Making a Gourd Scoop

When I flipped this warty gourd over it had a crack running horizontally through it.

So I decided to cut it in half and keep the good half to make a scoop.

Since the warts make it look interesting, I'm leaving it as it is.

When you purchase gourds, clean them well, make sure they are dry, and store them indoors in a cool dry place.  This gourd was left outside in the weather and when I flipped it over it had a long vertical crack.  I was able to cut it in half and use the good part for a scoop.

Even though many cultures have used gourds for centuries to eat from I think I'll just use this for non-food uses, like scooping lavender into sachets or scooping birdseed into juggling balls. Some people are allergic to gourd dust, so I'd hate to sell it to someone and have them use it to scoop their oatmeal or flour and then have an allergic reaction. But that's a whole 'nother subject.

Turning a Gourd Into a Pouch

My friend Sal gets the credit for this next project.  It's based on a gourd he brought back from Mexico. See the photo of it at the top of the page.

For this project I needed a gourd that could be turned into a little bowl. The first one I picked up had a good shape, but when I flipped it over it had a long lengthwise crack.  Rats.  But I figured I could save half of it and make a scooper for birdseed or lavender or something.

But I'm glad I kept looking because then I found a gourd in my stash that was a twofer. I was able to cut it in half and make 2 bowls.  I used my gourd saw, but a hand saw would have worked.

After I cleaned it inside and out, and sanded it, I drilled holes around the rim with a Dremel drill. Then I did pyrography petroglyphs. In other words, I used a wood burning tool to draw 2 lizards in a petroglyph style. And on the other bowl I put a cat line drawing.  I thought part of the appeal was to keep it really basic and primitive looking.  My boyfriend looked at them and said, "The art is too basic." Sigh. We always have different visions for things.  Simplistic was my goal. I feel like the crochet is going to add yet another element, so I wanted to keep the art basic. 

Next I will apply a clear finish over the art, because when I do the crochet part, I don't want the overspray to go on the string. If you look at the photos this will make a lot more sense. I think I am done with this project for today so stay tuned.

Cleaned bottle gourd.

The top and the bottom of the gourd.  I saved the middle part for another project.

I used a drill to put the holes for the thread to go through.

lizard and cat in pyrograpyhy

Freyja Gourd Pyrography

Tonight I find myself doing some research on the Norse Goddess Freyja http://www.valkyrietower.com/freyja.html.  First True Thomas was telling a story at Angel's Melee and chose me to be Freyja (that's what I get for sitting in the front row). Then my boyfriend tells me he needs to do a Freyja gourd and wants my help.  Then he told me he didn't want my help. So now I'm so fascinated with the potential of it, that tomorrow I'm going to try it myself. Let's hope my drawing skills are up to it.

I think the universe wants me to study up on Freyja. That's twice in recent days someone has involved me in a Freyja project.

Gourds and Reciept Confusion

We had a wonderful time at the gourd farm. This time we took a different route through Fallbrook because of some road damage on the usual route. We only saw one place the road was still a bit flooded but it was no big deal. But you could see the high water line had flooded out the road a few days ago.

Mostly we got bottle gourds because they were 70% off.  Even the mini gourds and the jewelry gourds were still $70 off as long as they were bottle shaped (big on top and bottom, with a smaller waist). I couldn't resist getting 3 warty gourds as well.
After the talley we went inside the shop to get everything rung up. I about had a heart attack when the cashier said the price of my gourds with the discount was almost $200. But my boyfriend kept saying she knew her job and if she said that was the total, then that was the total. So I wandered around the shop while he rang up his gourds.  A bit later when the cashier went to put it on the credit card, she saw she'd rung up the 3 warty gourds as 54 warty gourds, so when she fixed that the total dropped down to about $70. Thank goodness I was right and they caught the error before I was halfway home. But how come neither one of them believed me when I said the price she first rang up couldn't possibly be right?

We also asked her to subtotal mine, and his, so I'd know how much I owed him, but when all was said and done she put the sale gourds on one receipt and everything else on the other, so I still don't know how much I owe him. We are going to have to recount and re-lable everything so I can find out whose gourds are whose. I probably got 100 gourds.

Gourd Sale At Welburn Gourd Farm

According to my boyfriend, Welburn Gourd Farm is having a 70% off sale on bottle gourds. I'm sure these are the very end of last year's crop. And since we use them to make canteens, vases, and water jugs, we always need some.  I use the bottle gourds for dolls, birdhouses and vases. So with any luck we'll drive out there first thing in the morning.

I hope to get some more little gourds to make gourd necklaces.  I really need to show some restraint or I end up buying way too many.

Gourds and Rain

I just wrote an article on crafts here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Crafts-I-Love It features some gourd art so I thought I'd mention it in this blog. I'm looking forward to exploring more pyrography. 

Fish Gourd Bowl by Guy Taylor

We've been getting a lot of rain. One of the bins of gourds on the patio that is sealed against the weather was really heavy when my boyfriend tried to move it. As you know, gourds are super light, so there is no reason this should have been heavy. So he opens it and stink-o. Somehow it was filled with water. So we dumped everything on the dirt to dry again.  That was before this rainstorm that's been going for four days already, so they are all wet again. I sure hope we can save most of them.

