Happy June! We are all back in the studio after a wild whirlwind of April and May events and travel. All three of us are back in the studio together and hard at work on lots of projects. We have been putting together a ton of Animal Guide and Entomology Kits to send out to shops across the country! Oracle-made work can now be found in brick-and-mortar small businesses in 12 states and 14 cities across the US! Check out our list of stockists to see if there’s one near you.
Speaking of our Entomology Kits… they got an upgrade!!! Now every Mini-Ento Kit and Double-Feature DIY Bug Kit include a pocket-sized copy of The Bare Basics of Bug Pinning book. This means the kits truly come with everything you need to pin the specimen; a self-contained DIY at-home project kit. We are so thrilled with these kits as they truly fulfill our mission of empowering the at-home learner with the information and tools to deepen their knowledge and connection to the natural world.
And because we also believe in the power of group learning and hands-on workshops, Alessandra is planning more classes! First up will be two insect-pinning classes: Butterfly (Friday the 21st) and Cicada (Saturday the 22nd)! Details aren’t out yet… you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled on our email newsletter when it comes out. That’s where you’ll get all of the info and be able to sign up with priority access!
By now it’s hard to escape talk about the 2024 cicada emergence (sounds so wonderfully dramatic, doesn’t it?) But actually it is pretty dramatic… the predicted numbers of cicada which will emerge from the ground per square foot is truly mind boggling. As a Midwesterner the sound of cicadas and summer are so inextricably linked. The massive numbers that will be calling out nightly these next few months will just be like summer amplified! You may wanna carry a pair of earplugs with you this season.
In the studio we’ve been making sure to highlight some cicada love and honor this fascinating insect as a symbol of summer, transition, and song. Melissa’s been creating lovely spread cicada domes and small frames. Laura made a cicada-themed fortune scratch card. We’ve been framing cicada specimen, making cicada ento-kits, and of course planning the cicada pinning class with Alessandra. So please do come in and geek out with us about these noisy wild-eyed summer visitors and tell us all about your cicada encounters!
Enjoy your Summer, friends! Whether you’re off on adventures or soaking in some sun on your own porch… let the sounds, smells, and sights of the season bring you joy! If you’re in KC during our shop hours (Wednesday through Sunday 11am to 6pm*) *We will be closed for vacation on July 3rd and 4th.
— Laura