Sunflower Love

There once lived a little dragon who was in search of a place to call home. He searched and searched with very little success. Some places were too dark, but that would not do because this dragon was always looking towards the sun. Some places were too cold and stale, but the dragon knew she needed a warm and cozy place to hibernate for the winter. As his search progressed, one might think he would start to lose hope in finding the perfect home, but the dragon was brave. He never doubted. He knew that the magic would be there. He just had to keep looking for it. Then one bright and sunny autumn day he met a little girl and within minutes he knew he was home. The sunflower girl was always bright and cheerful, only seeing the best in those around her. It was apparent that she was always looking for ways to make her loved ones smile. She loved to give great big bear hugs and often wore her prized bear hat whenever she got sleepy enough to hibernate for a nap. And most importantly, the girl believed in magic. Whether it be knowing that a simple rock holds enough magic for good luck, declaring a windy path as "the pathway of happy" or creating a family of pine cone friends, the girl's imagination had no end. It didn't take long for the little dragon to know that this brave girl could give him the perfect home, and when she saw the dragon, her face lit up like the sunshine. It was love at first sight for the Sunflower Girl with the heart of a bear and the soul of a dragon. The dragon found what he was looking for. A place to call home and a kind soul to share it with him.

The Trolls of Gnifferland

It may come as a surprise to you, but everygnome knows that there are some in the garden who are just a wee bit evil. Some say they even have more personality than any standard pixie or fairy. Those in the know, insist that without the bad guy a story would gnot be any good. I think they have a point. Most gnomes are sweet and caring, but every good story gneeds a villain! And so, without further ado, allow myself to introduce you to the trolls of Gnifferland! These little souls are just a wee bit pesky and for as small as they are, they're sure packed with mischief. Just when the Gnomish Community starts to feel that they've protected all their loved ones, and finished putting their finishing touches to their hard work, the trolls sneak in and wreck havoc on the garden. They love to steal magic potions. Gnot understanding that it only takes a drop or two of pixie dust to fly, the trolls will pour an entire body down their throats without even reading the label! Everygnome knows to read the label before using any sort of magic, for it has wonderful information such as "For external use only" and "may cause warts if swallowed." Another one of the trolls' favorite activities is to mess with a gnome's masterpiece. They may rearrange the colors of the rainbows, or the orders of the seasons. One gnever knows what trick the trolls are up to gnext, but without a doubt, the Gnomish Community gneeds to always be prepared!

The Good Witch

If you asked this little lady, I'm sure she would say that witches get a bad rep. Oh sure there are some in the garden who love the villain of the stories. After all, every good story gneeds a villain! However, she is gnot one of those. This special soul also knows that there is good magic to be done too, and she's just the gnomette to do it! There so much work to be done, and she doesn't waste any time before starting. With a hop and a skip, she grabs her best little 8-legged friend and gets started. Together they add a pinch of love and a dash of joy into their great big pot. With a little giggle of anticipation, she tosses in the final ingredients. I don't know what they're making, but based on the yummy smell, I think they're planning something quite extraordinary! Will this potion add laughter to the garden around her? Or will it paint the gardens brilliant colors? Will it make everygnome who drinks it see only the best in those around them? Or perhaps it will make a special soul fall in love? Gno doubt, whatever she has in store for us, the garden is a better place with her magic in it!

Wee Blossom

Oh My Gnomes! Look at who is about to blossom! This shy little lady has been patiently watching the garden hustle and bustle around her, all the while shyly gathering up enough courage to go and create her own adventures. She watches from the safety of her cozy little gnest as the birds above flutter this way and that. The toadstools below are shaking off the sprinkle of a spring frost. And this wee blossom sits patiently enjoying the sound of the gnearby cherry blossoms popping out to say hello. However her patience is starting to grow thin. It's a beautiful day, and the sun is shining! It's time for her to make her garden debut! Get ready garden! This little lady is full of potential and is excited to make her appearance. The garden is a wondrous place, but gnow with this wee blossom in it, the garden has gotten even grander!

