Fall

It's autumn in the Thicket and the gnomes enjoy a quiet stroll in the colorful autumn woods. Using our Wooden Autumn Forest pattern, make a tree or an entire forest for your gnomes and fairies or use them here and there around the house to simply enhance your Fall decor.

Our Autumn Forest pattern includes the template for cutting out the small and large trees. For general directions and for the pattern for the small and large bases, use the tutorial for the Wooden Apple Orchard. These trees work well with Ostherimer and Holztiger pieces and with dollhouses and gnome dwellings. Get the pattern for the Wooden Autumn Forest HERE and the general directions for making wooden toys HERE. Enjoy!

You have heard us often talk about the many uses for our applique blocks... that's why we create so many of them. We've talked about enlarging them, reducing them, turning them into wood, stuffies, stencils or cross stitch. What we really haven't talked about, though, is how colors can dramatically change the look of the design.

I designed a pumpkin pattern, and through the use of color, (and a bit of "flair") gave our pumpkin design two completely different looks.

Our Jack-O-Lantern almost jumps off the screen, with it's vibrant oranges set against the drastic black. It "screams" Halloween night! Then, work the same design out of rust, browns and golds, and our pumpkin is warm and inviting... like a Thanksgiving dinner with loved ones! Rather a fun experiment in color, don't you think?

As always, the pumpkin was designed for a 6" x 6" block but can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. The Pumpkin Applique Block can be found HERE or in our FREE Applique Patterns. Enjoy!

We included several sets of Jack-O-Lantern mouths, noses and eyes in our directions, but if the "spirit" moves you, design your own, just like a real Jack-O-Lantern.

The harverst pumpkin would look great enlarged and appliqued to the front of a holiday apron using small print calicos. Or, reduce the pattern, and applique onto napkins. Lots of possible uses!

This banner was designed to fit a branch in our Gnome Home. You may wish to customize the banner to fit a preexisting branch in your Gnome Home or add an angled twig to hang the banner as is. As always, I use my applique patterns for different things. I took the Fall Banner, reduced it 50%, and made a cute fall brooch. Whether you're making a banner for a Gnome Home or a brooch to hearld in the arrival of fall, the directions are the same, with only minor variations.

Click here for the FREE Felted Gnome Banner or Wool Brooch.

Last week we had a few days that gave us a taste of fall. They were cool days requiring long sleeves. The air was damp and in general I got the feeling that a hearty meal of Vegetable Beef Stew, Corn Bread and Hot Cider would soon be our meal of choice over our current Lite Grilled Chicken and Steamed Veggies from the garden.

The kids must have had the same feeling. As we entered the craft store their eyes lite up with excitement. HALLOWEEN was everywhere. The warm colors, the spicey scents and the "little bit spooky" fun.

I'm trying not to cross over yet. My October Project cd is still safely tucked away. I know we still have several more weeks of serious summer left. But just as the yard is looking spent, so was my Nature Wreath that hangs above the kids Nature Table. It needed some attention and so I gave in. A little splash of fall that makes me smile. I still have my summer Stars and Stripes up most places but the Nature Table is ready for the warmth of fall colors.

Not familiar with October Project? Something about their haunting music seems to make the perfect companion to a cool, damp fall night with a fire in the fire place.