Dwellings & Furnishings

The children in The Thicket always look forward to the approaching summer months. This means the days themselves grow like weeds, with more hours of daylight allowing for more hours of fun. But this also means, that at the close of the day, the wee ones are often allowed to sit around the campfire with their elders, and hear tales as old as The Thicket itself. There are tales of extreme heroics, tales of warning, tales of wild shenanigans, and their very favorite, tales of the unexplained, and often spooky, happenings in The Thicket. Often they fall asleep while listening and mysteriously find themselves safely tucked in their beds come the morning.

Making your own campfire is very easy and an important mainstay in the life of your gnome.

WARNING: There are small pieces in this project which can be a choking hazard. Not for children under 3 years of age or children that are likely to place small objects in their mouth.

Materials:
1/8" Masonite or dense cardboard
small pebbles
little twigs
raffia, small wood shavings, or dried grass
red food coloring
crafting glue

1] Cut out a 4" circle from 1/8" Masonite using a scroll saw or by hand with a coping saw. You may also use thick cardboard. It must to dense enough to support the weight of the rocks.

2] Place a thick bead of crafting glue around the edge of the circle. Note: I originally used hot glue but the pebbles fell off over time. I found the crafting glue held them in place much better.

3] Fit a ring of pebbles in the glue, pressing them in place. Add additional glue around the rocks to insure a tight connection. The glue will dry clear.



4] When the rocks have thoroughly dried, cover the entire bottom of the circle with glue.

5] Sprinkle coffee grounds on the glue, making sure you have good coverage. Let dry. When dry, turn the campfire over and gently shake to remove loose grounds.

6] Build a fire by breaking thin twigs to size. Generously use crafting glue to hold together.




7] Before the glue dries, cut grass, wood shavings or raffia into small pieces and dye with red food coloring to make flames.


8] Sprinkle "flames" on campfire. They will adhere to the wet glue.

9] When the glue has thoroughly dried, turn it upside down and gently shake to remove loose flames. You are now ready to gather the gnomes around the campfire and begin spinning tales!

If you haven't done it already, it's time to get your gnome home ready for the warm days of spring and summer. Below are some of our past gnomey spring things. Just click on the picture to take you to the tutorials. I have a few other warm weather accents I'll be adding soon!

Felt Flower Garland

Flower Fairies

Flower Fairy Carpet

Spring Gnome Sleeping Bag

Spring Rag Rug

Waldorf Style Gnomes

Wooden Apple Orchard

Crocheted Rugs

Here are the Felt and Wood Reeds that I used with the Wooden Ducklings to go along with the Book Nook - Have You Seen My Duckling? but they would be just as at home used with our Gnomes.  

I made 2 different sizes; one with 7 reeds and one with 8 reeds. The bases are an easy shape to cut out with a scroll saw, and I cut the dowels to different sizes to give a natural look. The directions are quite simple.

Materials
For Bases:
1" wood (popular, pine, maple, ash, etc.)
1/4" dowel rods
stains, paints, and finish (see note in text)
pattern

For Felt Reeds:
assorted green felt
embroidery floss
pattern

Wood Base and Rods:
Trace the patterns on to 1" thick lumber. I used popular for mine but pine, maple, and ash would also be good choices. Cut out the bases, sand, paint or stain, and finish. For general directions for cutting out and finishing wood, refer to the tutorial of our Wooden Apple Orchard.

Using the pattern as a guide, mark and drill holes in the base. The holes should be 1/4" wide and 1/2" deep.

Rods for small base cut 1/4" dowel as follows: 1 - 6 1/2", 1 - 5 1/2", 2 - 4 1/2", 2 - 3 1/2" and 1 - 2 1/2".

Rods for large base cut 1/4" dowel as follows: 2 - 6 1/2", 1 - 5 1/2", 2 - 4 1/2", 2 - 3 1/2" and 1 - 2 1/2".

Felt Reeds:
Make a copy of the pattern. For each rod, cut out 2 pieces of felt.

Blanket stitch the two pieces together using 3 strands of floss. Leave the bottom open.

Slide the felt reeds over the rods.

I did not glue the rods into the base. This gives you the flexibility to arrange the reeds in any manner you wish. Plus, I have some other ideas on how to use the rods and bases and I want to be able to move the rods around. Enjoy!

The directions for the Flower Fairies pictured below can be found HERE.

I hate to waste anything when I'm crafting. You never know, right? So, I have bits and pieces of this and that in jars, in baskets, tucked in cubbies, and hanging from the ceiling. It is amazing how many times I hit these "should throw away" stashes!

