and White River National Forest. I would still recommend calling ahead as conditions could always change.
We’re looking forward to spending a night beneath the stars and pines later this month and hopefully get in a good hike too. Though I prefer hiking to skiing and snowboarding, it won’t be long before snow season is upon us, and from what I’ve heard, this could turn out to be a record-breaking ski season for Colorado.
It’s a bit of a sin to mention the S-word so early in the year, so I won’t get too far ahead of myself. While we’re here, I’m going to love the heck out of autumn! It’s the season for harvest festivals, amber sunsets, and of course, fall foliage (in some areas, the aspens are starting to turn!). And for the squirrels, it’s the season of acorn hording and — from the looks of Hodge and Podge — falling in love.
I hope you enjoy the new fall banner. In case you’re interested in making any of the components, here is a list of patterns and materials I used.
Oak Leaf Made using the pattern in 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet by Lesley Stanfield with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Rust.
Aspen Leaf Adapted from the large leaf pattern in 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet by Lesley Stanfield with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Mustard.
Acorns Made using my own pattern with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Chocolate and Bernat Satin in Sable.
Heart Made using a pattern by K and J Dolls with Caron Simply Soft in Red.
Squirrels Made using my own pattern with Bernat Satin in Sable for Podge and my grandma’s old yarn in brown for Hodge.
Summer’s winding down, and I’m just not ready to change our website banner over to a fall theme yet. I love the summer banner with its hummingbird, flowers, and butterflies too much! So here are a few extra close-ups to enjoy before the season is officially over.
One fine summer day, two little squirrels named Hodge and Podge go on a picnic.
They love to picnic in a garden surrounded by yellow daffodils, red and orange geraniums, and bright white daisies.
Podge particularly enjoys watching the butterflies play among the flowers.
“Wait, is that a hummingbird I see?” Hodge asks Podge. “Look! I do believe she’s sitting on her nest. What a rare sight!”
“Can it be?” the hummingbird wonders. “Is that really two squirrels having a picnic? What a rare sight indeed.”
The squirrels invite the hummingbird to join them, and they all enjoy some cake.
Thanks for coming to our picnic. We’re so very happy to have you!
You may have noticed the new spring diorama grants us a rare look through a garden of crocheted flowers onto Hodge and Podge enjoying a picnic. It will be an ongoing project throughout this spring and summer to update, revise, amend, and polish it. By the end of the summer, I’m hoping that every item in the diorama will be knit or crochet. Keep checking in each month to see how it’s changing. I’m planning on adding birds, butterflies, and a few more flowers. What else do you think I should add?
As you can probably tell from my squirrelly banner here, I’m a fan of dioramas. As a kid, I had to make them for class, but I remember making them for fun too. I’m glad I still haven’t outgrown them. One of my favorite diorama websites is Cuddles and Rage. The small-scale scenes by creators Liz and Jimmy feature the evil yet cute adventures of food (and sometimes animals). They recently found out that their diorama of a fox in a pumpkin patch is a finalist in the DeviantArt diorama contest. Way to go!
The 2014 winter holiday banner shows Hodge and Podge getting in the spirit of the season. After making snowsquirrels and wrapping them up with scarves they crocheted, our two favorite squirrel friends decorated a Christmas tree, complete with miniature Christmas lights! They did this all very quietly, so they wouldn’t wake the dove sleeping nearby.
Squirrel Picnic 
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