Valentine's Day Sock Gnomes (made from dollar store supplies)

I love simple crafts, and the Valentine's Day sock gnomes that I'm sharing today are easy to make and super-cute. All you need are a few dollar store supplies and a glue gun. You are going to love this one!

First, gather your supplies. You'll need: a mop, white socks, Valentine's Day socks, rice, elastics, and something for a nose (pom poms, painted styrofoam balls, or wood balls).

Then: cut the sock, fill the sock with rice, and secure the top with an elastic. (If you are concerned about the elastic breaking over time, you can reinforce with a piece of thread.)

Use pieces from a dollar store mop to make a beard. Cut strips to the desired lengths, use hot glue to attach the strips to the front of the rice-filled sock, place a Valentine's Day sock over the beard (and glue in place), and separate the strands of the mop. 

Note: For the sock hat, I suggest putting some stuffing in the sock to give it some shape. I also cut the toe off my sock and used red thread to close the end.  Alternatively, you could hot glue a pom pom to the end, or you could put a styrofoam ball in the toe, and secure it with an elastic to make a "faux" pom pom.

Finish by using hot glue to attach a pom pom nose.

At this point, you can consider your gnome finished, or you can add some arms or other embellishments.

To make arms: Use the piece of the sock that you cut off. Cut it to the desired length and width (to fit your gnome), and roll each arm and secure with glue. 

Then, make mittens by cutting twp pieces of red felt, wrapping them around the ends of the arms, and securing the mitts in place with a piece of embroidery floss. Use hot glue to attach the arms (under the hat).

You might find this video helpful too!

I left my gnome plain, but you can embellishment yours with felt hearts, heart-shaped jewels, and/or any accessories you want.

I am using my gnomes as part of my Valentine's Day decor, but I think they'd be perfect to give to friends and family as Valentine's Day gifts. You could add a cute gift tag to make it extra special. I designed a few options that you can print for free.

To print the six gift tags I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Don't you just love homemade Valentine's Day decorations? There is something really lovely about all the shades of white, pink and red.

Do you think you'll make your own Valentine's Day sock gnome? I gave you a basic template, but feel free to express your creativity. You can use different coloured socks, add your own embellishments, and play with the size and scale of the gnomes. Have fun!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

If you are looking for more Valentine's Day inspiration, check out more than 30 Valentine's Day ideas here.