Dwellings & Furnishings

Ever since the Leprechauns returned to The Thicket, Britta has been noticing a few oddities. Jackets and shawls disappear and reappear, the order of the shoes lined up by the backdoor get rearranged, and her bookmark gets moved nightly. Whenever Britta complains to Axel about the leprechauns, he shrugs and chuckles. "No harm done", he always says.

This morning Britta prepared Axel's favorite breakfast; blueberry tarts and acorn omelets. After his first couple of bites, Axel pushed away from the table with a confused look on his face. 

 "Britta, what's going on? Breakfast is awful!"  

 Sure enough. The blueberry tarts were too salty to eat, and the acorn omelets were too sweet to swallow. Britta had a bad feeling. She went to her larder. Sure enough, those pesky leprechauns switched the sugar and the salt!

 Britta mimicked Axel and in a deep voice said, "No harm done, right?"

  But I don't think Axel heard her. With his stomach rumbling, he left the house in a huff, and he could be heard bellowing, "RONAN, you no good rascal, show yourself."  

To make sacks of flour, rice, salt and sugar for your gnome house:

Materials:
felt pieces
stuffing
pattern

1] Make copy of pattern and cut out 2 pieces of felt for each sack.

2] Transfer names to bag fronts and embroider name using a stem stitch and 3 strands of floss.

3] With wrong sides together, Pin the sack front to the sack back. Using a blanket stitch across the top and a running stitch around the other 3 sides, stitch the sack closed with 3 strands of floss, leaving an opening on one side for stuffing.

4] Stuff with wool, cotton or fiberfill and finish sewing up the side.

5] Pinch each corner so seams are touching and tack together using 3 strands of floss.

Now place in your gnome's larder, but keep them safely locked away... especially when there are leprechauns around!

We have had our gnome house for almost 2 years now, and just like my own house, I am always adding a little here and there, changing this and that, and allowing our environment to reflect the seasons. When preparing our gnome house for Valentines Day, I decided we needed plates and cups. There are many different ways I could have gone with this... including using natural clay to craft them, but I must admit I took the easy route this time and used some  Polymer Clay I had on hand. Certainly, the same idea can be used with natural clay, but I do like the pretty pinks and reds for Valentines Day and will make some natural ones for every day use later :)

If you are interested in crafting your own set of cups, dishes, and vases, the directions can be found HERE or with our FREE Patterns. The kids will love helping with this craft. Enjoy!

WARNING: These are definitely CHOKE HAZARDS and should not be used with small children that still put toys in their mouths.

We are still very busy crafting Valentines Day decorations for the gnome house. Thought a festive rug or two would be a nice touch. Whenever I make my Rip and Tear Napkins, I always have a long, narrow strip of fabric left. One of the great ways to make use of this fabric, is to rip it into 1/2" strips and crochet with it like you would yarn. (Hint: Prewashing the material removes the sizing and makes it easier to work with.)   

To join the strips into one continuous piece, simply overlap the ends and sew together. You do not need to be neat. You'll never see it once you start crocheting.

This is so easy. To make a rug 5 1/2" x 5 1/2":

Using a crochet hook size US I, loosely chain 14.

Rows: Turn and chain 2. Double crochet into 3rd stitch and ever remaining stitch.

Repeat until 5 1/2".

Dah Tah... you are done. When crocheting, it doesn't matter whether the right or wrong side of the fabric is showing... the variation will just add to the interest of the finished rug. Obviously, this can be enlarged to make pot holders and even floor rugs. That's one of the projects I would like to tackle soon.

What a busy time in the Thicket. Britta is bustling around readying the house for a Valentines Party she is throwing for some friends. She just finished this lovely banner with flowering vines meandering over a Valentine's heart. Although cold weather is still evident throughout the Thicket, hearts are warm with Valentine Cheer. There is no doubt that love is in the air!  

Here is a lovely Valentine Banner displayed prominently in the gnome's home. Make your own banner to share with your gnome friends or for a doll house. Haven't got either? Not to worry. The applique and embroidery can be used on any project that needs a little Loving Embellishment. The directions for the Gnome Valentine Banner can be found HERE or with our FREE Patterns. Hope you and your gnomes Enjoy!

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.

Materials:
Pattern
9" x 12" piece of wool felt
wool felt scraps
6 strand embroidery floss
embroidery needle

Directions:
1] Make copies of the pattern.

2] Using the pattern, cut out 2 banner pieces and 1 heart.

3] Using the pattern as a guide, place heart on the front piece of the banner. Use a blanket stitch and 3 strands matching floss to attach heart to banner. Using the pattern as a guide, embroider the banner.

