Gourd Inspiration!

How do you know what to turn that gourd into that has been waiting there for you?  Other than those you purchase with a specific purpose, you may have additional gourds that you want to use but do not know what to do with them.  One of the unique gourd characteristics can inspire you and give you hints on what to do.  Here is what gives me ideas on what to transform them into works of art or objects of whimsy. 
  There are many gourd varities, kettle, cannonball, penguin, banana, bottle, dipper, martin, canteen and many more.  First take into account the size and shape of the gourd.  Does that kettle gourd beg to be a bowl or maybe a drum?  Don't be afraid to tackle a new project; there are many YouTube videos put out there by other people so do not let that scare you.  How about that penguin gourd?  Does it look like it would make a good penguin or a whale, or fish, maybe even a scoop or dipper? When assessing what to make out of your gourd, look at it from different angles, straight up, on it's side, upside down.  What does the shape of the gourd resemble?  During this looking process, ideas will miraculously pop into your head, maybe even a few ideas!  I have one gourd that I purchased because it looks like the perfect goose straight up and a jumping porpoise upside down!  I am still contemplating which to turn it into ; )
Next, if you have a gourd and you know you want to make a vase, the patterns created on the gourd during the drying process, may be your inspiration.  Maybe the gourd has an interesting scar on it that can be incorporated into a design. One gourd I found and wanted to make into a vase, had concentric rings of varying shades on one side, as if it had dried sitting in a puddle of water.  These rings had the perfect oval shape of the gourd and it struck me to use those ring colors as a "cameo" to frame a wood burnt design. It turned out beautiful.
What about using that gourd along with OTHER gourds to make something!?  This can get quite fun if you decide to really get creative and put some together.  There are methods to connect gourds of which I will address in a future post, so do not think that you have to use just one gourd at a time.  Also, remember when you cut gourds, save your pieces as they could be perfect to make into small items such as gourd jewelry, or may come in handy as that perfect mushroom cap, or bird wing. 
In conclusion, look and listen to the subtle hints your gourds give you, be fearless and tackle that gourd project and get creative!  You never know.......you might just be a gourd artist! 

Getting your Gourd Clean and Craft Ready

I hope you have a dried gourd that is ready for you to start to craft with, but before we can begin it is important to clean your gourd.  As stated before, the gourd is quite ugly and in fact looks rotten when it is dried but we will be uncovering the beauty hiding beneath that ugly facade.  If you buy your gourds, many are available that are pre-cleaned and ready to go.  If you grow your own, you will need the following items as basic cleaning tools, bucket (large enough to put the gourd in) a wool scouring  pad, bleach, a small paring knife for scraping and rubber gloves to protect your hands from the steel wool. 
On a beautiful fall day, take your cleaning supplies outside as it is the best place to clean the exterior of your gourd and gives you plenty of fresh air!  Pour water into your bucket about half full, put about 1/4 cup bleach into the water.  The bleach will kill the mold spores on the gourd. Now, go ahead and plop your gourd into the water; it will float.  Some people like to place a weight ontop of the gourd to hold it underwater.  This is tricky and somewhat difficult to do unless you have a plate or a piece of wood smaller that the circumference of your bucket. You will also need something that provides enough weight to offset the natural buoyancy of the gourd.  I usually just give the gourd about a half hour soak and during this time spin it so that all sides get wet and soften the yuck. This will do for cleaning most gourds.  After the soak, put on your gloves and grab that scouring pad and go to it; scrub it, dunk it and scrub some more until all of the skin has been removed.  You may need the paring knife to scrape the stubborn spots or when cleaning tight spots near the stem or in tight curved areas.  If your gourd has a stem, do not remove it but you may need to lightly scrape it clean. 
Some gourds have a very stubborn waxy skin that seems to repel the water and refuses to soften.  In cases like this, I use the paring knife to scrape some of the waxy skin off in vertical strips as this allows the water to get underneath and soften the rest.  It will require additional soaking and scrubbing to get this completely cleaned off.
When you are done, you should see the smooth brown surface of the gourd which may have some darker spots due to the mold pattern created while your gourd was drying.  Some of these patterns can be quite beautiful and you may want to accentuate it when you do your crafting.  It may also have some blemishes from some bug that tried to get into the gourd and only left his mark....these also just add character. Now just leave your gourd outside on a table or bench to air dry.
Some crafters insist on further cleaning the gourd by lightly sanding the surface to take off bumps and blemishes, but this is not necessary.  These things are natural and only give character to your gourd as well as possibly being instrumental in lending interest to your creative process.
If you grew your own gourds, you will have a few or many, but it is best to clean the whole batch at one time so that they are ready for you when the inspiration hits you!  So get outside, enjoy the fresh air and the outdoors and get those gourds clean and ready for the fun to come.  Check back next week as I will be talking about ideas and inspiration! 