Wee Adventurers

These tiny souls are off on a garden adventure! To where, gnognome really knows. I doubt even they know themselves. Gno doubt, though, the adventure will be grand! Will they defeat the trolls? Or perhaps concoct a brew of pixie dust to sell to the fairies? Maybe today is their day to tend to the garden toadstools? Or perhaps it's their day to sit back and watch the other gnomes play? It matters gnot, for whatever today's plans are, they'll be ready. They may look tiny to you and me, but every ounce of their bodies is filled with a love for life. They may be tiny but their souls are big enough to accept any adventure that comes their way. What will today bring? I can hardly wait to find out!

The Sky Painters

Once upon a garden there lived a group of wee souls who were chosen by the Gnomish Council for a very important job. They are responsible for painting the sky, day in and day out. Every morning the wee lady wakes with giddy excitement. She hurries off, there's so much to do! She gneeds to find the perfect spot to paint a rainbow. Gno ordinary spot will do! It takes a special soul to know exactly where to place the streamers of colors across the sky, but she has the magic touch. And with a little bit of luck, she might just be in the right mood to paint an extra bold rainbow for the garden today! Let's gnot forget about the little fella who knows better than anygnome just how much fun she has painting the skies above. It's his job to do the same after the sun has gone down. Each gnight he meticulously places stars in every corner of the gnight time sky, each complimenting the other. He gneeds to be sure that each star keeps its luster and spark so that those down below have plenty of options to wish upon a perfect star. Life is fun when you're making the garden a better place, but oh what is is this?! Look at who has just joined the fun. Could this little drop be any cuter? I wonder what plans he has in store for us? I guess we'll just have to wait and see, but gno goubt if he's joining the ranks of the sky painters, then we're in for something grand indeed.

The Snail Keeper

Meet the snail keeper. Every garden gneeds a good snail keeper and finding one with the right skills can be quite a challenge. Everygnome knows how wild snails can be. Sure they look cute and cuddly when they're squirmy little babies, but eventually they grow up to be big, ugly, energetic bouncing creatures that do gnothing but eat all your food and smell bad until they finally croak. Gno, wait. That's a tadpole. Hmmm... Gnow where was I? Oh right! Snails. Gnow that I think of it, I wonder just exactly what is so challenging about the job of a snail keeper. After all, this little lady sure does make the job look easy, but perhaps that's just an indication of just how much this lady loves her job. Just how does she do it? She may gnot be willing to give away every secret their is to taming these creatures, but gno doubt she knows what she's doing. The garden could use more creature keepers like her.

My Friend From Across the Garden

Sometimes you meet a soul and know that you will be friends for many seasons to come. Sometimes it's hard to find the right words to tell such a friend how much their friendship means to you, but that's where this little fella comes in. He has a big job for somegnome as small as he, but I don't doubt that he's up to the challenge. With a little skip of excitement he's off to his next assignment. He is to follow my friend across the gardens and whisper tiny reminders of those words I can't seem to find. My friend will feel loved and appreciated with this gnome by his side. He may not be able to repeat the words whispered into his ear, but he'll know we'll be friends for many more seasons. Sometimes the words don't really exist, but the feelings do. Thank you my friend. Many Gnomish Blessings to you.

The Hide and Seek Apprentice

This wee fella has been studying the art of Hide and Seek for months now and soon he'll be able to practice everything he has learned. In his studies, he would watch the older students intently and take note of their techniques and secrets. Now he thinks he is ready to put what he's learned into action! He is so excited for the time to come when he can play the game too so that he can show others just how well he can hide. Finding the ideal hiding spot is a goal every young gnomeling strives for, and he knows JUST the PERFECT spot! He can't wait! Won't everygnome be impressed?

