World Wide Gnome Association
August 2007 Newsletter

Motto: "We Care About Nature"

Book Review

About Annie Nell Meets the Sock Gnomes:

What happens to all those missing socks that disappear from your dryer?

Find out in Annie Nell Meets the Sock Gnomes. The heroine of the tale, Annie Nell, is a feisty carrot-topped six year old, who cracks the ancient unsolved mystery of why socks go missing in the dryer. Meet Angus P. MacGnome form Scotland!!! Annie Nell shines as testimony to the love and imagination of Sieweke, who wanted to deepen the relationship with her daughter by gifting her with this innovative, clever story. This book is chocked full of laughs and giggles for both children and adults.

Annie Nell Meets the Sock Gnomes is available on Internet sites such as www.amazon.com, www.walmart.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.target.com.

This work is also available at Tate Publishing’s web site http://www.tatepublishing.com/ for $9.99.

This book is currently available at http://www.tatepublishing.com/. Susan Sieweke done a book signing at the Alabaster Library on June the 26th.

Susan wrote this tale for her daughter, Annie Nell when she was only six years old.

Bed ridden with the Epstein Barr virus and confined to the bed for about six months, Susan stumbled to the computer out of boredom while thinking about the special bond between Mother’s and daughters. Desiring to give her daughter a gift that she would remember forever, Susan thought about writing Annie Nell a story even though she had no inclinations as a children’s writer whatsoever. Up until this point in time, all Susan had ever written were songs. So, calling on my musical sense, she began to think about an idea that might appeal to children adults and tossed around a few rhymes in her head about a couple of characters called, Angus P. MacGnome and Bip—the pesky creatures who live in your laundry room, invade your dryer, and then dare take something that does not belong to them—your socks! Since everyone has had the experience of having a pair of socks go into the dryer, and then getting only one sock back as a return, Susan was fairly certain that most folks could relate. Much to her surprise, forty-five minutes later, Susan had a book of Annie Nell Meets the Sock Gnomes!

Members are encouraged to obtain a copy of this book in support of new writers like Susan! Readers can contact Susan with their comments at:

Snail Mail: Susan Sieweke, 213 Treymoor Lake Circle, Alabaster, Alabama 35007
Email: Hgwsusan@aol.com

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August 1	Gnome Children's Day also known as "Put a Little Gnome in your Life" Day
August 23	Gnome Bowling Championships

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Bulletin Board

The Pueblo Chieftain Online
Published: Thursday July 12, 2007

Garden gnomes find their way home

Photograph property of Kimmel Gnomes / www.kimmelgnomes.com

By MARTY HAIR McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE DETROIT - In their heyday, garden gnomes were one-of-a-kind works of folkloric art. But gnomes fell victim to faddism, mass production and plastic. They became too cute and widely available for their own good. Their popularity brought them to an ignominious end. For a long time, they were - well, gnobodies. Recently, though, garden gnomes have made a resurgence - in commercials for Travelocity, the TV shows ‘‘Will and Grace’’ and ‘‘Desperate Housewives,’’ and the film ‘‘Amelie.’’

‘‘You started seeing them popping up in other ads,’’ said Tim Travis, a history buff who shares his house in Waterford, Mich., with more than 80 garden gnomes, many of them dating back to the 1920s-1950s. Long interested in garden art and sculpture, Travis started looking more closely into gnomes a couple of years ago.

‘‘There’s a huge history,’’ he said. ‘‘If people understood more about the history of gnomes, I think it would bring it up a notch as far as appreciating them.’’

Travis, who also collects art and plants like hostas, decided to delve into the gnome marketplace. He hit the jackpot. On eBay, he discovered that the Griebels’ gnome museum in Germany was closing and selling gnomes and gnome paraphernalia. He bought some and also started corresponding with the great-grandchildren of the Griebels. ‘‘They were very open in explaining more about the history,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think anyone had ever talked to them about the gnome world.’’ Travis, 48, president and owner of a nursery in Pontiac, Mich., keeps his gnomes at home, mostly on high shelves in a walk-through closet. The gnomes get outside during the occasional party, but remain indoors most of the time to protect them from weather and sunlight.

Travis paid $20 to $150 each for his gnomes and continues to search for unusual old ceramic models, especially those with planters. He admires the handmade gnomes of Candice Kimmel (www.kimmelgnomes.com) for keeping the art alive. Recently, Travis shared observations about gnomes: Why gnomes? ‘‘I see them as folk art.’’ Why do people find gnomes appealing? ‘‘There’s an emotion involved with a gnome. You see it in their eyes. You see it in their smile.’’

Older gnomes are shown with garden tools. Do newer ones have other pastimes? ‘‘Art reflects current themes. Gnomes depict modern living . . . like Barbie dolls. I don’t know if they have a gnome doing Pilates.’’ Why do other gnome fans stage abductions (gnomeland security) and join gnome clubs? ‘‘There’s all kinds of people who are really into gnomes. Like obsessive. I’m not one of those people. I’m someone who appreciates them as an art form. But I’m not imagining voices or anything coming out of these gnomes.’’

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