Paint Your Own Garden Gnome

by dustytoes

Paint a little garden gnome to decorate the outside. Cute, ready-to-paint sculptures add interest to gardens of all kinds.

Gnomes have long been the keepers of the yard. They silently stand sentry beneath a shady tree, or tucked within a flowering perennial. Now unpainted gnomes are available to paint as a family project, or to give as a unique gift.

New Hampshire Craftworks sells many ready-to-paint products. Their line of garden gnomes is featured on this page.

New England Based Craft Company

The New Hampshire Craftworks company is located in Amherst, New Hampshire.  New Englanders are well known for their love of arts and crafts.   Independent artists are often featured at town fairs and gatherings of all kinds all over the state.  From fiber arts (Wool Arts Tour) to the juried selection of artists (League of New Hampshire Craftsmen), New Englander's show off their trades and talents of all kinds.

It is fitting then that the NH Craftworks company offers craft items for do-it-yourselfers.   Adults and children will enjoy creating these happy garden accents.

Their outdoor collection of garden gnomes can be painted in any colors to brighten the landscape.  

George and Gwen Garden Gnome Pair

Small pair that measure seven to eight inches tall.
George and Gwen The Garden Gnomes and NHC Measuring Spoon Set - Pai...

Buy these gnome figurines at Amazon.

Take them inside for the winter months.

The garden gnomes for sale on this page will be purchased through Amazon.  They are made by New Hampshire Craftworks, as I have mentioned.  These products are bisque and can be painted or painted and fired, but as far as holding up in freezing temperatures, I wouldn't chance it.

Once the weather turns cold, bring the gnomes indoors.  I'm not sure what the company says about leaving them outside, but freezing would probably crack them.  Lots of direct sunlight may fade the color as well.

The gnomes would be just as happy guarding an indoor plant, while they wait for summer to return!

Large Garden Gnomes to Paint That are a Foot High

These unpainted sculptures measure 12x9x6 approximately.
Greg the Huge Garden Gnome - Paint Yo...Gladys the Huge Garden Gnome - Paint ...

The History of Garden Gnomes

Gnomes were first introduced through a German company in the 1800's.  They were made out of clay, and each one was unique.   Unfortunately most were destroyed because of the wars.  Most garden gnomes are manufactured in bulk these days and they all tend to look like the same tacky little guys.  (Another reason to paint your own!)  Or search for a company that sells good quality gnomes.

The use of gnomes was popular to add security to gardens (keep pests away, guard the crops and livestock).  Today we can pretend they do the same jobs as we stand them among the perennials or under a tree.

 

Garden Mushroom to Paint

Mushrooms go well next to a gnome or in a fairy garden.
Huge Garden Mushroom - Paint Your Own...

Manufacturer of Kimmel Gnomes - The Real Deal

A portion of all sales through this company goes to provide a home for homeless cats.

The Kimmel Gnome company is currently one of the few operations creating garden gnomes that resemble their long lost ancestors.  They are hand-crafted, high quality gnomes, made of long lasting material meant to withstand outside temperature changes.  

It takes one to two weeks to complete a single handmade gnome.  A portion of each order goes toward building a sanctuary for local rescued cats.  You can read more about it, and see pictures of their 19 cats, on their site.

Kimmel Gnomes are made in the USA.  On their website you will find "antique gnomes" and a discontinued section, where gnomes can be purchased at a bargain price.

The gnomes themselves are priced reasonably, considering the time and quality of the item, but shipping is expensive, so be ready for that.

I enjoy adding features, such as bird baths, and sculptures to my flower gardens, but I had never thought about a gnome.  Now I just may include one of these little fellows.

Updated: 08/21/2016, dustytoes
 
Thank you! Would you like to post a comment now?
5

Do gnomes guard your yard?

Only logged-in users are allowed to comment. Login
dustytoes on 02/07/2017

Thanks Tolovaj, I agree!

Tolovaj on 02/07/2017

Considering the fact there are only a few different models of gnomes in a certain store, this solves a problem for people who wants to populate their gardens with numerous little people. What a lovely idea!

dustytoes on 12/15/2016

Now that I have a yard of my own, it would be fun to make one of these. I like your idea of expanding upon this.

blackspanielgallery on 12/15/2016

This is a great way to make your gnome unique. These look like ceramics, so I wonder if they are intended to be fired in a kiln.
such a craft idea, especially if one buys multiple pieces to have a family activity, can offer a bonding experience. A nice follow-up might be other products that involve multiple pieces. Interesting indeed.

You might also like

Paint Your Own Christmas Holiday Village

Paint your own Christmas village and save a lot of money, while creating valu...

Handmade Stoneware Pottery by SheaClay Pottery

Tracy Shea spends her days making pottery. Each piece is lovingly made by han...


Disclosure: This page generates income for authors based on affiliate relationships with our partners, including Amazon, Google and others.
Loading ...
Error!