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Painting a Gourd
• After a gourd has been dried and sanded smooth they can be stained
or painted with any pattern or design you'd like.
• Small gourds can be used as Christmas Ornaments. Depending on the shape they can be painted as
Snowmen, Santas, Angels, or Gingerbread Men.
• Gourds can be dried, painted and strung on jute by drilling a hole in the top
of each gourd, and adding a dab of glue onto the end of the jute.
I painted a group of these in their original colors using small gourds
and used them as a fall wall hanging.
• A dry gourd will loose much of its original color but can be stained or painted and
then hot glued into a fall arrangement, wreath, or
swag.
Bird House
• For hundreds of years Purple Martins have been housed in gourds. This tradition started with
Native Americans who recognized the value of Purple Martins in controlling mosquitos and other insects. Paint your
or stain and varnish your gourd.
• Whether used for decoration or as a home for birds gourds can
add charm to a backyard garden. I have a stained gourd on a
Shephards hook I can see from my kitchen window. But a painted gourd can add a touch of
whimsy. Our Bee and Ladybug
birdhouses are easy to paint.
•
Step by step instructions for a birdhouse.
Bowls
• By cutting off the top of a gourd they can become decorative bowls, purses,
boxes, or vases.
Other Ideas
• Weave the rim.
• Make this Deer Antler Gourd Wall Hanging.
• Make a garland of gourds.
Links
• The American Gourd Society
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Gourd Chapters and Clubs
•
The Gourd: A Natural Medium for Art
•
Taking Gourd Art to New Heights
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