Jennifer Olivarez

Jennifer Olivarez is the writer and artist behind Squirrel Picnic, a craft blog that features free whimsical crochet patterns and follows the adventures of two little squirrels named Hodge and Podge who remind us to make time in our busy lives for play.

Her first book, The Big Acorn Race, won the 2016 National Indie Excellence Award in Crafts & Hobbies.

She has been crocheting and knitting for over twenty years and crafting for even longer. When Jennifer was growing up, her mother taught her every craft under the sun, from crochet to painting to stained glass. But of everything she tried, nothing tickled her more than amigurumi, which she stumbled upon in 2009. From the first stitch, she was hooked, and by 2012, Jennifer had created Squirrel Picnic and all the characters who live and play there. A lifelong storyteller, Jennifer enjoys coming up with new adventures for her amigurumi friends.

She welcomes you to visit the picnic (www.SquirrelPicnic.com) to see for yourself. Whether you stop by for the webcomics, patterns, or tutorials, you are guaranteed to find something to smile about. So pull up a bench and join the fun!