Inspiration

created this small Buckeye Gnome ornament inspired by my fascination with gnomes. Hard to believe, but a Gnome paid a visit to my twin sister and I once upon a time. Gnome left us honey candies inside our Mary-Janes which we hung from the rails of our toddler beds. So, we built a house for him to make sure he would stick around. And that was when I was lucky to get a glimpse of him scurrying inside the house we had built for him.

Since my quick encounter with Gnome years ago, I have always wondered if there were other gnomes around the world. When arriving in Ohio, the home of the Buckeye tree, I speculated if Buckeye Gnomes existed.  If Pinecone Gnomes existed, there was no reason to think that Buckeye Gnomes could not. Although, I must confess that I have never seen a Buckeye Gnome during my thirty plus years living in this wonderful state even though as I walk by Buckeye trees during my strolls through the park, my sixth sense awakens. Sometimes I hear leaves rustling as I smell the sweetness of Morning Glory berries in the air.

Buckeye Gnome Ornament Design Process

So, to honor the possibility that Buckeye Gnomes could exist, I created the Small Buckeye Gnome ornament. Not having met him, I imagined him as an athletic gnome, perhaps a football player wearing a tall hat like all gnomes do. Unlike the Pinecone Gnomes, which hats cover all the colors of the rainbow, I chose a simplified color palette. Thus, I gave him either a red or gray hat. Additionally, I chose red, black, grey, and white colors for his scarf which keeps him warm during the bitterly cold Ohio winters.

I still hope that one of these days I will be lucky to see one Buckeye Gnome. Even if it is for a few seconds. But for now, I comfort myself with the idea that he is around in the park hiding behind a Buckeye tree. Perhaps eating Morning Glory berries, like my friend Gnome did a long time ago.