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Post by NatureNut on Jan 6, 2009 17:14:58 GMT -5
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Post by fishenman on Jan 6, 2009 17:28:50 GMT -5
Those are really cool Jo. I like the natural look you have talent.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Jan 6, 2009 18:10:14 GMT -5
Wow, those really are cool. You got any other secrets? lol.... I've never seen anything like those before, that's a neat idea!!
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Post by bobby1 on Jan 6, 2009 20:57:38 GMT -5
Are these houses for existing gnomes or are they designed to attract new ones? Do gnomes like sneak up at night and set up housekeeping? Can you use them to keep the gophers away? I'm rather lacking in my knowledge of gnomes. Bob
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Jan 6, 2009 21:29:27 GMT -5
Those are crazy cool! I love them! Can I get some better directions and more details? I might want to give that a try! Thanks for your creativity, those are works of art.
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Post by stonesthatrock on Jan 6, 2009 21:32:30 GMT -5
those are very cool. I love birdhouses, those are so unique.
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 6, 2009 21:38:21 GMT -5
LOL. Bobby. Well, since you asked... They can be used purely as decorative accent pieces, but... there is belief that once you put one in your home, in a flower pot, your garden, or the woods, they will attract gnomes and fairies, and if they like it... they'll move in! You're supposed to surround them with plants, colorful stones and/or shells. They especially like it if you place a welcome gift of a special stone, crystal, or a piece of gold or silver inside. Apparently, they also love chocolate!
Gophers... you might have to call Bill Murray for that! LOL.
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 6, 2009 21:44:03 GMT -5
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 6, 2009 22:02:05 GMT -5
Karen, for the Gnome Houses, I used logs and decorated them. They are solid.
For the Fairy Houses, I used my glue gun to make one wall frame. Then, I had a cat litter box filled with sand and laid the frame on top of the sand and laid out rocks (not like the rocks I have now, or the rocks you guys have!) and twigs to brace the walls and make a pattern. Then, I used a glass measuring cup and microwaved my glue (cut up glue sticks) on 80% power, and when it was pourable, I poured it inside the frame to create a wall!
Then I made another. When that dried, I stood them both up in the sand on their sides, and made wall #3. Then #4.
You kinda have to plan the tops of your walls so that you can build a roof. Once you've done a couple, you'll just roll with it and work with sticks that are cool and different that make the roof really funky shaped. I experimented with different roof structures. The cedar doll house shingles held up really well.
Jo
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Post by akansan on Jan 6, 2009 22:24:06 GMT -5
I love those gnome houses!
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Post by Bejewelme on Jan 7, 2009 0:06:11 GMT -5
JO: I wish you would have pointed those out when we were over. How beautiful!!! You are so talented, that is why you got so good at wire wrapping, I think a little fairy taught you!! Amber
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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 7, 2009 13:59:17 GMT -5
Those are really cool! It might not have been the heat that did in the glue but the moisture. Wood absorbs moisture and puts stress on the joints and hot glue does not always adhere well to the surfaces. Not much choice though because any other glue would take much longer to set up.
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Post by BuiltonRock on Jan 7, 2009 15:20:57 GMT -5
Very cool Jo,
When the glue gave way on my Gnome houses, I took my pnematic nail gun and fixed them up right. Funny thing though... I heard the faint sound of bag pipes playing "Amazing Grace" all that week ;D ;D
John
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 7, 2009 18:48:22 GMT -5
Tony, I wonder if using both hot glue and Titebond III would help. I bought some, but never got to try it. Oh well...
John, LOL. You slay me!
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Post by sitnwrap on Jan 7, 2009 20:44:14 GMT -5
This hobby of yours may have kept you sane but it is insanely creative and beautiful. Make one a tad bigger and I'd move in.
I have only seen something kind of like this once by a crafter who lives in MA but he uses drift wood and I have only see wreaths, not houses.
Thanks for sharing this. I almost missed the thread but by doing so everyone else asked all the cool questions and thus more good reading.
Jo, you are amazingly tallented.
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 7, 2009 21:26:01 GMT -5
Well Lori, thank you, you're too kind. I was telling Amber and Tony last weekend that I probably had a leg up on my wire wrap swirls from working with grape vines, and then I remembered that I had pics, and maybe you guys would enjoy them (can't let Randy get bored either). Here's another interesting tidbit.
You know, there are some rules about the houses if you want the fairies to move in (if it's just garden art, forget the rules). Nothing can be killed to make the house, everything has to have died a natural death, LOL, like fallen sticks, not cut from the tree. No metal, nails (John!), screws, bolts, etc. Gold or silver trinkets are ok, in fact they attract. Shouldn't disturb anything living when you put it out for them.
After your house has been out for a while, you might see flowers or plants growing in a circle, that's a sure sign the fairies have moved in (fairy ring).
The next time you are out rockhounding and that rock is calling you, look around, there might have been someone leading you to it.
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Jan 7, 2009 22:32:07 GMT -5
Those are really neat ! They should go over V E R Y well at craft shows and gift houses if you could stand to part with them. can you tell us what the items are that you fastened to the roof in the last picture ? The items that resemble a seed pod ? of some sort. They are the items that taper to a point with a groove of sorts running the length of the pod ?
Harley
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 7, 2009 22:36:31 GMT -5
They are seed pods that I found hiking at a local land trust area. Don't know what kind. Maybe someone else on here knows. There are four of them encased in a segmented shell. Kinda like a hickory. I saw them on the ground and thought "those look like a pair of lips!" LOL.
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Post by frane on Jan 8, 2009 10:03:55 GMT -5
These are really awesome Jo! You have a great talent and it sure shows! Fran
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