More Gnome Silliness and Merry Christmas!

 

Primus got a partner in blue, named Secunda. Together, they've decided to use the fresh snow to carry some of their belongings to a new place. Primus is prepared to light the way through the forest as the sun sets, while Secunda is carrying a loaf of bread in her basket along with a bottle of wine.

I'm borrowing items from my mini stash. A third gnome is on the way, as Santa brought me the requested gnome book; I'm learning a technique that requires less sewing, as I don't enjoy sewing knitted items. I will, however, have to knit on an item that is partially stuffed and weighted. Learning something new is supposed to be good for creating new neural pathways....

We'd been looking at a green Christmas, but while we were sleeping snow fell, and allowed us to wake up to a beautiful snowy, misty and sunny Christmas morning.

The crow on the front of the sleigh is one of a couple of dozen that appeared in my Christmas stocking; they have different poses and will work beautifully in one-twelfth scenes.

When Hobbies Collide....

 

So you know from my previous post(s) that I have too many hobbies, and now that I've finished the socks that needed to be ready for Christmas, there are a lot of little tiny balls of left-over yarn.

Well, Dutch children when I was growing up were very aware of gnomes (kabouters), as many of the books we loved features these little mythical creatures. I stumbled across a page of gnome designs on-line, and realized that here was a use for those little left-over balls of yarn after all....

This is Primus, my first gnome; the photo is a little dark, but Primus is wearing a multi-coloured robe that features purple and green, and his hat is actually purple. The collision occurred when I thought what I'd do with my little gnome. I had a tiny plastic lantern in my mini stash, and with the aid of some paint and a piece of heavy-gauge floral wire, he is now set to be the leader of what may turn out to be a parade of gnomes, equipped with the tools of life, from my mini stash. The Carpenter-in-Chief spotted the sleigh among Christmas decorations at a hardware store, and thought it would be a perfect accessory, and I agree. The rope is a bit heavy, but I can always make another one out of left-over yarn....

I did knit a friend for Primus; Secunda is currently about half a dozen knit bits, awaiting assembly.  And I'm hoping Santa will bring me a book all about knitting gnomes!

We're at the tail end of a wind storm, and electricity is being provided by the generator. Thousands of people in the Canadian Maritimes are without power right now, and the streets and roads are littered with fallen tree branches. And the rain that preceded the wind storm has melted all the snow. That will make the C-in-C's sister sad as she is coming here and hoping for a White Christmas. However, the weather here changes from minute to minute, so who knows, we may yet get snow.

This year we are also having the joy of our son and his wife spending Christmas with us; they moved this year from Alberta in Western Canada to a wonderful old home and property across the street from the Gulf of Maine in Nova Scotia. The climate there is a little more welcoming than the wide open prairies.

There may be another gnome guest on the blog occasionally!