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!

The Wind of My Soul ~

I just read a little gem of a book titled “The Wind of My Soul,” written by Peggy Hill and illustrated by Cynthia McDonald. It’s full of inspirational poems and reflections that touch on the themes of love, nature, courage, faith, pain…life in general. It’s the type of book you’ll want to keep close and read over and over - each time gaining something new from Peggy’s insightful words. I absolutely love that it includes pages to record your own thoughts, poems, and musings. And Cynthia’s colorful, ethereal paintings are the perfect companion to Peggy’s poems. For yourself, or as a gift for someone special, I highly recommend The Wind of My Soul.

About the author:
Peggy Hill is a lover of life, words and nature. She is an award-winning writer who has produced music, theater plays, videos and books, and is also active as a retreat and conference facilitator. She resides in the Ancient Ozark Mountains, where she writes and is the founder and CEO of the music, publishing and production company, Circle Studios Records. Her hobbies include cooking, reading and traveling. You can read more of Peggy’s writing at her blog, which can be found online at:
www.wingsandthings-peggy.blogspot.com

About the Illustrator:
Cynthia McDonald was born and raised in Ohio. She is a wife, mother and grandmother who has many passions besides her family, ranging from the Native American flute to painting. Cynthia’s biggest love is gourds, which she carves, stains, paints and adorns; creating beautiful one-of-a-kind works of art which are highly sought after by collectors. More recently, Cynthia applied her creative talents to painting on canvas and to an artistic concept called “art journaling,” both of which are featured in this very special book. You may find Cynthia online at:
www.wildgourdstudio.com
www.cynthia-mcdonald.blogspot.com