Gnomes got GIFTS from Carina - Immediately Put to Good Use!

[Minneapolis Gnome]

I'm skipping to the end of the wonderful fun we had getting mail & Gnome Gifts from Carina in Finland, so this will be a "backwards blog" in that sense.  I'm just eager to show you all the little pillow and reading material she hid away in a wonderful piece of mail art she sent to us. It was immediately put to good use.

Now I'll do a 360 and show you the other pictures "from the beginning".  Here is the opened envelope and the first thoroughly delightful surprise it contained:

Sent inside a first day of issue mail cover and resplendent with beautiful postage stamps I found this VINTAGE GNOME POST CARD.  I am SO glad she found this at a market and thought of me, and even GLADDER that she got it and SENT it to me.   I love their tiny knit hats and their felt shoes, their great big flowers and the little red song bird they're talking with.  My 101 year old Grandmother loves fat little colorful song birds, and whenever I see a cute one like this I immediately imagine her smiling at it.  This beautiful vintage post card would have been wonderful all on it's own, I and my partner were delighted and immediately showed a friend who came over to visit us last night, but can you believe there was more?

Let's look at the back of the envelope and back of the postcard:

I don't want anyone to miss the detail on those hand carved rubber stamps, or the "trash for everyone" Felix cat, or the smallest alien I've ever seen, so here's a close up:

And another of Mr. Tiny Alien:

By the way, I "found Finland" and it's right here.  DNA testing has shown that I share 5% of my DNA with the people of Finland and Northern Siberia, which has got to make Carina and I at least 52nd cousins:

Now you noticed, like I did, that there is a little white package taped to the back of the postcard, right?  And you're wondering, like I was, what it is?  Well, maybe not, as I already gave the spoiler first thing in this post.  Here it is, a gift for a Gnome:

FABULOUSLY NICE!  And Gnomes are good at sharing, so first "I" tried them out and found the pillow quite nice and the reading material fascinating:

But my friend was closer to his nap time than I was, so now it's his turn:

We've come full circle exploring this wonderful gift of mail art and I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did.  

Thank you, Carina!  

[Suus in Mokum]

Awesome idea/mailart by Carina and wonderful blog! Thank you

[Carina]

Thank you for the wonderful blog, MG! And for playing the game! So glad my gifts are in use. I made the gifts very light-weighted so the postal charge would be minimum. I see there are lots of Gnomes over there.  :)

[Minneapolis Gnome]

I know, right Toni?  

[Toni Hanner -- tonipoet]

wow. what a great haul for the little guys!