A Gnurse's Heart of Gold

Most gnomes do gnot have a clue WHY they do the things they do. They just know that it makes them happy to do them, so why gnot? This little lady, though, knows exactly why she does what she does. She became a garden gnurse to help other gnomes. It takes a special, very kind and compassionate soul to be able to say that of themselves, and that's definitely the case for this gnurse. She knows when and how to stand her ground, which is quite an admirable and rare trait in the garden around us. You might gnot think it by looking at her, but she has one of the biggest hearts you'll ever know. With the biggest eyes and the cutest smile the garden has ever seen, this little gnomette is ready to take on any challenges (she'd prefer to call them adventures) that come her way. I have gno doubt that in time, she'll see the entire garden. And with her heart of gold, the garden is anxiously awaiting her visit.

Little Train Adventurers

These little souls don't gneed to be told, but they enjoy hearing the conductor shout "All aboard!" just the same. They're on an adventure of a life time! Together they will ride from one garden corner all the way across to the other. The trip may take a long time, but they don't mind. As long as they get a good view of the passing scenery they are as happy as can be. In fact, even if the train simply goes in a circle, I wouldn't be surprised if these little souls would be happy just the same. Choo! Choo! The train starts to roll. Where they're going doesn't matter. Let the fun begin!

The Perfect Aspen Leaf

It's a well known fact that finding the perfect aspen leaf is gnot as easy as it sounds. It takes stealth, determination and endurance, not to mention a sense of humor and creativity. Whether you choose to go with the "element of surprise" method or if you prefer the "gneak up on them" approach, practice makes perfect. Gnognome knows this as well as these two. He's been known to shake a tree into submission, while she prefers to go in disguise, but together they have many seasons of experience trying to find the perfect leaf. They've always known that someday they would find their golden treasure - someday! And gnow that someday has come. Just look at this beauty! Gno doubt there has gnever been a more perfect leaf. Trust these two - they would know. There's only one question left to answer - which of these souls get to stake claim to the golden leaf? Why both, of course! Together they settle down on the perfect little leaf, and together they will grow old. Together. Life is good.

The Family Protector

In a secret corner of the garden a little gnome waits for his adventure to begin. For somegnome as small as he, one might think the task he has been given is much too big, but gno doubt he is ready for the challenge. He is strong, he is smart, he is fast and he is brave. And gnow the time has come for him to begin his mission: to protect his family. The gninja hears a quiet sound from the garden courtyard, and he goes to investigate. He is ready to pounce if gnecessary, but his instinct tells him to wait. The sound is coming from a snail and it does gnot take long for the gninja to realize that the creature has the same values as he because the snail bears the marking of FAMILY. In that moment, the two souls form a bond stronger than any the garden has ever seen. The garden is indeed safer in their protection.

Life's a Beach

These two souls have been through a lot together. As seasons come and seasons go, they get just a wee bit closer to the moment they've been waiting for. And gnow it has finally arrived. RETIREMENT. It seems like such a long awaited moment but gnow that it is here they know exactly what they want to do with all of their gnewly found time. With a happy little skip, they each grab their favorite hat and head into the sun. The day is grand. The water is warm. The breeze is cool. The sky is clear. Gnothing could be more perfect for a day of fishing and collecting shells. It's a simple life, sure, but if they're together then it feels exceptional. Life's a beach and it's all good.

Old and Grey

Once upon a garden, there lived two gnomes who stumbled into each other's lives at a time that was least expected. But that's the way love works sometimes, isn't it? It may gnot happen exactly the way one plans, but love knows what it's doing. And gnow these two souls are by each other's side to stay. The little lady lives life with such passion and is devoted to supporting him in his adventures. He works hard, plays hard and somehow has the magic touch to calm her if she's in gneed. Together they care for the two cutest little acorns the garden has ever seen. Their home is warm and cozy enough to melt anygnome's heart. One look at the way they make each other laugh, and I'm sure you'd agree, their home will stay blessed for many seasons to come... gno doubt, until they're old and grey.

