REDMOND, Wash. -- A kidnapped garden gnome was taken to Las Vegas and Hollywood -- and even had its picture taken with Paris Hilton -- before it was returned to its owner in Washington state.

Images: Gnome's Vacation
Video: Gnome's Vacation

Its owner, Marianne Severson, said she did not even know the gnome was missing.

"I have four of them out there," she said. "You pull into the driveway and you see them, but ... you certainly don't count them."

Severson said she found a binder on her porch earlier this month. It was full of photos of the sleeping gnome on someone's vacation.

"The first (picture) is a guy we don't know taking our gnome out of the front yard," she said.

Then, the pictures show the gnome leaving Redmond, living it up in Las Vegas and rubbing elbows with the girls from Hooter's.

The prankster also left an issue of People magazine inside the binder -- a photo inside shows hotel heiress Paris Hilton holding Severson's gnome.

"My hat's off to the guy," Severson said. "I think he did a really really great job. ... The next time he does this, he should take my husband and me because we haven't been on vacation in years."

Severson said she is convinced the gnome in the pictures is hers, because it's an original -- she hand-painted it herself.

She also said she's had a phone conversation with the culprit. She still doesn't know who he is, but she thanked him for choosing her gnome for the trip.

---

Images: NBC News Slideshow

Images: NBC4.tv Slideshows