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Category: bethie's world | Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:20 pm

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Hubby got an unexpected Christmas bonus and put it right in my hot little hand and told me to spend it-so I did. We had grown gourds several years ago and they were all cured and piled up in the shop awaiting transformation. I got online and got me some gourd art supplies- some leather dyes and psanky egg dyes, an exacto tool set with a tiny saw blade, some oil based pastels etc. I LOVE art supplies. It rained all weekend for two weekends in a row so hubby cleaned up some gourds and we got started. My first one was the big gourd I put in the gallery then I switched gears and did some smaller ones. For all these gourds the pattern was put on in pencil and woodburned into the gourd. The gourd when finished is sprayed with a Krylon sealer.

This is a burgundy leather dye.

This is a black leather dye. Leather dyes are permanent and NOT skin friendly. I end up hugging the gourd when I am working on it so I had and old dress on to get ruined. I was in and out one morning working on a gourd and later that day was working on another and looked down and was wearing a good dress! When did I change my clothes? Since the dye was still wet I was able to pretreat it and get it out. Pay attention to what you're doing bethie. Get out of that gourd trance. Hubby in the meantime took the saw and did this lattice cutout on his first one. The top is also cutout and can be used as a stand if desired. Me Love.

Then he did this small canteen gourd with a delicate egg design.

I made a repeating butterfly design into a potpourri bowl.

This morning glory design is colored with the pastels.

This apple gourd was hard as a rock and took forever to burn.

Hubby ended his gourd fun with some mushrooms, then I colored it for him with the egg dyes.

I love face art so I ended with a fun mask with cutout eyes and mouth.

It's supposed to rain all this weekend too. Hmmmmm.



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toni wrote on Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:37 pm:

Those are all fantastic!!!!!!
After seeing the first one you posted, the urge to make some has been growing steadily in my mind...and now I will have to go to my online source for gourds and order some.
Darn, just what I need is yet another project nagging me to get started.

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Gardenstew wrote on Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:38 pm:

Wow Bethie, you guys have surpassed yourselves, truly. My favourites are the lattice cutout, butterfly and mushroom gourds. Heck I like them all! Thanks for posting your work Bethie.

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reggaefan wrote on Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:14 pm:

Beautiful Bethie I am amazed

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dooley wrote on Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:55 pm:

How long do gourds have to hang around and cure? We grew some once and they began looking so bad I threw them out. OOPS! Dooley

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glendann wrote on Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:47 pm:

I love all your gourds.I have to drag mine out soon and give it a try.I do love the butterfly and the morningglory but I like the mushroom gourds dang I can't choose which one .I like them all just to much.Great work as always.

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eileen wrote on Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:24 pm:

Oh I would be sooo happy with just half your talent Bethie. I can't pick a favourite one at all as they are all equally as beautiful as each other. I would be proud to own any of your gourds.

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cajunbelle wrote on Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:39 am:

Amazing, astonding, awesome, I love them all.

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Polly wrote on Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:48 am:

Too hard to choose a favorite. They are all great and both of you are very talented.

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bethie wrote on Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:46 pm:

Dooley- gourds usually are left on the vine until the vine dies. Then they are cut with stem intact and "cured". This can be done inside or out with the important thing being some air circulation. Turn the gourds occasionaly. After several moths they are usually a moldy mess. Then they are cleaned, this involves taking that top layer of skin off. I put mine in a sink of water and wrap a wet towel around it until the skin softens. Then its gently rubbed off and ready to go.

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aloes wrote on Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:22 am:

Stunning. I wish I had the talent. That last one of the face is what we need here in South Africa. That will keep a few murdering buglars away !

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EJ wrote on Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:04 pm:

Fascinating Bethie - I also grow gourds and once they go mouldy, they end up in the bin! now I have you instructions I plan to look after them better this coming year and see what I can do with them. AMAZING!

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