I shared recently on Instagram a little gnome that B made, and wanted to be sure to share about it here too. Here’s what I wrote:

I wanted to share this gift that B made for me for Christmas this year. He had been doing some secret elving, but I had no idea he was making me this delightful little woodland gnome!

He carved her out of yellow cedar wood (she smells so good!), and gathered usnea (lichen) in the woods for her hair.

He dyed some cotton fabric with marigolds and henna, and then hand stitched the tiny gnome hat. (I don’t know if this picture will capture all the tiny stitches, but I just love the stitching on the hat.) He put copper wire inside so the hat can be shaped and bent in different ways.

He said the hardest part was doing the face because the colors were bleeding into the wood. I think it’s all just wonderful, and my little gnome buddy makes me smile every time I look at her.

B is endlessly creative, and I am so grateful he made me a gift filled with so much love. You know those moments when you look at your kid and feel that humbled amazement that YOU get to be the one to be their parent? I’m so grateful. I love getting to enjoy life with B every day.