The Tiny Pals are Back!
After taking roughly a year off from this project, I found myself in a deep funk. I retired a few months ago and had several life changes that caused me to look seriously and with clear eyes at what my life looks like and what I want it to look like. I was evaluating the past, trying to pinpoint times when I’d been most content, and filled with purpose and optimism. It became clear that in the last several years the thing that brought me the most joy was Undercover Kindness Gnomes.
Scrolling through old posts, I relived the giddiness of placing a gnome in a hiding spot and slinking away before anyone saw me. I replayed the voice note from the sweet toddler who started this entire endeavor: “Tank you for da puzzoes!” I scanned my giant wall map and recalled the excitement of placing the 100th sticker on it, signifying 100 gnomes sent out into the world. Then the 200th. And the 300th and 400th. Today there are 467 stickers in five different countries on my map. Those feelings were what was missing while I was stuck in my slump.
It became clear to me that what I wanted, needed to do was to start making little pals again and shipping them off to strangers. One of the issues that led to the pause was financial. It wasn’t feasible for me to pay for the shipping and the website and the Zoom platform on my own anymore, and those are the largest expenses of running the project. Something different needed to happen.
I have always been, and remain adamant that finances never keep someone from the ability to request a gnome. That will not change. On the homepage here you may have noticed a button that says Sponsor a Gnome. That will take you to a page that explains the shipping prices and gives you the option of paying for shipping for one or several gnomes. There is also a link to the Patreon page, which is a community we are still building. The benefits of joining the Patreon are listed up front, and I want you to know that you are welcome in our community, regardless of your ability or desire to pay to join, so there’s a free option there.
There are other exciting happenings on the horizon and I will share those with you soon, but for now, there’s this: Gnome Requests are opening on Friday, February 21, which also just happens to be Undercover Kindness Gnomes’ fifth Gnomeiversary! More details on that later.
Thank you for being here. i heart you.