coal

cole, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

coal (black). a dramatic color that highlights the shape of the gourd.

contrast

dirty:kidney, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

a great picture showing a gourds great potential.

scratch marks

scratch marks, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

the great thing about gourds is they each come with their own unique scars and scratches.

aaron

"i like my gottagettagourd because it reminds of mom's homemade apple pie's growing up!"

gottagettagourd owner for 1 1/2 years

(gourd shown: apple gourd in cranberry stain)

tim

"So Tim, what is the one irreplacable object you would grab if your home was burning down?". "That is a very easy answer, I would grab my gottagettagourds collection!"

proud owner of a gottagettagourd for 1 1/2 years

(gourds shown: cranberry, chocolate and coal)

human gourds

gourds bus stop 2, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

gourds have personality. here are some folks hanging out at the bus stop.

gourds on mantle

gourds on mantle, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

Put some mini gourds in a glass hurricane lamp and place on the mantle...very nice.

the gourd conversion process

stem, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

As an introduction to my website I would like to walk you through my gourd making process. Read on!

step one

dirty gourd, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.
This is what a gourd looks like when I bring it home from the farm. They have black mold, clumps of dirt and a thick dirty film on the outer layer...they can also be kind of stinky. The first step is scraping off the outer shell. I have found the best supplies are a wire sponge, soap, warm water, and rubber gloves.

step two

gourd alone, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.
After cleaning the gourd it's important to let it dry for at least 8 hours. Now the fun part...decide what color you want to stain your gourd. I stained this gourd with a fun caramel stain...it's one of my lightest colors, it looks great when you mix it with darker shades. For stains I use a special liquid leather stain. I apply approx. 3 coats with a clean cotton cloth. It's important to use rubber gloves, otherwise your hands will be stained for a few days!

step three

black kidney, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.
After staining your gourd it's important to allow it to dry for at least 12 hours. I think gourds "pop" when they have a high gloss shine to them. So next I take them outside and spray on approx. 2 coats of a high gloss polyurethane. Be sure to apply light coats to prevent from drip marks.

step four

fire place gourds, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.
That last step is display. Gourds can look great anywhere in the home. You can place them on a dining room table for a dramatic statement, in a book shelf or on the hearth of your fire place. Gourds look best when you place them in groups of at least three. They also look best when you mix shapes, colors and sizes. Tune in for more great gottagettagourd fun!

gourds on table

gourds on table, originally uploaded by gottagettagourd.

Gourds come in incredible shapes and sizes. Some of my favorites are the mexican jug, the pumpkin,and the cannon.