our {gnome} Part 1

She awoke as a ray of sun peeked in through her window.  Sleepily, she squinted at the wooden beams that crouched over her bed.  Not thinking of what day it was she rubbed her eyes and began feeling for her slippers with one toe… so she wouldn’t have to take her whole leg out from under the warmth of the red and green quilt her mother had made her.

Just as she slipped both feet into her spritely slippers it dawned on her that today was a special day.  A special day, indeed!  She leaped from her bed and with a quick “swoosh” she pulled the curtain back and peered out the window.  “Yes!” she said aloud as she took in the fresh blanket of white snow that laid over the forest like buttercream icing on a fresh baked cake.  She was the first one up, which was just what she had been hoping for!

She scrambled to get dressed in her favorite polka dot dress and tugged on her red pointy shoes.  Just as she was walking out the door she remembered to give the fire a good poke that had died down in the large stone fireplace.  She shut the door and was about to take her first step into the fresh snow when she looked down and realized that she had forgotten something very important.  “The present!” she gasped out loud.  Not that anyone was listening, but she it wasn’t unusual for Lily to talk to herself.

Once again she went back inside her cottage, grabbed the wrapped present, and soundly shut the door.  “I hope I am not forgetting anything else, ” she said and even glanced down to make sure she wasn’t still wearing her pajamas.

Breaking the silence of the morning, she bounced along, humming to the rhythm of the crunch, crunch, crunching sound her shoes made in the snow.  It was her favorite time of the day.  Normally she would run and make a few snow angels, but not today.  Today she had work to do!

To be continued…

PS It must have been something about being in the home of Hans Christian Anderson and seeing mushrooms and little Christmas gnomes everywhere, but Denmark inspired me in so many ways!  When I saw Cath’s Old Country Christmas Challenge I could not wait to make something with a little gnome!  I hope you enjoy the beginning of our little story… would you like to hear more?