Gourds and Hubpages

I've been reviewing and updating all my gourd articles on Hubpages. Hubpages has made so many improvements in the way things are catergorized and linked together, that I had to edit things to catch up with the newer features. If you don't know about Hubpages, come say hi. Hubpages . The link will take you to my gourd santa page and you can maneuver from there.

Gourd Drums and Drinking Vessels

Our booth on Sunday.

The Beauty of Flaws

Almost every gourd has some sort of flaw in the way of a crack, a wart, or a flat spot where it had been laying on the ground.  But for many gourd artists these are the gourds they go looking for at the gourd farm. Because it is these very flaws that add character and interest to a gourd. I call them 'character flaws'.

Cracks can be laced up or used as doorways and windows.  Indentations can be used as a place to inset a special stone or gem. Lumps and bumps can indicate facial features, animal horns, or distressed marks.

Severely damaged gourds can still be cut into bits to use for pendants, earrings, or parts to add on to other gourds as ears, beaks, or feet. Let your imagination roam free as to how best to use your 'character flaws'.

Canteen gourd with interesting cracks.

This burl like texture was from the gourd resting on the ground.

This is a sock monkey swing.

The gourd had a crack that was decorated and strenghtened using artificial sinew.

The back of the gourd was very thin so I cut it out to form this window for the monkey's tail.

Here is the jester monkey sitting in his gourd swing.

Quick Demo w/ Brewer's Pitch

Use great care when working with melted brewer's pitch. It was so hot steam was coming out of the gourd and one stray drop melted a hole right through the plastic drop cloth underneath.

Working With Brewer's Pitch

Vessels holding fluid work better if coated with something. Here we used brewer's pitch to coat the inside of some gourd pitchers.

My Boyfriend's Gourd Projects

My boyfriend has been working on gourd drums and gourd pitchers. I love the wood burning he did on the lettering. His style is very different than mine. On the table you can see the wood burner.
He has his own gourd blog here:  http://greenmangourds.blogspot.com/

Gourd Drum

I worked on a gourd drum today that I'd already dyed yellow and red. As I was cleaning out the interior a bit better, I found a bunch of tiny spiders inside. I guess they'd made it their nest. It seems insects like the pithy interior of gourds. That part gets removed when you clean it, but I've found some bugs like to burrow inside it.
My hands gave out before I was done sanding the top and bottom level. The rest of it will have to wait for another day.

Gourd Nativity Scene

Two days before Christmas I get an insane idea to make a Nativity Scene out of gourds, including the people. It was a present. I barely got it done in time. The clear acrylic spray was still slightly tacky. For inside the 'stable' I used raffia cut into bits. First I tried putting long pieces in there but that was too springy. I used a bit of natural color roving to set the sheep and wisemen on, and I used a wee bit of white roving for under the baby Jesus.

The woman I made it for loved it. And that's what mattered.

The Welburn Gourd Farm is having a clearance of last  year's gourds right now for 50% off, so we are planning a trip out there in a day or two. Hit hard by the recession, they even have a 75% off voucher on their website right now, but you have to spend $200 for the privilege and we just don't need that many gourds sitting around.

Greenman Gourds: Gourds!

Greenman Gourds: Gourds! My boyfriend just took some photos of many of his fantastic gourds and put them on his new gourd blog. Check it out.

The Horses Are Ready

I got my horse gourd vase finished and listed on Etsy today. It should show up in my shop to the right. I can't believe how I have so many things to list, yet can't seem to get around to it. But today the weather is beautiful and I'm home on a Saturday so I took it outside and took photos.

A New Gourd Doll

I started making this doll a few months ago. I like it so far. I really do. I'm just not sure where to go from here.  Yarn hair? Wire hair? Paint in the face with acrylics? Leave it primitive looking? Oh well I'll come up with something. I've done the pyrography on it.

Gourd Rain Stick Build Along

Part One and Part Two


I grew this snake gourd in my garden and was hoarding it to make something special. Then I decided it would be just right for a rain stick. I really enjoyed this project even if it was rather labor intensive. Now I just need to join a drum circle or something so I have a chance to play it in a real environment.
I'm getting quite the collection of weird gourd instruments. I'm made a didjeridoo, some rattles, a guiro, a drum, and now a rain stick.

Update: I have no idea why Youtube videos suddenly stopped working on my blogs, even the ones that were my own productions. Until I figure this out, I apologize for the inconvenience.

Horse and Purse Build Along Part 2

Today I worked on my horse gourd vase again. I touched up the ink dyes, then I used the heat activated glue to put on the metal leafing over the sun. Looks pretty snazzy. I cut some sisal to go around the brim. I need to sew on a Buffalo Head Nickle button. But then I realized that I need to paint the interior black first. I bought spray paint for that very purpose a week ago and I can't find it today. ARGH.

I also dyed the exterior of the gourd purse. I used butterscotch and berry ink dyes blended together with a white felt square. Then I dribbled rubbing alcohol on it. That came out pretty interesting so I went ahead and heat set it with the heat gun. The next thing I have to do on that is add a leather hinge.

I want to make a cowgirl gourd too. That was is still being working on by my subconscious mind. It's for the Zombie Nanner Gang theme 'Lonesome Cowgirl'. But I haven't had time to sketch it out yet so it will have to wait until later. So much to do, so little time.

Gourd Artist

Youtube has a wealth of videos about gourd art. Here is one I found tonight.