Dollhouse Miniature Cinco de Mayo Gnomess Tutorial

 

Watch the video here.

I have another free pattern for you to download so you make the project. You can find the file here. In the download there are 3 files: a PDF for hand-cutting of the pieces, a PNG to use with your electronic cutting machine and a text file with handy hints and tips (and the sizing information) to use the PNG.

As with most of these projects I cut all the pieces from medium weight white card-stock, the kind used to make cards and such. This is way more economical than having to purchase a bunch of colors and in my experience the paint colors are a lot more stable than the paper colors. I rarely get noticeable fading with the painted projects.

You are free to use the pattern as many times as you wish and even to sell the finished project. But, please don’t give away or sell my patterns. I spend a lot of time creating them and the only compensation I get is from people watching the videos and checking out the blog post. I really want to keep offering these for free so please if someone else wants to make one send them to the video and blog so they can get their own copy of the pattern.

This time I decided to try creating a gnome with her arms extended out. I saw a few gnomes online for sale in a similar position and I thought they were really cute.

 

Just like we always do we start by gluing the individual pieces together to form the units that we will paint and then build our gnome from. Here are all of mine after this gluing step was completed.

After the glue has dried completely we can go ahead to the painting step. I find it is much easier to paint these small pieces if they are held down with some tape. It is really important that you give the glue plenty of time to get dry before you put the pieces on the tape. I have found out that if the paint is still damp the card-stock is much more apt to tear when it is pulled free from the tape later.

When I place my pieces on the tape I do my best to group them according to the color that I will be painting them. It makes the painting step go much faster. I just use craft paint for mine and I find that some colors are fine with just one coat and some need more coats to get the coverage of color I am looking for.

This time some of our pieces are painted in multiple colors and some have simple stripes or dots on them. I am sure yours will look better than mine since you will have a lot more time and not have to keep everything under camera while you work.

I really wanted to have the hat in kind of a lime green color but I didn’t have that color of paint so I mixed some green with a yellow to get the color I wanted.

 

 

Here are all the pieces and the colors of paint I used to paint them with.

After the base colors are dry go ahead and add any decorative painting you want to have on your gnome. This is where you can have lots of fun.

Let the paint dry completely, I have had issues with the paint running when it comes in contact with the glue if I was not completely dry.

 

 

Next we can build the head of our new friend. For that add the braids to the hat then add the nose and the brim of the hat. Allow this glue to set up for at least 5 or 10 minutes so that the pieces will stay in place when you add this part to the rest of the gnome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once dry we can add the hat unit as well as the shoes and the maracas to our gnome.

 

 

 

 

Now the glue needs to dry so that any glue that is showing is dried clear. Then it is time to add a clear coat to finish her off. I use Satin Mod Podge but feel free to use your favorite clear finish.

 

 

 

 

 

Once the clear coat dries she is ready to display in your mini scene. I think she looks really happy on the porch with our other southwest inspired decorations.

As always I do want to sincerely thank all of you for watching my videos and reading my blog posts. It means so much to me that you are supporting me in this way. If I could ask you all to do just a bit more by subscribing to the channel and liking the videos and leaving comments. Those help more than you can imagine. Also if you could pass the links on to your friends I would appreciate it so much.