30 Gnomes in 30 Days January 10, 2013 17:16 2 Comments

 What an amazing, record breaking year 2012 was!  We felted our fingers swollen and bloody, our necks and backs ached with fatigue, our right biceps began to resemble one of Popeye’s forearms, and despite not being able to find anything on the internet related to “felting injuries” I’m quite certain I had a severe case of Felter’s Thumb.  All that and we still sold nearly every piece we made!  And then came the end of the show season and a welcome break for our over felted souls.  I could neither fathom how to fill my days without felting, nor bear the sight of my felting pad.  Fortunately the busy chaos of the holidays helped pass the days, and I finally recalled that I used to do things like vacuum, cook meals, and um….dust?  After tending to some much needed regrouping we find ourselves only weeks away from our first event of 2013 with no felting stock to speak of, and the list making begins….What will we need for the show?  How much felting can a person actually do in a week? Jennifer and I discussed all this while bemoaning our feelings of having out felted ourselves.  And then Jen asked: “What if we had a picture of every gnome we had made?”  I can say with certainty we could wallpaper our studio with them!  And as we searched for inspiration to carry on and promised our fingers we would be more careful with them, the idea came: 30 Gnomes in 30 Days.  We will make a gnome a day until our show on February 9^th and post a picture of each one.  Some may have a story to tell, or thoughts that go with them, some may just be a photograph…SO here we go….

 1/10/13 - Jen and I have long struggled with making girl gnomes, it can be so difficult to make their faces sweet, and they often turn out witchy. Sometimes there is nothing to be done but to give the poor girls beards and make them dudes! I decided to start the 30 days with a girl gnome in lovely girly colors as a commitment to myself and to my gnomes to love the girls that need chins and smiles.
-Melissa

Day1 - January 10th:

 And lest you think we will only be making gnomes for the next 30 days, rest assured there are plenty of sheep and foxes and bears being made as well – oh my!

1/13/13 - Jennifer and I and our husbands managed to escape our store, jobs, and kids and get away for a night!  It was a wonderful trip our parent's had given us (it only took us a year to find a time to go) to Howe Caverns in NY for a lantern tour and wonderful dinner at a 1700's tavern.  So here are gnomes 2, 3, and 4...
-Melissa

Day 2: January 11th

Day 3: January 12th 

Day 4: January 13th

1/14/11 - We recieve calls or emails from time to time from people with gnomes of ours that have met an untimely demise due to dog attack!  I recieved just such an email just last week - In great distress, I was informed that a 7 year old girl's gnome had been all but destroyed by a lovely but exuberant golden retriever. Could it possibly be replaced?  Well, no gnome can ever be completely replicated, but we do try.  I asked if she could describe her gnome, which she did very well, and could she send me a picture of the remains so I could try and make a close match, sadly there was only a tiny bit of green fluff left....So here's her replacement:
-Melissa

Day 5: January 14th

1/15/13 - Wow, I was joking about being bad at this but... i am worried that this next cutie is going to be sideways... here he is in all his glory.
-Jen


Day 6: January 15th

Day 7: January 16th

1/17/13: Sometimes the felting just goes so slowly! Is it the wool? Is it dull needles? Or is it me??  I have gnomes that just refuse to get their arms on, bugs with no feet, rocks that need eyes, and cones that are sadly just cones....Here it is 5:05pm, past closing time, and today's gnome is finally finished, by the skin of my teeth. Lucky gal has a newly renovated strawbery to live in!
-Melissa

Day 8: January 17th

Day 9 and 10: January 18th and 19th

1/20/13 - Felting tip: When making lady gnomes it is very important to create neck definition when forming your cone.  This will really help create a cute face.

Day 11: January 20th
               

Day 12: January 21st

1/22/13 - Today was fiercely cold and I couldn't help but wish for Spring... the result was this bright fellow with his band of ladybugs to cheer me up with the promise of warrmer days.  May add spots to his hat...

Day 13 - January 22

Day 14: January 23rd

 Day 15:  January 24th

1/25/13 - things are going well here at Going Gnome, we are preparing for a weekend of teaching at a women's wellness weekend in Becket, MA.  Last year we had a blast, and we are looking forward to the two classes we are teaching.  Here is my gnome for today...
- Jen

Day 16: January 25th

1/26/13 - what fun we had, our classes was full, 30 women in each class and they made 60 adorable gnomes between them.  thanks for all the good times, todays gnome is featuring his rad house, complete with detachable rock monster friend. enjoy! -Jen

Day 17:  January 26th

Day 18: January 28th

1/31/13 - Ok, Ok it's been 2 days with no posting - What excuse could there possibly be....Well - have you ever done inventory in a bead store?  I know I know - don't we just sit around and felt all day?  Sadly no.  There is this store we own that requires all kinds of work, and maintenance, and this time of year that includes the dreaded taxes!  One of our least favorite jobs is inventory.  I thought my brain would explode from counting beads for hours upon hours.  Suffice to say it is done, and despite all that we did make our three gnomes, so here they are.  -Melissa

Day 19, 20, and 21 - January 29th, 30th, and 31st
              

Day 22: February 1st

2/3/13 - Sometimes you just have to make a whole army of pocket gnomes!  Here is evidence of how Jen spent her weekend - 20 finished, and still making more!  Nice job Jen - keep up the good work! - Melissa

Days 23 and 24: February 2nd and 3rd

Day 25: February 4th

2/5/13 - Well this journey is coming to a close.  This tree man is a favorite of mine, I especially love his bald spot, bald gnomes are under-represented. - Jen

Day 26 - February 5th

BEARD ATTACK!

Day 27: February 6th

Day 28: February 7th

             Can you find the new gnome on our table, I'll give you a hint, he is tall and has a green beard...

Day 29 - Febuary 8th

DAY 30!!!- Febuary 9th

2/9/13 - 15 inches of snow last night, and this guy is ready!  Making 30 gnomes in 30 days has been fun - maybe 365 in a year next?  shhhh... don"t tell melissa
-Jen