Spring Gourd Fling project - Inspirational Dried Flowers

 The Crackled Apples are always trying to use up leftovers, repurpose materials, and in many ways make do with what already exists. In this year's Gourd Fling, once the seedlings were planted we met in the adjoining pavilion and worked on a gourd project (after eating of course, YumYum!).

Each of us picked and dried early spring flowers and weeds if truth be told. Flattening them in folds of paper toweling and the weight of book pages. As you saw in previous posts, this gourd patch is no stranger to repurposing discarded books!  Some of those books are very handy when it comes to dehydrating violets, clover, and some no-name weed leaves. Only one book became molded but we think that's because the flowers chosen were too fat (and therefore moist) to be dried flat.

BUT, on to the project!  Gourd bowls were provided that had already been opened, gutted, and sanded smooth. Some members used Dollar Tree rub-on tattoos to add an inspirational message before using small bottles of ModPodge to drop a bit of liquid on the gourd surface. The dot was finger-patted to spread it around before using the same finger to touch the dried flower petal or leaf to place it on the damp ModPodge area. Continued patting with the same finger covers the petal/leaf and, if needed, a bit more ModPodge is added.  The tattoo was patted with the ModPodge as well. 

Once dried, one gourder used various drill bits to make holes around her design and made a luminary (using a click-on LED light that sits inside the gourd). That's 'sparked' a whole new area of interest among the group!  One person realized clover leaves are actually comprised of heart-shaped petals and another sees the value of thin-walled gourds since those tend to 'glow' with light as well as show the light through the wall.