4] Place wrong sides of banner pieces together. Pin in place. Use 3 strands of embroidery floss and a a running stitch, sew along the top stitching line and the bottom stitching line. This will create a casing for hanging. Using 3 strands of embroidery floss, blanket stitch sides and bottom below bottom stitch line.

OUR "DISCLAIMER"! We are sharing patterns we have designed and made for our own children, families and friends. Every effort is made to share information in a clear and accurate manner. DUH, right? But we are only human, although I often long for superhuman powers, and as humans, mistakes will be made. We offer preemptive apologies for any aforementioned mistakes. Please let us know via comments or emails if you stumble upon a mistake or if you encounter directions that leave you scratching your head! We will rectify the situation as soon as humanly possible! Before beginning any of our patterns, think of yourself as a Beta Tester. We do not have a staff, editors or even volunteers that are crafting our projects before we share them. YOU are the first to have a go at them. As such, other than a heartfelt apology, we accept no responsibility for mistakes made, or in an extreme circumstance, for time or supplies wasted. Please tackle our projects in the same manner that we are sharing them, with a spirit of goodwill and global friendship!

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The gnomes enjoy decorating their houses seasonal just like the rest of us. Britta saw the Traditional Snowflakes we scattered throughout the house, and wanted some, too! So, I got right on it for her. She loves them! If you'd like to make some snowflakes for your gnome or doll house, you can make a garland of them in no time!

Materials:
white paper
sharp, pointy scissors
embroidery floss or twine
transparent nylon thread
wide packing tape or glossy clear contact paper

1] Make circles the size you want your snowflakes. I traced around a quarter (approximately 25mm diameter) and cut them out.

2] Using steps 1 and 2 as described in Traditional Snowflakes, cut out snowflake designs. 

3] Cover front and back of snowflakes with wide package tape or glossy clear contact paper. Cut off extra tape close to the snowflake.

4] If making roping from embroidery floss or pearl cotton, make a tight braid using three strands. Make the braid long enough to span the desired length. (Make sure to make it long enough to attach to gnome or doll house.)

5] Tape one end of the braid to a table. Place a ruler behind it. Attach the snowflakes by threading a needle with the transparent nylon thread. Tie a knot. You now have 2 threads. Pierce the snowflake with your needle and pull the thread through. Insert your needle between the 2 pieces of thread so the snowflake dangles at the end of the thread with the thread looped over the snowflake.  (I demonstrated with floss so you can see what I'm doing. It's hard to see the transparent nylon thread in photos :) Tie the snowflakes to the braid or twine every 1 1/2".  Each snowflake is attached individually. Vary the length of the thread so the snowflakes appear to be falling randomly... not in a straight line.

6] Tie, tape or tack the finished garland of snowflakes to your gnome house or dollhouse. They hang nicer is the roping is taut. 

Every summer Britta and Axel, along with their children, leave the Thicket and head to the city to visit Britta's sister, Greta and her family. When they go, Britta makes sure to bring gifts from the Thicket including acorn jam, dried mushrooms and toys for the children whittled from wood. In turn, Greta and her family come to the Thicket to spend the Christmas holidays. They never come empty handed. There are many things Greta and her husband Eldar can find in the city that are not available to the Thicket gnomes. They bring buttons and small bolts of cloth. Cooking pots and books. But this year, they brough special gifts for Britta and the family. Something that she never even dreamed of owning... their very own city bed! No longer will they need to use their sleeping bags. Beds! Britta is so excited the first night in her new bed she can barely sleep! Britta decides here and now to make something extra special for her sister's family.

If you would like to craft your own Gnome City Bed like the one Eldar made or a mattress and pillow like Greta made, click HERE or the directions can be found with the FREE patterns. Enjoy! 

Help your little gnome friends get a good night's sleep with these Gnome City Beds. Very easy to make, and your gnomes will truly be appreciative!

Materials for bed:
wooden container
decorative wooden knobs
crafting glue
wood paint
Mod Podge or sealer

Materials for mattress and pillow:
felt pieces
stuffing (Polyfill, cotton, wool or felt scraps)
embroidery floss

Directions for bed:
1] Purchase a wooden box of suitable size. (NOTE: Mine was purchased from a local craft store. It is made out of balsa wood and measures 3" x 4 1/2" x 1 3/4". This was a great size. There was a bottom and a top hinged together. This will make 2 beds. The top was not as deep as the bottom but it doesn't matter.)

2] Remove all hardware. At this point you may choose to fill the holes but I did not. I wanted to maintain that repurposed look.

3] On the flat bottoms, mark the position of the placement for the knob feet centering the marks 1/2" in from the 2 corner sides. 

