Lately, Anie has been coming home from kindergarten with these amazing drawings of our home. I wish it looked like this! It’s so colorful and cheery. I must have over a dozen of these tall, skinny house drawings…they look like happy little gnomes should be living inside. They inspired me to create my own little village of happy gnome homes.

But first I have to share with you her Halloween house. I adore the pumpkins!

This weekend she fashioned one of these gorgeous homes out of Playmais which are colorful bits of foam. I love Playmais. It’s basically food colored packing peanuts made out of corn (what isn’t these days!). Just moisten the little bricks and they stick together like nobody’s business. It’s so safe that if it gets wet and melts down in your garden, it’s not a problem! Another great sustainable art project for kids!

Here is my wee gnome village with pointy little houses, mushroom cap porches, pebble paths and a little mama and bebe gnome walking home from market.

Detail of gnome homes.

Detail of mama and bebe gnome.