Well, the other day I made my April (Easter) Rip and Tear Napkins.

This is what was left over.

On the next sunny day (5 days of rain in the forecast), we will go outside and drape the pieces of string in tree and bush branches, and throw them hither and yon in our green belt. Birds and field mice will use them to help make their spring nests comfy-cozy. (You're welcome little friends!)

But, I have a special plan for the fabric scraps that were ripped away from the napkins. I will be making a couple new Spring Crocheted Rag Rugs for the gnome house. (They can also be used as lovely spring coasters!) I made a basic circle. I've included the directions below. If you would like to "see" the basics on how to crochet a circle, check out our Bean Bag and Coaster Directions.

Spring Crocheted Rag Rug for the Gnomes (or Coasters)

Materials:
scrap fabric strips (ripped to about 3/8") 

Note: To have one continuous strip of fabric to crochet with, simply overlap the end of one piece with the start of a new piece. Sew them together. You do not need to be neat... it's a rag rug :)

Directions:

1] Chain 6.

2] Slip stitch through 1st chain to form a ring.

3] First Round: Chain stitch 3. This is called your “turning chain” and will be counted as your 1st stitch. Next, crocheting through the hole in the center of the ring, double crochet 9 times. Slip stitch in the top (the third chain) of the turning chain. You will now have 10 stitches (including the turning chain).

4] Second Round: Chain stitch 3. Double crochet into the base of your “turning chain”. You will be increasing 10 stitches this round. In the remaining 9 stitches from the first round, double crochet twice in each stitch. Slip stitch in the top chain of the turning chain. You will now have 20 stitches.

5] Third Round: Chain stitch 3. Double crochet into the base of your “turning chain”. You will be increasing 10 stitches this round. In the next stitch double crochet once, in the next stitch double crochet twice. Continue this pattern double crocheting twice every other stitch. Slip stitch in the top chain of the turning chain. You will now have 30 stitches.

6] Fourth Round: Double crochet into the base of your “turning chain”. You will be increasing 10 stitches this round. In the next two stitches double crochet once, in the third stitch double crochet twice. Continue the pattern double crocheting twice every third stitch. Slip stitch in the top chain of the turning chain. You will now have 40 stitches. Slip stitch in the top chain of the turning chain and pull the strip through.
 
7] Using a yarn needle, weave the beginning and ending fabric tails into the rug. Clip close to the rug.

If you would like to continue making the rug slightly larger, you can add 1 or 2 more rows, continuing in the pattern established above, increasing 10 stitches each round.

Britta awoke with mixed feelings. Today was St. Patrick's Day, which meant the leprechauns would be leaving The Thicket for places unknown. "Perhaps, just perhaps", she thought, "I may miss them just a wee bit." But Britta was ready for the pranks to end and for order to be restored to her household.

She cautiously got out of bed, and tip toed around the room. "Surely the leprechauns wouldn't leave without a final prank." She made her way down the stairs, peeking around corners and watching each time she set a foot on the ground. When she entered the kitchen she stopped aburtly.

The leprechauns had been in the house during the night! There, hanging from the post, was a beautiful Rainbow Banner, and under the banner was a pot... "Could this be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?" she wondered. Slowly, she lifted the lid of the pot, and she gave out a wholehearted laugh.

The leprechauns had left her a pot of gold; a pot of golden honey, enough to last the family the entire year! Britta dipped her finger into the honey and took a taste. "Yum", she said. "This will be far more useful to me than a silly old pot of gold!" In the distance she heard a soft chuckle. In a loud clear voice, to no one in particular, Britta said, "I will have to thank the leprechauns next year, when they return to The Thicket!"

The pattern for the Rainbow Banner can be found HERE or with our FREE Patterns. Following the pattern, applique the rainbow strips to the front of the banner, then sew the front to the back using a blanket stitch. Using the pattern guide lines, sew two lines of running stitches to create a casing to hang the banner. For more detailed directions for making banners, check out the instructions for making the Valentine Banner. Enjoy!