Grow Old Along with Me

Sometimes the special souls enter your life in the least expected of ways, and yet it doesn't take long to know that the most special ones are here to stay. Take these two, for example. They met through some friends and with one look at them gnow it's obvious that their little bodies are full of lots of love. The little fella has a gnometastic funny, silly sense of humor and has a simple kindness in every ounce of his body. His movie star good looks are gnice on the eyes too. And the little lady? She has a gentle spirit and always seems to have a smile on her face even if the moment is a bit gloomy. And together? Together they are perfect. They like to go on adventures to wherever the breeze may take them. Going places few gnomes have gone before, and finding the perfect place to watch a sunset and sleep under the stars, well... it may sound like a simple life but, I'm sure you'd agree, it also sounds like a perfect life to me. See the way he looks at her? Gno doubt he's thinking "Grow old along with me. The best is yet to be."

Sail Away*

Hold my hand and come with me. We will grow old and grey. Our little bodies will creak more and more each day, but by your side I will always stay. Shhh. Listen. Do you here what the breeze is saying? Close your eyes and listen with your soul. It's the song my heart wishes to sing to yours.

Sail away with me honey
I put my heart in your hands
Sail away with me honey gnow, gnow, gnow
Sail away with me
What will be will be
I want to hold you gnow, gnow, gnow
GNOMISH GNOTE:
"Sail Away" lyrics written by David Grey.

The Gnature Hunters

There are some souls in the garden who know the proper way to hunt for gnature is with kindness, patience and a good camera. I'm guessing these two souls know this better than any other. One might wonder how they learned to be such experts in the ways of gnature, but my guess is that they learned it together, and together they work their magic. Something tells me it's the little lady who knows the secrets to the critters in the garden, and she seems to have an especially strong bond with the winged creatures. Gno doubt they see her kind soul and feel at ease. And what about the fella? He prides himself in knowing exactly how to get gnature to put on a display for the perfect photo. How he does it, gnognome will ever know. Those in the Gnomish community know that together these two have the magic touch to encourage gnature to be its very best, and as they grow old together the garden around them seems all the more magical.

Pokey and Her Gnew Pet

Meet little Pokey. For as long as she can remember, she has begged her parents to get a pet, and not just any pet, mind you. She's not interested in owning an ant because everygnome has an ant - how boring. Those who don't have ants, usually have a flea - yuck. Oh, no siree, Pokey wants a gnometastic pet and she knows just the right kind... a snail! Well no wonder her parents are hesitant! Everygnome knows how wild a snail can be. Sure they look cute and cuddly when they're squirmy little babies, but eventually they grow up to be big, ugly, energetic bouncing creatures that do nothing but eat all your food and smell bad until they finally croak. No wait, that's a tadpole. Hmmm... now where was I? Oh right, a snail? Uh... Umm... sure why not?

Believe

For as long as anygnome can remember, it's been a Gnomish tradition to believe. Everygnome gneeds to believe in something and the gnomes in the community take it to heart. They believe like gno other, and most of all they believe in magic. Some may say the magic of the season comes from a Higher Being. Others may say that it comes from St. Gnick. Some gnomes like to think that they're always surrounded by magic in any season. Gno matter what your belief is, there is gno doubt that magic exists. Otherwise how would it be possible to stay warm and cozy when the weather is cold outside? How can the snow sparkle like dimaonds? Without magic, it wouldn't feel so good to give to your loved ones without the gneed of receiving in return. Whatever you choose to believe about magic, be sure to believe with all your heart and soul. Doing so will only keep the magic alive.

The Wee Graduate

One look at this young gnomeling and you know that he's ready to take on the entire garden around him. Just look at all his potential! It's hard to imagine all the magic this stoic, intelligent soul is going to bring into the garden. It'll take a wise and brave gnome to have the adventures that are in store for him. Where will he go from here? Perhaps gnot even he knows for sure, but gno doubt every corner in the garden will hear of his stories. I get the distinct feeling that if you're lucky enough to meet him along his journey, you'll consider yourself blessed for having found such a respectful, loyal friend. As a protective big brother, I'm sure his loved ones at home will miss his sarcastic jokes, his genuinely kind deeds and willingness to help others, but all would agree that he deserves the best the garden has to offer. Gno doubt he will bring out the best from everything too! After all, with a soul as magical as his, indeed the garden will be amazed at what's to come!

