Gnome Homes on a Big Old Cedar Stump

This woodland setting, here in the Pacific Northwest, is the perfect setting for an attractive gnome home placement. The property owner, Tom, saw a location off of his back deck and asked me to install a small village around a very old cedar stump. We decided to arrange three large gnome homes around the stump and up-light them with waterproof 12 VAC low voltage outdoor lighting. After a few sketches and the okay from Tom, I was off to make the three large gnome homes.

The project is now complete and turned out perfectly. A real eye catching transformation of an ordinary wooded setting. The pictures show the before and after to maybe stimulate your imagination. Enjoy, Tom and family! You have a one of a kind landscape.

A side note: When installing 12 VAC low voltage outdoor lighting, buy quality, waterproof fixtures from a trusted dealer rather than from a “box” store. A little more money, but built much better and will last longer. Weather will destroy cheap low cost fixtures. Some basic understanding and care installing outdoor lighting can change the whole landscape appearance. Nobody likes runway looking path lights, but you sure see a lot of them!

The Sequim Open Aire Market opens here in Sequim on Sat., May 14 from 9 am to 3 pm on Cedar Street, downtown Sequim. (We’re about 2.5 hrs. Northwest of Seattle). It would be a beautiful day tip up to the Olympic Peninsula. Come by the Market and look for us, Whimsical Woods. (No place like gnome!) :-) All is well when the gnomes are happy.

Ole-An-Sven’s New Granddaughter

Gnome Baby Leah

In our wonderland here, Whimsical Woods, we have a new granddaughter born in Dec. Her name is Leah. Here she is - dressed in the correct gnome outfit of pink clothing and a green gnome hat! Of course, she is very cute and you can see the natural gnome smile and big, bright eyes.

Even little gnome babies have excellent eyesight and hearing at an early age. The gnome children upbringing mainly falls on the mother and grandmothers. The fathers are out working and taking care of the forest animals. When they return at dawn, after a long night of work, they will play with the little ones telling stories, singing, laughing and maybe a knee horse ride. Then it is off the bed. As the gnome children grow up, they will be taught the various arts and drafts of home making. There is much to learn and they will spend about 1/3 of their life with their family, or about 100 years, before they marry and move out. A lot of time to learn!

We will post updates on little Leah’s progress over the summer. Grandmom Nancy is enjoying time now with gnome baby Leah. A very nice gnome hat also, I must say!

All is well. Frost last night again, but warmer days are ahead. More stories in May.

Gnome Greetings and Good-byes

In my excellent reference book, it is said gnomes express their greetings and good-byes by rubbing noses. Looks like they have big noses, so must be generations of rubbing those slightly pink noses. You usually see gnome likenesses with big smiles and rosy cheeks. Not much different than Santa Claus I think. We know they’re usually happy and smile all the time. It affects us and the forest animals the same way. These little people are deep thinkers and talk with various body gestures to add to their conversations. They can see other gnomes at a great distance and both know all is just fine.

When you see a gnome figure or a cute little gnome home, you smile without even “gnoming” it. :-) That’s a good thing. Adding a few special gnomes to your garden setting or kitchen window box should bring happiness. It’s a small visual time out!

April is almost here. The garden work is calling me. All is well.

Garden Gnome Home Installation

Shown here is a very well set large gnome home with a flat back up against a large fir tree. This was shipped to our new friend, Glenn, in the midwest. He wanted something different in his garden by a large old tree. He added some gnomes and ground cover and now has an attractive focal point in his yard. Note the fence corner. Well done Glenn and thank you for sending this photo back to Whimsical Woods. Looks great!!

“No place like Gnome!” All looks to be very well at Glenn’s house!

Gnome Mobile

Well, the gnomes made me do it! Why not give our broken state a little extra money for a specialized license plate? All in fun, of course. I now see people pass me and stare at me real hard. I guess they expect to see a little gnome driving. I sure don’t look like one though. I smile and wave back and off they go. We’ll add our website address on the back deck here shortly.

If Oscar winners can have a winner mobile, then our gnomes can have a Gnome Mobile! Sounds fair to me.

So, if you see us out and about, now you’ll know who we are. We often travel down to N. California on other business, so you may see us on Highway 5, 50 or in the San Francisco Bay Area, our old stomping grounds. Again, all in fun.

We haven’t seen the new Disney movie yet, “Gnomeo and Juliet” but maybe soon. Let me “gnome” what you think. :-)

More large gnome home photos coming. One recently purchased and installed by Glenn in the midwest, is very well done. Leprechauns and gnomes?? Well, both love lots of beer, so they probably get along just fine. That’s okay with me. All is well. Gnome Mobile over and out!

March Madness - Spring?

Gnomes in the Garden

The woodland gnomes look forward to the night time temperatures  climbing up to warmer Spring like temperatures. All are looking to say goodbye to winter and the snow! Very early vegetables are starting to pup up through the dirt. In a week or so, a few flowers may bloom. Fresh flower for the gnomes!

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re months away from even planting most vegetables. Still too wet and cold, but Spring fever is catching. Gnomes are somewhat dependent on us to plant and grow the vegetables. We accuse the moles of stealing our young plants, but it might just as well be a little gnome plucking a young plant for his family dinner. Plant some big fat radishes or carrots and watch. After a long and cold winter, the gnomes await Spring like we do. They look forward to getting into my garden just like I do. Don’t know if they like rhubarb, but I won’t  miss a few stalks.

I saw some robins, so the worms are starting to move about. I read that gnomes help the robins find the big worms. Must be a little game. Don’t think worms are on gnomes’ favorite food list, but then again, Mac and cheese isn’t either.

March-  in like a lion, out like a lamb. We’ll see. time to get outside and clean up the fallen branches. Spring will come and that’s good news for our little friends in the woods. All is well in our Whimsical Woods.

Gnome Homes - more, more!

Gnome home with skylight

Gnome home from apple stump

Gnome home with hollow core

I have been asked to show more pictures of the various gnome homes that I have made. No two are the same, but the similar likeness is there. These gnome homes are best set into a wooden area surrounded by large and small plants and perhaps other trees. Gnomes like their homes to be a little obscure and blended. Set out by themselves is not in keeping with their written nature. The gnome homes can be as tall or fat as you want, or both. You can get a small one to sit  over your kitchen sink, in a window box if you want. Make yourself a cute little gnome village to look at while doing the dishes.

For maximum affect at night, I would recommend 12 vac low wattage outdoor lighting with a soft spot focused on each home for the best whimsical look.

I am currently building a gnome village for a client with three gnome homes on and around a large old, overgrown cedar stump. I’ll share those pictures here in a month or so. It will be a very special feature to a wooded back yard.

So, more pictures it is. Next to gnome doors, I’ll be offering  whimsical gnome windows. Add a door and some windows to the base of a tree along with a few other forest finds, and you will have tuned your simple tree into an imaginary gnome home. Got to be fun and keep you smiling!

All must be well.