Meet Venture the Gnome: Mascot, Muse, Maker

I have had this idea in the works for a long time! When I first started Cwafty Creations, my etsy shop, I felt like as a business owner I really wanted a mascot. I went through a lot of ideas but nothing really stuck. As my business grew that didn't seem as important as getting my orders out and promoting my shop and coming up with new products so it fell to the wayside.

One day I went into my Art class and found that some kid had left behind this wonderful painting of a gnome. My whole table (4 great girls) loved him instantly and I most of all took a liking to him. Nobody claimed him from any of the art classes so I took him home, named him Venture, and declared him the inspiration I needed!

I had to make Venture into a creature of my own though, and so I had to postpone the project even longer looking for the perfect way to create my own! Find out how I did below! As well as a free desktop to introduce you to your new favorite crafting buddy!

I found a blank gnome at Michaels the same day I got my teacup blank. It was the perfect size and price! Only a dollar, I couldn't believe my luck.

 
If only he could be waving! That's the only thing I would change. 

I just love his cute little face! I painted him with acrylics and dyed some white fake fur for his beard. He is absolutely perfect1 I'm going to take pictures with him all the time and bring him with me when I go on Art Adventure times!

The idea behind Venture is he is a very hardworking gnome who loves to work with his hands. He is a maker, a tinker, and inventor, and an explorer. He is supposed to help foster your creativity by giving you a hand or helping you come up with an idea. 

He really liked working with me on the teacup project, it was just the perfect size for him.

I even went and made this great stock picture of Venture which I made into a desktop background. I started using it immediately! I love for my computer to boot up and see him smiling and waving at me amidst a galaxy of technicolor splotches.

If you want the same experience all you have to do is right click the image below and save it to your computer. Then find it in your files and right click and "set as desktop".

I hope you enjoyed meeting Venture because you are going to be seeing him a lot more often! I have an idea for a segment I want to do regularly on the blog with him but I need to find some people who are interested to help me out with it. If you'd like to help, let me know in the comments below or via email!

Thanks!