Have you ever been in such a magical place out in Nature, that you just *know* there must be elves, fairies or gnomes around you? Have you ever put your hands on the trunk of a tree that is older than your great-grandparents, and seems to vibrate with a quiet wisdom?
Have you ever been in the Stockholm Airport, and seen rows and rows of Tomte Gnome souvenirs, begging to be taken home? Somehow there is a connection between these 2 things…
Backtracking a bit, one of the places I’ve been that seemed very magical, was the mountains and ancient forests of New Zealand. After all, that’s where Peter Jackson filmed The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Even the city parks with their huge ancestral trees seem to glisten with enchantment. This photo is from the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, and this is a tree I have sat beneath on both of my visits to New Zealand. This wide trunk held a tree with such vigorously spreading branches, that it felt like I was under the roof of a house when I sat on that Victorian park bench.
Quilters have always loved fairy fabrics, and the Tolkien books and movies have inspired elf fabric, but this year has been The Year of the Gnome. Did the Tomte Gnomes escape from Sweden and populate the countryside in North America? Tomtes (or Nisse in Norway) are solitary, mischievous sprites, protecting farms, barns, animals and children from harm. They all seem to have tall pointy hats and long white beards. Tomte is also the Swedish name for Santa Claus.
Gnomes have sparked the imagination of children for generations. Remember the 1967 move “The Gnome Mobile”? No? Maybe you remember “Gnomeo & Juliet” from 2011.
At the Rubin House we’ve been collecting ridiculous gnome lawn ornaments for several years. First we got the classic garden gnomes, then we progressed into Star Trek Gnomes, who now guard our front door. (Kirk Gnome & Spock Gnome) If a family member won’t say what they want for Christmas, guess what they are getting? When guests arrive the kids used to groan and roll their eyes over the Guardian Gnomes, which always put a special twinkle in my eye during the holidays.
Back by popular demand, the ‘Timber Gnomies‘ collection is back in stock this week. As always, we hope this brings you a smile today.
with hope for the future…
Luana and Paul