Here is one of my favorite links for some "audio" gourd inspiration......Gourds have a wide variety of uses.........I have attached a pic of my first gourd purse : )   Enjoy!             http://www.gourdorchestra.com

Front view

Inside/lined with mulberry paper

Back

Harvesting Your Gourds

It is so exciting to walk through your garden and see the new crop of gourds hiding under the now wilting vines and gourd leaves!  I have notice some surprises from my plantings this year; obviously the seeds that I planted were not genetically "pure" because I planted banana gourd seeds and what has grown is a blocky squash looking gourd.  But the fun is in the crafting and they will be craft worthy next year.  Next year you say?!  Yes, gourds need a year to dry and cure before you can use them. 
You cannot be too anxious in harvesting your gourds because the best way for them to dry is on the vine!  Leave them attached to the vine until the vines are dry and brown.  At this point, some of the gourds will drop on their own if they are trellised.  If they are on the ground, let them lay until winter as the weather will assist in the drying and the curing process.  The Amish gourd farmers do not harvest theirs until the following spring, so it does not do them any harm for them to stay outside.
Once your new gourd crop is collected, they need to be stored in an open crate or box for air circulation for them to dry well.  You can put them in a barn or shed to cure over winter.  I chose to leave my egg gourds outside and they dried nicely.  Now, during this curing time, the once beautiful looking gourds will become moldy and dirty looking.  Do not throw them out and assume they are rotten!  This is the natural curing process.  A gourd has a waxy skin on the outside that protects the gourd as it grows on the vine.  This waxy skin is what is disintegrating and the reason why it takes on such an appearance.  Underneath, your gourd is drying and getting harder so there is no need to worry.
  Once your gourds are dry, they may be prone to mice attacks; they enjoy the seeds, so you may have a few casualties in storage.  I have attached a few pics of my gourds and some mold patterns on the gourds, which can be quite interesting.  I hope you have a wonderful gourd crop this year and have some gourd surprises in your garden!

example of gourd mold

Egg gourd growing

My mutated banana gourds

Pennsylvania Gourd Fest

This year our PA gourd fest was held at a new location, the Shady Maple complex, a beautiful facility with a superb buffet eatery. This new location provided ample outdoor space as well as comfortable indoor space for our gourd club and vendors.

That sunny June Friday, I got my gourd fix and spent the day perusing the gourd art and shopping for those special gourds for my new projects. When I arrived, there were gourds of all varieties neatly organized in bins under a large canopied area. There were cutters available for those who wanted their gourds pre-cut and there were multiple gourd vendors with supplies and materials. I could feel the excitement in the air as I proceeded directly to the discount gourd boxes to find my treasures!

Now gourd lovers are friendly people and besides not knowing what you will find to kindle that creative spark, it is easy to find new friends while gourd shopping! I met some wonderful ladies that were shopping for gourd pieces in the bargain bins. They were busily pairing gourd tops and bottoms for birdhouses. Ideas were graciously shared and we had a grand time showing each other our finds and whimsical pairings. We all went our own way happily, with arms full.

Next I was off to see the inside area. As I entered there was a small lobby set up with a table and chairs set up for the free demonstrations. Down the hall, there was the great room with all the gourd vendors and artists. Beautiful gourd art displayed the many talents and styles that artisans explore, some inspire you to stretch your own talents while some are just awe inspiring. Although I did not sign up to take a class this year, there were curtained off areas for the classes with many students enjoying their new learning projects and techniques. PAGs had a wonderful display of musical gourd items and of course the gourd auction that featured finished items up for bid as well as supplies for the gourd artist. 

I decided to attend a demonstration on using epoxy sculpt as I had purchased some last year but did not know much about how to use it. The demonstration covered how to mix it, color it, and shape it and even gave the audience a bit of hands on.The demonstrator's experience in using epoxy sculpt definitely showed through her casual “no fear” teaching style.

After enjoying a delicious and plentiful buffet lunch, I made the rounds again through the inside area and stopped to talk with Sylvia who had her beautiful gourd art displayed for sale. Our supply and tool vendor Blue Whale Arts, was unable to attend this year and was missed but we hope they will be with us next year.

Although our new facility will prove to be a great location for our future gourd fests, I am sure we will all fondly remember the Smucker family who graciously hosted our gourd fests past. We all thank them for sharing their farm and for working hand in hand with us to make the fests a success and a wonderful experience to hold in our memories.

Gourd festivals are very inspiring and are a great place to explore the many modalities of gourd art.  Many states have their own chapters and some states have local "patches" that get together monthly to share techniques and projects.  Why don't you check your state for a gourd society chapter, visit and explore the creative world of gourds!

Well, the gardening has begun!  I really enjoy digging in the soil, turning it, weeding and seeing the increased number of earthworms.  I decide to forgo the use of tiller for this job because I love connecting with the soil.  This process is very meditative for me and as I turn the soil I contemplate the miracle of growth and give gratitude to the earth and to my father who taught me what I know about gardening.
 I had started a compost pile which is not in an optimum place due to not having enough sunshine, so I decided to compost directly in the garden!  This seems to be a great decision and I believe this is the reason I have such a nice increase in earthworms.  All I do is take the kitchen scraps out, dig a shallow hole about 5-6 inches deep, spread the scraps in the hole and shovel some soil back on top.  The worms do the rest!  Make sure when you compost you use only vegetable matter and keep in mind citrus does not compost well.