No, I'm not talking about books ABOUT gnomes and fairies, rather books FOR gnomes and fairies. I got the idea from Michelle. When we talked about doing The Book Nook, I told her I wanted a banner. Something that people would come to associate with this feature. Like a good graphic artist, she gave me three choices; the one below was one of my choices.
Well, as it turns out, we decided not to have a special banner. Michelle loves to point out that much of the work of any graphic artist never gets used. So, I apologized for wasting her time BUT isn't the fairy reading a book about the cutest thing you ever saw? Well, I decided we needed to get more reading material into The Thicket. So I got busy, with the help of Britta, of course, and we created a stack of books, specifically for the children of The Thicket. The insides of the book can be left blank, as journals, you can use recycled text from magazines, or write your own story. You can learn more about making your own Gnome and Fairy Books HERE or with our FREE Patterns. Enjoy!

 

The orignial blog for this project can be found HERE. It contains additional photos and information.

Who doesn't like a good book? Well, gnomes love the old traditions of sitting around a campfire and telling tales of adventure and folly. But, they also like curling up in easy chair at home, in front of a fire, and reading of places far and near. With the help of a few toy catalogues and other recycled papers, you can make a basket of books for your gnomes, and their friends the fairies, to read and enjoy.

Materials:  
toy catalogues or other magazines
magazine with text and/or blank paper for writing your own stories
embroidery floss
optional: stapler
optional: very fine tip permanent marker
optional: Crazy Glue or Fray Check

1] In a magazine find a picture you want on front of your book. 

2] Cut out the cover horizontally, 1 3/4" x 7/8". Because the paper strip will be folded in half to make a book, make sure the desired "front cover" design is near the right edge of the strip. This way, when you fold the book in half, the picture will be on the front cover. Cut out two more strips of paper 1 3/4" x 7/8" for the inside of the book. You can either use text from old magazines or plain paper to leave as a journal or for writing a story in.

3] Pile the front cover over the 2 strips of text or blank paper.

4] Fold them in half, making a sharp crease on the spine.

5] If you would like to write a story, I suggest you do it now, before you sew or staple the book together. This way, if you make a mistake, you don't waste time or your outside cover. When writing in your book, may sure you keep it in the order it was when you folded the strips in half. Use a very fine tipped permanent marker and write small. For younger children, you may want them to dictate a story and you write it in the book. Just for an example, here is a very simple story I wrote to demonstate how much text you can actually fit into one of these books:

Once there was a silly little fairy that thought she was better than all others. Her name was Vanny. Vanny never played with the other fairies. "They are not smart enough or pretty enough or fast enought", she thought. So she was often alone. One day Vanny found the most beautiful pebble in the stream. Vanny wanted to show it to someone, but who? She had no friends. That day Vanny spent a long time thing. "What good is beauty and intelligence and speed if you no one to share it with?" The very next day Vanny went to see the other fairies. "I am so sorry", she said. I have been silly and vain. Will you forgive me?" All the fairies hugged Vanny and called her friend. And they all agreed the pebbles was the most beautiful stone they had ever seen. The End!

I was able to use the inside of the back cover to write on, but still... that's a lot of text you can get into a little book! Children will love "reading" the stories to the gnomes and fairies.

6] To put the book together, you can simply place one stable in the book's spine, so the "sharp pokies" are on the inside.

7] If you would like to stitch the book together (my preference) begin by  poking holes in the spine, through the 3 layers of paper. Hold the book firmly so the pages do not slip. I put 6 or 7 holes in each spine.

8] Turn the book over so the cover is facing up. Using 2 strands of embroidery floss, poke your needle through the first hole. Leave a tail that extends 2" - 3" beyond the bottom of the book. 

9] While hold the tail against the spine, bring the needle up through the 2nd hole, coming up to the right of the tail.

10] Insert your needle back into the 2nd hole, now to the left of the tail. Your thread will be over the tail. Pull tight enough to the tail lays firmly against the spine, without pulling it to the inside of the book. The tail has now been secured to the 2nd hole.

11] Continue working your way down the spine in the same manner, always coming up through a hole, to the right side of the tail, crossing the tail, then going back into the same hole, to the left of the tail.  

12] When you have finished your last hole, turn the book over so you are looking at the inside of the book. The thread will be sticking out of the last hole.

13] From right to left, slide your needle under the thread that stretches from the last hole to the one above it.

14] Work your way up sliding your needle under the threads. When you finish the last one, poke your needle through the top hole. (It will now be on the outside of the book.)

15] Turn the book over and clip this thread and the tail at the bottom even with the edge of the book. Optional: If you would like, you can put a drop of Fray Check or Super Glue on the threads to prevent them from unraveling, but I didn't.

Now your books are ready to share with your gnomes and fairies. This same process of book binding can be used on bigger books, too!

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. 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!

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.