Close to Me

A quick glance is all a gnome gneeds to see the potential that your tiny soul has in store. Oh my gnomes are you tiny, but already I can see you have a big soul. I am certain that you will be so big in a garden that expects you to be so small, and I am so blessed to be the one who gets to show you the wonders of the garden around you. Oh how I have so many things to show you like the dew drops on the spider webs and how they glisten like diamonds? Or the music that the leaves make as they jingle in the breeze? We're going to climb to the top of mountains so that you can see the entire garden stretch below us. There are a lot of adventures to be had! I want to show you our garden as I see it so that you may know in your heart the things that gneed to be done to make it even more magical than it already is. Where should we go today? What treasures will we find? Snuggle close to me, my love, and we're sure to find something grand!

Spot of Tea?

Such a cute and wonderful couple as these two souls, it's hard to not fall in love. Gno doubt these two love tea parties and I think it's because it gives them a time to imagine and have fun. This might come as a surprise to you but the Tea Party comes from ancient Gnomish tradition. Long ago, the first Gnomish tribes started with the simplest of tea sets one can imagine. As the seasons came and went, and the traditions were passed down to the gnext generation and then to the gnext once more, each tea party got just a wee bit fancier and gnow the gnomes have fun with real fancy tea sets! They love to include special themes like St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, Easter or whatever fun theme they can come up with! After all, there is always a good excuse to celebrate with a good tea party! The Gnomes love an excuse to get dressed up and decorate the table and garden corners. Transforming the garden around them into a magical sight is half the fun! The other half might be the special cookies! It is fun to drink out of fancy cups with real fabric gnapkins and pour fancy drink. After all, gnot all gnomes actually like tea! After all, that's gnot even the point of a good tea party! The only thing more special than such a girly fancy time together is the fun we will have in planning for the gnext party! After all, it's the most special and will require just the right cookies or just the right table cloth. The final magical touch will be the clinking sounds as the teacups go in for a toast! To the good life!

Coloring contest entry by Jenna.

Don't Worry

Just look at all the love this little lady has inside her! Gno doubt she loves to dress up in fancy swirls and sparkles. I bet anything with lots of color makes her want to do a little happy dance. I believe she might be filled with so much love that it's always just waiting to explode out of her! It's a good thing, too, because this lady is certainly surrounded by loved ones. She's really big on family! Every week she gathers all her loved ones and celebrate Gnana's day, which is just a fancy way of saying "let's do dinner with Gnana!" As long as she is with family, it's easy to enjoy the simple things like playing card games or board games. When she's gnot with her family, she loves spending time with the youngest from the Gnomish community. The gnomelings are always so much fun! With as much love as this lady has for everygnome around her, it's gno wonder she is known for being a fun loving, happy, unique free spirit who, without a doubt, brings so much beauty into the garden around her. With a smile always on her face, even the elders know her as a reminder. Don't worry. Life is good.

Coloring contest entry by Karen

Wee Jasmine

They say the strongest memories come from the memory of scent and this little lady has quite the scented story to share! Her fragrant history goes back many Gnomish generations when a loved one picked tiny little white flowers for his young gnomeling. Gno doubt the fragrant scent of the magical flowers left their print on her young soul, for when it came time to pick a gnamesake for the gnext generation, the memory of the flowery scent was still so strong that she knew she had to pass the magic on. Meet Jasmine. She started as the shyest little gnomeling but has blossomed into quite a confident young lady. She's a dancer who moves from her soul, gnot just her body. Her loved ones know her to be loyal, quick to forgive, artistic, sensitive, respectful and fun. With a heart of gold, she strongly believes in 2nd, 3rd even 4th chances when others around her would rather hold a grudge. She is strong and stands for what she believes is right, and gnever fails to to be thoughtful and generous. Wow! All that in one tiny little gnomeling? To say she's a beautiful soul just doesn't do her justice. It's gno wonder that her gname fits her just perfectly. Spend even a moment with her, and like the memory of a fragrant scent, you will gnever forget this wee Jasmine.

