Dolls or Seeds?

While looking up books on Amazon about black holes and peacocks (I know, I have eclectic interests!)(by the way, the newly released book, Strut, the Peacock and Beauty in Art, is going to be amazing!), I came across an item called Russian Doll Gourd Seeds. I was struck by the image and since I have always been enchanted by sets of Russian dolls, I just had to order...until I continued on the ordering path and realized WHOA! this wasn't about dolls at all, but about a package of 10 seeds. No mention was made that in order to get to the doll part a person would have to grow, dehydrate, clean, and THEN paint the gourds.

These are nothing more than miniature bottleneck gourds...and just seeds at that, even though the ad implies the dolls are the purchased item? I know, I know, read the small print always but a customer would have to know quite a bit of gourd culture and how-to to get from seed to dollie!

I like the dolls though, don't you? Makes me want to try them with some of my stash in the shed. MmMmmmmmm...I might be able to do a face, and perhaps some holiday images of holding a pumpkin, or tree ornament, or Easter egg.  Another project in the making!

Flip-Flop Dolls

Don't you just love fall? The air gets more comfortable and the time for tying up loose ends comes together. I have begun to order books for next spring and stow away baskets and signs from the local market.

I have also begun working on my flip-flop dolls...those amazing two in one dolls that flip over from one doll to reveal another: bride/groom, blonde/brunette, ballerina/football player. I have collected the gourds I want to use -- miniature bottleneck gourds with similarly shaped and sized head and belly. My own stash fell a little short this year, so I contacted another member of the Virginia Lovers' Gourd Society and luckily got another 20.

These dolls are in one of the books I've written, but having a step-by-step online tutorial has merit as well. I hope you try these for yourself!

Sharpees on Gourd Surfaces

Sharpees can be a quick way to put images on a gourd. I use them for ornaments and bowls when I want colorful calligraphy. There have been some lessons along the way however, and I am happy to share those with you.

This experiment and subsequent lesson has to do with polyurethane and Sharpee ink. First of all, let me tell you I am a BIG fan of Sharpee and use them over paint most of the time. However, there are two problems that arise: not all finishes will mix with Sharpee easily, and Sharpee ink fades over time.

In my experience Sharpee ink bleeds with Miniwax Polyurethane. Even if I use a brush and apply the thinnest coast possible so the ink won't run in drips, the brush becomes colored with the ink. Brushing over the existing brushed places just makes the ink ever-so-subtly blend over the background and image. The fix to that has been to use spray Poly lightly, let it dry, spray again, then brush. Many steps, but it works.

The other problem has been the fact a gourd will absorb the ink color over time. If used to fill in woodburning images, the colored part begins to look like little dabs of ink were applied here and there while most of the image was left plain. Only regular blue tends to stay more visible, but only in blobs.

Customers have brought back gourds with elaborate art on them that after years have faded to nothingness. A little time spent redo-ing the Sharpee on top of the finish brought the gourds back to life with happy results, even after another couple years.

To fix both of these problems, I have started to apply poly first (this works with spar varnish, polyurethane, acrylic, or floor polish--spraying or brushing, the application technique does not seem to matter), let dry and apply the Sharpee design on top of the sealant. The color stays true, is permanent, and has no fading.

The 12 year old back

The renewed back

An example of how Sharpee color fades on a gourd surface can be striking. This gourd angel is about 12 years old. You can see from the rear shot how faded the color had become. With new color, the original vibrant look is renewed. So, as a lesson in process: Put Sharpee colors on AFTER the initial coat of sealant. That keeps the color from soaking into the gourd and fading over time.

The renewed front

Hope this Crackin' Good lesson helps you!
CAM

Storage Solutions for Gourd Parts

Sometimes I get frustrated with the small pieces of gourds, tools, rim materials, and the other detritus that accumulates around the gourd studio. Not all of it is waste; some can be put to really good use if I can save it in an orderly way. Enter the multi-drawer storage unit used by woodworkers for nuts and bolts. I highly encourage use of these things. One drawer is collecting stems and miniature bottleneck gourd heads for the cats I make.

Drawers hold stems and gourd parts,
rim materials, glue sticks pins, nails,
picks, and lures....all the strange bits
and pieces of a gourder's artistic life.

Rubbermaid, 10 drawers. I bought
two of these several years
ago, and forgot them!

Stems serve as tails on the backs of these miniature
bottleneck gourd cats. Finished cats to come!

Micro Bowls

In an effort to make fairyhouse sized gourd bowls, I have been using the belly of miniature bottleneck gourds. This particular one has a crackled rim. It was made by using pliers to squeeze off the edge to get the irregular appearance.

A chisel tip on my inexpensive
woodburner made the wheat image.