Sunday, September 18, 2011

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!
at

5 comments:

  1. Wendy@~Chez~La~De~da~September 19, 2011 at 12:29 AM

    These are sweet!!!! I love the last little guy the most, he is toooo cute!! :) what a face :)

    Oh I wish a had just a little of that talent, no patience though :(

    Have a great week!!

    ~Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tammy@T's Daily TreasuresSeptember 19, 2011 at 1:10 AM

    I love your gourd paintings. When I was 12, my friends and I would cut gourds then clean and dry them and use them to hide stuff in the woods ... like cigarettes. Yikes! Ha! Brings back memories. The ghost on pumpkin is absolutely precious. Thanks for stopping by my corner of the world. Best wishes, Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  3. HertsgentSeptember 19, 2011 at 5:49 AM

    We don't celebrate Hallowe'en with as much enthusiasm here in England as you do there in the USA. If we did, perhaps this kind of painting would be seen over here too.
    I love it, and think you have a real talent there, Cindy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. BrendaSeptember 19, 2011 at 11:28 PM

    Those are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. ~Lavender Dreamer~September 21, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    I love gourds...they are perfect for painting on! The ghost of top of the pumpkin is really perfect! I love the shape of the one you have cleaned, too! ♥

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your feedback and read each and every comment. Thanks so much for visiting!