Gourd-eous Gourds for Fall ~

I've been a gourd artist for approximately 12 years. I'd never even heard of them prior to that, except for the small, decorative ones to display in the fall. But, one day I picked up an instruction book at a local craft store about painting on hardshell gourds ~ and I was hooked! I call them "nature's canvas" and I love the organic feel of them in my hands as I work on them.  I'm starting to experiment with different styles and methods of painting them now, but here's a few pictures of some of the fun gourds I've painted for Halloween and Autumn.

Birdhouse gourd with sunflowers

...and, this is a bowl I made as a gift for a friend.

For anyone who isn't familiar with gourds, this is what they look like, fresh off the vine. The hardest part is cleaning them, as they're covered with dirt and dark mold, which must be scrubbed off completely prior to painting and decorating. I used to love going to the gourd farm and climbing through the piles and piles of gourds, looking for the perfect ones for my creations. I must admit that today, I'd rather buy them already cleaned!

Here's one cleaned and ready to go!

Ghost on pumpkin - this is one of my most popular gourds!

Until next time, have a wonderful weekend!