It is truly amazing how a limited budget can boost one’s creativity!
This Sunday is Charlotte’s birthday. For the past couple of days I’ve been working on creating a family of gnomes. Utilizing the leftover wooden dolls from our Alphabet of Catholic Saints, I’ve also been handknitting little caps and other apparel, using very small needles and an exquisitely “fallish” sock weight yarn in a delightful shade of russet. I’ve been snatching little bits of time, here and there, and finally managed to finish last night. What an adorable little family! If only they had a suitable abode…
Yesterday, Gawain and I went to our local craft store to survey the materials available. We looked at ready-made dollhouses, birdhouses and even considered buying supplies to construct something from other natural materials. Then Gawain spied the ready-carve pumpkins and dried gourds. Eureka! The gourd was exactly what I’d been looking for. I had remembered seeing a very cleverly rendered dollhouse made from a birdhouse gourd and thought it would suit our gnome family just fine. Gawain picked out a few silk flowers and leaves to adorn our little cottage. Total expenditure: $9.35.
The results: adorable!! I think Charlotte will be very, very pleased…
The “Gnome Sweet Home” banner was created by Arthur using his feather-quill and iron-gall ink on parchment…a recent gift from a very dear friend:
A side view. The curtains are silk fall leaves and look just as cute from the inside as they do from the outside:
Rear view: a large opening to allow little hands to arrange furniture and play. The door knob is a hickory nut!
Mama and Papa Gnome…I’m contemplating a beard for Papa…
The siblings: brothers, sisters…who knows! Charlotte will decide. Don’t you just love those acorn hats?! We found those in the woods:
Arthur crafted this cradle using cherry wood twigs and a milkweed pod:
Mama and baby look so sweet together:
I’ve purposely left the interior natural. The “carpet” was made from silk fall leaves glued into place to even out the rough floor:
A family photo:
Rear view:
And that’s that. A sweet little gnome home ready to be loved and played with by the birthday girl. It was such fun working on this project. The best gifts are always the ones that we put our heart into…
I am a traditional Catholic homeschooling mother of 9 children, married for 30 years to the most patient and sainted man. As converts to Catholicism in 1991, our family has only recently discovered the beauty and full expression of our beliefs in the timeless liturgy of antiquity, the Extraordinary Form also commonly referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass. An avid knitter, I also enjoy gardening, reading and immersing myself in the everyday graces of my vocation.
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That is just adorable! This Charlotte loves it and I am sure yours will too! Happy Birthday in advance!
Kimberly,
This is beautiful!! Charlotte will never forget this birthday! I can’t wait to show my daughters. They saw your photo with all the supplies and were very excited to see what emerged… I also love the way so many other family members were involved in the details of the gift. Congratulations! How are you going to present it to her? Conventionally gift-wrapped? Nestled in the garden to stumble upon by “chance”? Will you try to photograph that radiant face when she discovers her gnome home? Maybe share them with us…?
Absolutely adorable! Thanks for sharing.
Wow! That is AWESOME! You are an amazing Mommy!
Very nice job. Your little gnome house is a little girl’s dream come true!
Creative Mommy! Yes, these are the things that memories are made of…
Kimberley, that is so creative and beautiful. What a loving and very special present. You are giving such joy. Bless you.
That is truly adorable. And she will cherish it. My daughter still has a clothespin doll I made her when she was three, and she still takes her to Mass in her purse or pocket.
You did a great job! My niece was just over here and she couldn’t stop playing with the ones I made. I’m sure your daughter will love it!
This is wonderful! The kind of thing I would like to make if I could carve out the time.
Oh, to be your daughter!
Thank you all, for your kind compliments!!
This project is so simple…anyone can do it! I can’t wait to post the pics of Charlotte…she was positively thrilled. The look on her face when she found the gnomes nestled under a bush…priceless!
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Miss K,
I think that this may be your best idea EVER. (No drama!)
I can’t wait to make one…Christmas Gnomes anyone.
It turned out beautifully!!!!! I *LOVE* it!!!
Kimberly,
What a wonderful birthday present! How about you do a Nativity set next? I’d like to see that!
Krislynne
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