Dried gourds are lovely on their own, but a glossy finish turns them into works of art. Choose gourds in different shapes and sizes, and pick a palette of autumnal colors like these or hues that work with your decor. Use the gourds to embellish your table or as sculptural displays around the house.
Tools and Materials
Kraft paper
Dried gourds (amishgourds.com)
Fine sandpaper
White primer
Paintbrush
Glossy spray paint or spray enamel
Painted Gourd How-To
1. Cover work surface with paper.
2. Clean gourds with a damp cloth, and sand off imperfections.
3. Paint gourds with white primer. Let dry overnight. Spray sections of gourds with glossy paint or enamel. Let dry for 3 hours. Turn gourds to spray unpainted areas. Let dry overnight. Repeat if necessary.
amazing thanx for sharing ur idea
Don't cook gourds! (it's murder.) They dry naturally, whether on a shelf in your garage or out in the field, all winter long. Try dropping them one by one into some cut off queen size panty hose legs; knotting between each. Hang in a well ventilated dry place, and you'll have a nice dried out moldy wonder in a month or so!
The gourds pictured are not the variety sold in grocery stores. Check out www.welburngourdfarm.com as an additional resource.
Right now gourds are plentiful in the grocery stores. You can dry them yourself by putting them on a cookie sheet and place in a 200 to 250 degree oven for several hours. I find that my oven runs just a little hot so I put it at 225; 250 works but the outside of the gourds turns dark. The gourds will lose their color using this method but you really won't care if you are going to paint them anyway.
Right now gourds are plentiful in the grocery stores. You can dry them yourself by putting them on a cookie sheet and place in a 200 to 250 degree oven for several hours. I find that my oven runs just a little hot so I put it at 225; 250 works but the outside of the gourds turns dark. The gourds will lose their color using this method but you really won't care if you are going to paint them anyway.