The combination of decoupage and gourds is not new; making bowls is certainly not new. However, to someone just starting out and unfamiliar with either, it is nice to walk through the process. Initially, begin with an opened and gutted gourd, making sure the interior is smooth as possible. This particular gourd enthusiasts liked rose images so a suitable giftwrap was chosen and, after a quick lesson in papercutting (yes, there IS a right and wrong way to cut paper!), lovely roses were prepared for the interior of the gourd. Once the images were ready, they were tested to see how the curvature of the bowls would affect the paper. Sometimes, if the paper is too big it will buckle or pleat. By testing it first, it will be clear if it needs to be split. In this case, two roses were cut along a rose petal line so when it was adhered, there would be a slight overlap of paper, making a 'flat' surface ultimately.
To begin, spread ModPodge on the gourd wall where the image will be placed. Tap the paper onto the ModPodge so it is initially placed, and can absorb some of the moisture. This will help the paper to soften which makes it more malleable. Then brush more ModPodge across the image so it is dampened on top as well. Using a circular motion, rub the surface of the paper with a finger to squeeze out excess ModPodge from under the paper and to encourage a tight marriage between paper and gourd. Brush the excess across the surface, checking for edges that may not have been rubbed into place yet. Keep moving from papercutting to papercutting until all the desired images are in place. Apply a thin layer of ModPodge across the images when finished as a final 'even coat'.
When the interior was dry, a rose embellishment purchased at a Dollar Tree was used as an insert for the front. This was carefully considered because the rose motif was already in place and anything beyond that needed to be in alignment visually.
The metal rose had the multi-petal appearance as the roses on the interior. Initially, the metal rose was placed against the gourd side where it was to be placed. Using needle-nosed pliers, the metal was bent so it curved to match the curve of the gourd wall. Since the metal was lines of metal, that was fairly easy to accomplish. A simple twist of the pliers broke off the ring that must have been meant for a necklace or something. Once that was done, it was traced onto the gourd wall with a pencil and cut out. At first, a mini-jigsaw was used but that proved too aggressive for the handler, so a coping saw blade was locked into the jaws of a locking wrench and that worked much better. Once the shape was cut out of the gourd wall, the insert was tested, the edges of the gourd hole sanded here and there for a nice fit. Eventually, points of E6000 were dotted on the interior of the hole where the metal touched the gourd hole edge.
Cutting extra leaves from the same giftwrap used for the interior carried the inside to the outside, adding more continuity. The mauve colored paint on the rim matched the roses perfectly!
It's a Cracklin' good time to see a project go from raw gourd to a functional, and beautiful, product.
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