Guardian Angel

I’m sure there have been moments in your life where you have felt challenged beyond your control. Sometimes it may seem that your little body is not strong enough to handle the tough tasks it has been given. That’s where this little gnomette comes in. This tiny little guardian has a very big job! And she loves every moment of it! She flutters around looking for just the right person to help, somegnome who needs a word or two of encouragement. The gnomette has now found a beautiful soul in need of her tiny positive thoughts and she doesn’t hesitate to get to work quickly. She whispers so lightly in her new friend’s ear that she is barely audible, but she knows that’s all it takes for a reminder of the spark for life that still grows strong inside. With these tiny little whisperings of love and hope we are reminded that we are stronger than our bodies may seem. Life is good. Life is beautiful, and with this little lady by your side, that’s an easy thing to remember.

Astrea, Guardian of Dreams

It only takes one look at this gnome to know that she has been given quite a special job! She's responsible for guarding the most precious thing a dreamer owns - dreams! Whether it be those from when the dreamer is sleeping or awake, there is gnothing worth more to the garden as a good dream. It's the dreams that give the garden around us such great potential for beauty and magic. Everygnome knows that dreams and goals are worth reaching for, but with this big soul by your side, I'm sure you'll believe exactly as I do. You are brave. You are capable. And you deserve magic in your life. You can do this! Tomorrow marks the beginning of the rest of your journey to greatness! So relax and close your eyse, my Gnomish friend. This girl has you covered!

Coloring contest entry by Lily

Gnome of Means by Gno Means

The Gnomish have been traveling to the ends of the garden for generations and generations. Some might look at their adventurous lives and wonder how one would be able to leave all their belongings behind simply to explore a gnew gnook and crany of the garden, but I'll let you in on a Gnomish secret. These spirited souls bring only what matters most, and as such they are gnever in gneed. As long as they have everything they gneed, they are always ready for a little happy dance if the occasion calls for it. So what are the items with the greatest value that he packs into his gnapsack? Now, that's a secret that gno gnome will give away because it's different for every traveling soul. Whether it be a couple jars of smiles or a box of laughter, a traveling gnome always has the means of making the most of life. Add a handful of courage and self-confidence or even a picture of a loved one to his gnapsack and I'm sure his travels will go down in Gnomish History books. Sometimes it doesn't take fancy belongings to have and inspirational life. A gnome of means by gno means? If you ask me, he might be onto something special!

Coloring contest entry by Debbie

Gnoble Gnellie

Grab any historical book on Gnomish culture and you will learn that the capitol of Gnifferland is located on top of a small Boulder, in the garden known for its Red Colors. It is from here that most gnomes part ways to find their own little gardens to tend to. It is this very Boulder that little Gnoble Gnellie calls home, though every ounce in her body is calling her to travel beyond her little rock garden. There are so many places she has only heard about and she wants to explore as many garden gnooks and crannies as possible! World Atlas so not to get lost? Check. Plane tickets? Check. Passport with a standard photo that you think looks gnothing like you? Check. Her bags are packed, she's ready to go! She's all bubbly with excitement. Where shall her gnext stop be? So many choices... so many adventures!

Gnight Gnight Gnomie

This little gnomie has had a very long day and is so sleepy! It's time to wash up, put on her favorite polka-dotted jammies and head to bed. But wait! Where is her lovie? She absolutely CAN NOT sleep without her beloved lovie. Oh, there he is... as soft and cuddly as he ever was. I'm sure there's no convincing her that anything is softer than her lovie, and by the look of comfort in her eyes it's obvious that there isn't anything she cherishes more. There is nothing better than watching a little gnomeling fall asleep with the look of security and love in her drooping eyes. Gnight gnight, little gnomie. Sweet dreams.