4] Place a dollop of glue on the 4 marks.

5] Position 4 knobs on the glue. Allow to dry completely. (I bought packages of wooden knobs. They are approximately 1/2" x 3/4". I found them in the same area where I found the boxes.)

6] Paint or stain the bed. You can leave it natural, too. I watered down a light brown paint and "white washed" the beds. It tinted the wood more than painted it.

7] To paint flowers, I simply dipped the end of a larger paintbrush in my petal color, and dabbed it on the wood. I made 5 dabs in a small circle. I used a goodly amount of paint to give the petals a raised look.

8] Change paint colors and using the same technique, dab a center to each flower. Allow to dry completely.

9] Using a small, flat brush, put green paint on the end. To make leaves, make one dab for each leaf. Position and paint 2 leaves per flower.

10] After the paint has dried, seal the wood with Mod Podge or the Natural Olive Oil and Beeswax Finish. I chose to use Pod Podge because the balsa wood was rather rough, and I wanted a layer of Mod Podge to smooth out the wood. 

Mattress and Pillow:
1] Measure the inside of the bed. Cut out 2 pieces of felt to this measurement.

2] Using 6 strands of floss and a blanket stitch, sew together 3 sides of the mattress.

3] Lightly stuff the mattress, then continue sewing the rest of the mattress closed.

4] To make the pillow cut 2 pieces of felt 1 1/4" x 1/2" less than the width of the mattress. Sew and stuff following the directions for the mattress. 

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!

To make this apple orchard you will need to use a scroll saw, a dremel and a drill. I am a VERY novice woodworker, and have no tips or suggestions for how to use this equipment. I'm learning as I go, trying to be as careful as possible, but would not even begin to try to teach someone how to do this stuff. I'm having this total tension issue with the saw blades and keep breaking them. But I will get the hang of it, and I will get better.

So, here's the deal on the instructions. (Hmmm... think I'm giving a disclaimer!!!) Basically, I'm giving you the pattern that I designed. I'll tell you what I did, even share some lovely photos, BUT, this is not instructions on how to use the tools. I'm thoroughly enjoying this, and finding it easy, with delightful results. BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

NOTE: The trees can stand by themselves without a base, so, making a base is optional. HOWEVER, the trees do not stand well on carpet so the bases really help stabilize them. There are 2 base patterns included. A base for 1 tree and a base for 5 trees. Your choice.

Materials:
wood - I used 1" x 6" pine scraps but you can use any solid wood - not plywood
paint - I used milk paint - use non toxic paints
finish - I used an all natural olive oil and beeswax finish - use a non toxic finish
1/4" dowel rod if you are making a base
wood glue if you are making a base
pattern

Tools and equipment:
scroll saw
dremel
drill
fine sandpaper - I used a sponge sandpaper block
safety glasses
face mask

1] Make copy of pattern. Cut out pattern pieces. Tape the 2 pieces of the base together.

2] Trace pattern pieces on wood. (You can either trace with or against grain. HINT: If you're making multiple trees, do them all the same to give a unified look to your project.)

3] Cut out the pieces using a scroll saw. NOTE: Check out the pics below. THEY ARE NOT PERFECT! See how I didn't stay on line all the time! This project is an "ish" thing. They do not need to be exact to look great when you're done!

4] Using the dremel, soften the edges by using the dremel at a 30 - 45 degree angle. Take the edges down enough so you can see the angle but be careful not to overdo it! (Which is easy with a dremel!) This does not need to be perfectly smooth. Imperfections give a lovely hand hewed look to the project! Make sure you are wearing safety glasses and a face mask. I didn't use a face mask on my first tree and I was coughing up sawdust the rest of the day!

5] Use the dremel to lightly sand the flat edges, just enough to remove scroll saw marks.

6] Go over the whole piece with fine sandpaper.

7] The piece is now ready to paint. Use the directions for painting the wood found in our Building Blocks - Painting the Blocks tutorial. I used milk paint on my trees. When adding apples to your trees, you do not need to exact. Each tree can, and probably should, be a little different. Get creative. Add as much or as little detail as you like.

8] Seal the wood. Following the directions for finishing the wood found in our Build Blocks - Finishing the Blocks tutorial. In the directions you will find my recipe for an all natural finish that I use all the time! 

9] If you are making a base, mark the hole placement on the bottom of your tree and in the base. Using a drill with a 1/4" drill bit, drill holes 1/2" deep. (Refer to pattern.)

10] Cut your dowel rod into 1" pieces. Using wood glue, glue the dowel rods into THE BASE! (Do not glue them into the trees because you want them to be able to stand up without the base.)