Rooftop Construction

Let's talk rooftops. I have come up with a solution for my paper-mache gnome homes. Not that there are any paper-mache boxes out there yet, but it is always good to be prepared. They work well for the wooden boxes, too.

  

The rooftops are made of six felt panels, sewn together, stuffed with fiberfill and glued onto the lid of the box.The first one I made in this way was red and green. Very cute, but a little dark for the present season. I'll save that one for later in the year. Instead I experimented with ton-sur-ton.

Yesterday however, I was playing around with big gnomes, when all of a sudden I saw how beautifully the bright pink and bright green felt fit together. Watermelon colors, a taste of summer. And my daughter has requested a rainbow roof. I see more construction in my future.

I think I am slowly coming into my own and I like it. I never expected to be an architect and designer to gnomes but it suits me. Tell me, has your creative path every surprised you?




I am sharing my gnome village at Natural Suburbia's Creative Friday and The Magic Onions' Friday's Nature Table.

Building Fairy Houses And Gnome Homes

Ever since I made my first fairy abode of an apple tree branch, I have been playing around with other possible fairy houses and gnome homes. After all, I do not have that much apple wood and they are quite costly to ship.

One idea was to make a tiny home out of a round paper-mache box. When not being played with, the fairies, gnomes, and acorn folk could be carried around inside the box, making it a lovely toy to bring along for travel. I found the perfect boxes online and enthusiastically started sewing rooftops out of felt.

Unfortunately there is a problem with my supplier's supplier. I have a feeling it's a nationwide hick-up, like the scarcity of Green Bay Packers fleece last year, because the paper-mache shelves of every craft store I recently visited were disturbingly empty save for the two boxes I found hiding way in the back on the bottom shelf at Hobby Lobby.

On to Plan B. Wooden trinket boxes also make lovely houses. In fact, they are even better suited for my creation because they open much easier than the paper-mache boxes I have come to find out. Which means there will be far less pulling on the felt roof and it will hopefully not come off too quickly.

While I was painting my two housing options, trying to decide which one I liked best and how to fix the roof problem of the paper-mache box, Lola joined in and made a fairy house of her own out of an upturned paper basket from the butcher. She painted the roof, windows, a grass border, and flowering trees next to the front door. All by herself. All I did was make the door.

Lola's wonderful paper basket creation

The wooden house with the flat roof

The paper-mache abode. Its roof is a work in progress.

Tell me, if you will, which one do you like best?

We are sharing our creations on Friday's Nature Table at The Magic Onions and on Sharing Saturday at Crafty Moms Share.