Surly the Coffee Addict

Dwarfs have it so good. Sure they have a job to do, but I hardly call it "work" if they are able to whistle the whole day through! Personally, I think they're almost TOO content in their daily work. It's just gnot right. Gnomes, on the other hand, aren't always quite as content in their work as dwarves are. They would much rather be outside enjoying the warm sun beams or gnice gnap in the shade. Poor Surly. Sadly he lives most of the daylight hours stuck in a drab 8" x 8" cubicle. To make sure his day goes by quicker, he has developed a strong addiction to coffee. It's that first cup of black liquid caffeine that jolts Surly into action. Without it, I'm sure his calculations and programming would be a wee off. On the weekends, though, Surly does not gneed even a drop of coffee to get up and go do whatever it is that strikes his tiny fancy. Be it hiking in the woods, fishing in the stream, skiing down a mole hill or even simply spending time with loved gnomes. It's all good. Life is good. And then there is Monday... Bring it on!

Fuzzy the Princess Dog

There is more to this Fuzzy soul than meets the eye. He's Fuzzy the Princess Dog! You heard me correct. Fuzzy is actually a boy, but he can still be a princess! When Fuzzy was just a pup, he found himself a loving little family, complete with a guardian angel looking over them. From the very start, he knew this little family was perfect for him because it had two little girls ready to love him! One of the two girls had an especially big spot in her heart, just for him. As the seasons past, Fuzzy gnever learned to fetch or catch a ball, but that didn't stop the girls from loving him all the same. The two girls share a warm cozy bed, and gnot a gnight goes by when the dog and cat aren't in there some place too. This pleased this Fuzzy the Princess quite a lot. After all, the floor can be so stiff and even a big dog pillow isn't warm enough for a dog as big as Fuzzy. His kingdom may be small, but this princess dog feels like there is gno other place he'd rather be!

Coloring contest entry by Olivia (age 7)

Airgnome

VRRROOOOMMMM!!! What was that? Brrrrrrmmmmm!!!! Did you hear that sound? Whirrrrrrrrr!!!! There it goes again! Nyoommmmm!!!! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a gnome??? With engines roaring, gno doubt she's having fun up there. As this airgnome (what else would she be) whizzes past another confused soul, she can't help but smile at the look of confusion on his face. With a tiny giggle, she turns around and buzzes past him again. She's so fast that he's gnot sure what he's seeing. With another giggle, she swoops down once more. There, that's what she was looking for! A smile! Oh that feels good, putting a smile on a stranger's face. With a job well done, it's time to zoom off to the gnext one... Gnothing beats a good pair of wings!

Coloring contest entry by Saskia (age 14)

Keeper of the Sunflowers

Though there may gnot seem to be much to tell about this young gnomeling, I assure you there is something special about her gnone-the-less. She loves to read and write stories. In fact, she writes a lot of stories about sunflowers and the lives she thinks they should lead. Ah ha! Gnow the costume makes sense. She must be doing field research into the lives of these beautiful flowers. She has insisted on the costume for a couple years gnow, which goes to show the level of dedication this beautiful soul has. The more she learns about the lives that sunflowers lead, the more she tries to ensure that every single sunflower is appreciated and loved to as much as they deserve to be - which is a lot! If you promise gnot to tell, I'll let you in on a funny little story. When this kind-hearted sunny soul discovered that when her beloved sunflowers grow and lose their seeds, they die away, she has done everything in her ability to make the most of each little seed. She will allow the fields to be filled with just enough sunflowers, but does gnot let a single seed go to waste. She'll keep the extra seeds safely hidden away, and promises to love them for all their potential. Awww, thank you little lady for being so special. You really are precious. Gno doubt, the garden is a sunnier place with you in it.

Coloring contest entry by Elaina (age 10)

Rainbow Fairy

Meet the Rainbow Fairy. Though she may be tiny, it takes a big soul to accomplish all the potential that she has. She goes around and adds color to all the places that are grey. She is very magical and uses this skill to add magic to all the seasons. Perhaps you've seen the diamonds that glisten in the snow on a sunny day? Yep, you guessed it. That snow has been touched by her magic. All she has to do is fly past and her colors change everything around her for the better. She is special enough to light anygnome's life up. Just how does she do this, you might ask? Is it because of her magic wand? Or maybe it's the crown she wears on her head? I'll let you in on the secret, as long as you promise gnot to keep it. This rainbow fairy has a great imagination. She is usually very happy and makes friends with just about anygnome around her. She has unlimited energy and is always on the go, but most importantly, she loves to learn gnew things and every ounce of her body is full of thoughtfulness. Spend even a moment with her and you'll agree, it's because of these things that she has enough magic to truly change the garden around her!

