-
Noisy Nora
I have some bad news to share… Last evening I was working on Part Two of Noisy Nora. I was sitting at the computer, banging away at the keyboard, my two Yorkies were curled up on…
-
Naked Nora
You know how it is when you get your child’s portrait taken and you must go through the agonizing decision of picking 2 or 3 cute poses out of 50? So you ask a friend……
-
Book Nook – Noisy Nora – Part One
To begin making our little finger puppet mice for our Book Nook Book – Noisy Nora, I made 5 little bodies. Below are the directions. Before I get to that, however, I want to introduce everyone…
-
What Are They?
So, what do you think this is a picture of? Perhaps cat tail tops? Morels? Owl pellets? A cat’s fur ball? No to all of the above. Actually, they are the bodies for Nora, Kate,…
-
Butterfly Applique Block
Yesterday I went to Wee Folk Art’s Applique Blocks to get a pattern for a butterfly. What? I never designed a butterfly? That’s crazy! I thought for sure I had. I know I designed a…
-
Mason Jar Cover
You’ve just made of quart of lemonade, and you are headed outside to garden. It’s hot, and those first few drinks of lemonade are so refreshing. But because of the heat, before long, the ice…
-
Book Nook – Caps for Sale Directions
The book Caps for Sale, by Russian author Esphyr Slobodkina, has been well loved for generations. Now you can make the characters so children can extend the story play. The original blog can be…
-
Garden Lemonade
Whenever we go out to eat, and the waitress takes our drink order, I ALWAYS ask for water with “obscene amounts” of lemon. I’ve noticed there is a direct correlation between the amount of lemon a…
-
Gnome Campfire
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…
-
Dolly Diapers
Lately, the girls can’t seem to log enough Mommy hours. Although they have always enjoyed their dolls… they are currently playing Mommy in a very realistic way. They feed and clean their babies, put them…
-
Wooden Frogs
Now that spring has sprung, our pond has come alive! Reeds and lily pads, ducks and water lilies… not to mention our newest addition… frogs! In my humble opinion, every household needs its fair share…
-
Spring and Summer Gnome Home Ideas
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…
-
Kleenex Carnations
I don’t know exactly what made me think about this the other day, but when Tim and I were talking and it occurred to me that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen a…
-
Kleenex Carnations
I don’t know exactly what made me think about this the other day, but when Tim and I were talking and it occurred to me that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen a “Just…
-
A Whimsy of Knit Gnomes
I have always been fascinated by unique collective nouns. For instance, did you know a group of mice is called a “mischief”? Sounds about right, doesn’t it? Or that dolphins travel in pods? Other names are band, horde,…
-
Lily Pads and Water Lilies
Three selfish frogs learn a valuable lesson about sharing from a toad and a very scary thunderstorm in Leo Lionni’s It’s Mine. I created the pattern for the Water Lily and the Lily Pads to…
-
Felt Lily Pads
It began as a desire to have a few props for some of Leo Lionni’s books. I especially wanted to focus on It’s Mine. I began by drawing a frog and toad to be cut from…
-
Basic Doll Applique Block
The other day we shared our pattern for the Basic Knit Doll Pattern. It has become an overnight success! I think the reason is twofold. First, it has the potential to be utilized in many…
-
Basic Knit Doll in 6 Sizes
These designs were created with beginner knitters in mind. They are knitted flat and are sewn together. For a more experienced knitter, I have created directions for knitting the dolls in the round, using double…
-
Basic Knit Doll Family
Few things bring more joy to a child than snuggling with their special doll. We have created a basic doll pattern in 6 sizes: 12″, 10″, 8″, 5″, 4″, and 3″, enough to create a…
-
Essay: What I Did on Spring Break by Kimara
As a child, it never failed, when you returned to school after any break or vacation, your teacher was sure to say, “I would like you to write an essay titled, “What I did on…
-
Spring Flower Applique Block
Spring has sprung… at least on our side of the equator… and flowers are in the forecast! Here is a cheery little flower to applique on a pillow or t-shirt or anywhere else aching for…
-
Tissue Paper Easter Eggs
Want to go a little crazy with your Easter eggs this year? Instead of the standard dyed eggs, try this easy technique. With a little tissue paper and Mod Podge, you can turn out these…
-
Felt and Wood Reeds
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…
Patterns & Crafts