I lucked out and discovered at the hardware store three 40lb bags of wood pellets that were being given away free because the bags were broken open and were exposed to moisture.  I snagged those babies and spread them in the garden!  I did my due diligence first and researched to make sure there were not additives or chemical content.  The wood pellets absorbed the moisture and broke down beautifully, adding organic matter and moisture retention ability to the soil.  Mushroom mulch is sold by the scoop locally here in PA; it make a lovely top dressing for your garden and I also use it to mix in with the soil when I plant tomatoes. 
So far this season, I have planted collard greens, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, carrots, radishes, kale, onions and potatoes.  Now, most people here in PA do not understand this thing with collard greens...this is a southern thing that is not understood this far noth, however, I am from Virginia and southerners know there is nothing better than some collard greens cooked with a bit of ham or better yet, a meaty ham hock!  I am making myself hungry now....!
To my dismay, I visited the garden this morning to find my lettuce and my broccoli had been topped by the resident rabbit!  Not good.  To discourage rabbits, I hear blood meal sprinkled around the garden arer will repel rabbits.  I prefer not having to purchase critter control products; I figured that since I had never seen my cilantro bothered, I thought it may act as a deterrent if I planted it next to the rabbit's preferable dining choices.  We will see how that works.....  The good news is, I harvested my first few asparagus spears today! They did not last long after washing; they were wonderfully sweet and crisp!

Remember to "season" your seedlings!

It is still cool here in southern PA. and the perfect time to plant those cold weather veggies such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, radishes, onions and potatoes.  Instead of starting my broccoli and cabbage from seed I purchased seedlings to get a jump start on the season.  Not only am I  particularly fond of these, there is a little garden pest that LOVES these tender little seedlings too...the CUTWORM.  Cutworms can be in the soil (typically where there has been a lawn or grass because the feed on the roots.  Out of sight and right beneath the soil line, they wrap themselves around you nice little plants and chew around the base.  You, the happy gardener, go to check on your newly planted plot only to find them wilted or laying dead on the ground, leaving you disappointed and wondering what you did wrong.  Well, this cutworm is easy to stop and only takes one item and one extra step during planting, and, will save you from all that disappointment of loosing you crop!  The secret is cutworms hate black pepper!  And the good part about using black pepper is that it is completely natural and will not harm the beneficial earthworms...win, win : )

So here's how:
Raid your spice cabinet and get the can of ground black pepper ( even though you will have to replace it...a good investment!)
Remove your seedlings from the pack and place in the prepared hole.  Before covering with soil, sprinkle the black pepper around the plant set.....I use about a half teaspoon per plant but no measurement is necessary. 
Cover the plant roots with soil and for good measure, I sprinkle a little more pepper on top of the soil around the plant.....just to make sure!  You will be so pleased to see all of your seedlings remain standing and growing happily : ) 
One more tip.....  There is another pest that loves cabbage and the other plants in cabbage family.....the cabbage looper.  During the maturing season when the weather is warmer,  you may see these pretty little white butterflies in your garden.  Don't be fooled.....these most likely are the cabbage looper laying its eggs on your plants.  But again, there are a few all natural remedies to prevent them from devouring your crop.  If you have a fireplace you should have some wood ash...or if you do not have wood ash, you can purchase from your health food store or gardening center some diatomatious earth. (it will cost you more from the gardening center). Diatomatious earth is the skeletal remains of microscopic water animals.  The skeletons are very sharp edged and just like the wood ash will scratch the skins of any crawling "plant munchers" and they will die from dehydration.  All you need to do is sprinkle your plants with either of these and again, both are completely natural. 
One word of caution using diatomatious earth....apply this on a day with little wind as you will not want to inhale it.  Also try to limit the amount you get on the ground as it will do the same to earthworms as it will to cabbage worms!  Happy gardening.

PS....I am trying to get this on the "Gardening" page, but it may not work!  Still learning about this blog thing ; )

Try, try again!

It seems that seedlings do not like blue!  This is the conclusion I have come to due to the fact that out of 6 seeds and 2 trays, none of the seeds sprouted in the blue Styrofoam tray.  I sprouted seeds successfully in a yellow tray so I know it  is not the process that is incorrect.  I have decided to try a different method using a heat mat. I am clipping the seeds and will pot directly in a peat pot covered with plastic wrap to preserve moisture.
Who would think that a seed could be affected by color?!   Strange the things we do not know that affect natural processes......... unlike nature's inborn knowledge inside that seed!   Try as we might in our infinite quest to outsmart nature, we must come to the realization that nature is already perfect. 
 It has been proven that plants are affected by sound....they love classical music and are not too fond of rock.  Music is sound and sound is vibration.....makes sense.  If you think about that and extrapolate that to the human body, wouldn't our bodies be affected by these things too?  Maybe we should be more aware of what vibrations we are feeding our bodies individually, if we are to raise humanity's vibration.  So, consciously feed your body good vibrations and be your own composer!  Lastly,  I could not help but be reminded of this song...enjoy!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVKCRpOewco