A Surprise in the Mail

I won a giveaway from Appleshoe, and one day an intriguing package came in the mail. Something handmade, oh, goody!!!!!

The little papier mache box made a dry scraping noise as I opened it. The pale green tissue paper crackled softly. What could it be?

Awwwwww! Look at these cute little gnomes! They are made of wood, handpainted, with little felt details. The girl gnome has long flaxen braids.

Does this seem like a December-May kind of relationship to you? The girl gnome has a sunny smile and a self-confident air with that jaunty little crook in her hat. She looks like she is the active, extroverted sort. I can see her bringing home the bacon and frying it, too, occasionally tripping a little bit on the braids, while the children clamor underfoot. The man gnome seems bashful, with his gray beard growing over his lips and his soft, shy, but kindly expression, his eyebrows barely keeping his tall red hood up. He reminds me to Matthew Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables and I can see him rocking the little ones by the fire, to calm them down after a busy day, and chasing away their little worries with a few gentle words. Handmade things can tell you so many things about themselves and perhaps about their creator, too.

Appleshoe also sent me a wonderful toadstool pin cushion, which has been sucked into the vortex on my sewing table, and a wonderful little jar of clove scented hand felted pumpkins, which my son has enjoyed sniffing contentedly all Fall. Appleshoe's blog is http://appleshoe.blogspot.com
Go visit sometime!