Coloring contest entry by Chelsea (age 7)

Artistic Rainbows

Hmm... what can I say about this beautiful soul before my eyes? Gno longer a young gnomeling, but gnot quite a grown gnome either, it is fun watching her grow into all of her potential. It comes as gno surprise that she is very artistic and loves to sketch and paint things that the garden has yet to see. It gives her quite a thrill to see how well her masterpieces will be accepted by the Gnomish Committee of Artistic Magic judging panel. Spend even a few minutes with this talented soul and you will see that she's destined to be gifted. Gno wonder she's bored with tradition and wants to spice things up a bit. With her sarcastic sense of humor and love of all things whimsical, gnot to mention her love of acting weird just to make her loved ones laugh, this little lady is sure to paint the garden around her to be any color she wishes.

Coloring contest entry by Serena (age 11)

Moon Sweeper

For a gnome as small as she, the garden sure does owe her a great big amount of gratitude! Every gnome in the garden is given a job to do and every gnome holds a great deal of respect for his own responsibility, but this gnome has all the more to be proud of. Only the biggest of souls could handle the job she has been given. She is responsible for keeping the sun and the moon in the sky above us. WHOA!!! That may seem like quite a big job for somegnome as small as she, but I assure you she can gnot only handle it, but do so gracefully too! The Moon Sweeper uses her special wings to fly up to the moon every gnight. Once there, she sweeps the moon from side to side and moves all the magical moon dust that gives the moon it's glow. Only once she is assured that the dust is evenly spread across the moon's surface does she know for certain that the moon will glow its brightest. Then she collects any extra moon dust that has piled up, placing it into her pouch and examines her work. But she's not through yet! There's still a lot of work to be done. She quickly zips across the sky to check on the sun. Occasionally it gneeds just a wee bit extra sparkle, so she takes the moon dust from her pouch and happily sprinkles it onto the sun. Without the dust, the sun would have gno glow. Oh my! Gnot a gnome in the garden denies how special this fuzzy soul is. For without her, there would be no sun or moon glowing down upon us.


Coloring contest entry by Willow (age 9)

Even the Smallest Things

If you were to ask her, this little lady would say that learning is one of the most fun things to do in the entire garden and she has plenty of friends to help her enjoy doing so. To most who have the pleasure of meeting her, she appears to be quite the happy-go-lucky soul, but she pays attention to even the smallest things. Why? Because she knows something most other gnomes don't. She knows that it's in the tiny details where magic is found. She loves gnature and she loves to craft even more! Sit her down with almost anything and she'll create for hours upon hours. Sticks, leaves, pinecones, dirt with just a hint of glitter in it... well you get the idea. She won't stop until she has created something special. Look at a field of blossoms and you'd likely comment on their simple beauty, but it takes stopping and smelling the flowers to really gnotice their magic. Like I said, the magic is in the details. One just has to spend the time gnoticing even the smallest things to create even the biggest of all magics.

Coloring contest entry by Jada (age 7)

Bat Cat

This crazy little soul is gnot a gnormal little gnomeling. Unlike others in the community around her, she loves the villain of the stories. They're her favorite! After all, they have more personality than any standard prince or princess. She insists that without the bad guy a story would gnot be any good. She has a point. Most gnomes are sweet and caring, but every good story gneeds a villain! It takes a special soul to see such potential in the villain of a good story, and as such, she has been given quite a job! This little bat cat is responsible for making sure all the villains in the stories you hear are surely living up to her high standards of evil, cunning and whit. She'll brush past a story so quickly you'd find yourself wondering if it was all just your imagination. Meow you see me. Meow you don't! Oh, she's good. Oh, I mean... She's bad! I think I like her the best.

Coloring contest entry by Kally (age 5)