Fielding a Question about Gourds

Hi Everybody!

Wow! featured on The Crafty Crow, Craftzine Blog and on Boing Boing? Zowwee!
Thanks Everybody!

I am getting a few questions on the use of freshly cut gourds. Tis the season, after all!

If you find or grow fresh gourds, ( I got some at the pumpkin patch) the best thing to do is place them on a plate or tray with gravel in it, in a warm dry place. Then turn them every couple of days to make sure they dry evenly. They are pretty and this makes a good looking fall display on a table. I have also heard that sponging them off once a week or so with a dilute bleach solution increases your chances they will dry well. Mold is your main concern.
Once they are all dry, (which takes quite a while, a few months anyway) they will be a golden color and will rattle when shaken.

Then just scrub them with a scouring pad, dry them off and seal them of you want to. I used mod podge and some people use furniture wax.

Thanks and keep reading.. Next up: The New Vintage Wardrobe Rides Again!

Gourd Dollhouse Tutorial

Make a house that is just the perfect size and shape for your lovely little peg doll friends.

First: Select your gourd. I got mine from The Caning Shop in Berkeley. (By happy memory stirring coincedence, it was right behind (same building) The Gilman Street Project, which was where I first saw Nirvana, when we were all young enough that they should be playing in tiny all ages clubs.) These are Kettle and Bottle gourds. The bottle gourds were 14.00 and 9.00 being medium and small sized and the Kettle gourds were 5.50 each. They are very nice there and you can phone them so you can get help selecting the perfect gourd.

To cut the gourds you really do need a rotary tool (Dremel being the most widely owned).
You will want to select the rotary saw bit with the rough surface, the other spiral bit is much harder to control.

Draw on your door and window shapes in pencil (which will wipe off with a damp cloth if need be). I keep my shapes rounded and organic, being both easier to draw and to cut, and they work best with the gourd shape, as well.

To do the cutting I brace the gourd against my body as it does take a bit of pressure and a steady hand to do the cutting. Press straight down and the bit will drill right into the surface of the gourd. Once seated, press the bit forward to trace over your pencil lines. I like to make sure my hand will fit inside the door, as it makes cleaning out the gourd Much Easier. This is both Loud and Dusty. Eye and ear protection is recommended.

Once you have the holes cut, scrape out the seeds and dried gourd guts with a spoon.

Smoothing and getting out the flakey dry stuff is easier with this type of abrasive pad, cut small to fit inside your gourd.

Use a 450 grit sandpaper to round the edges of all the opening to make it safe for tiny, soft fingers.

I use inexpensive acrylic craft paint because it had great colors and covers very well. Also you can just squirt it right inside the gourd and spread it around.

Decorate your gourd with "curtains". I have used eyelet, fringe and pompoms for my curtains. All are cute. Hang with hot glue or other adhesive.

My rug is a felted weater scrap, trimmed with scallop shears, and also glued in place. The fluffy rug helps mitigate the uneven floor of the gourd.



Now make some tiny furnishings and move those sweetie peg dolls right in. Make a whole neighborhood.

Be sure to let me know if you make one! I will start a little flickr group, so everyone can show off their creations!

I will be putting these samples up in my Etsy shop, with their wee residents and some new furniture, hopefully next week.

Kitchen Pictures

Take a look at my new old play kitchen.

you know the drill, click on the picture to enlarge

One would wonder why a grown woman, who now has her own real life size kitchen to drudge around cooking and cleaning in, would possibly want another, smaller kitchen.



It isn't because I can clean this kitchen up and 5 minutes later it isn't trashed by all the various doll residents.

She's got Betty Davis Eyes.

Or because it makes my fridge and dishwasher seem positively up to the minute

The little burner colors change to red when you flip the switches

Well, I guess I needed a place to keep all my Re-Ment.

And I now have the perfect garment to wear when I am playing with toys!

I got this wonderful Apron from Dorie at Tumbling Blocks. Thanks Dorie! I Love it, even if Cooper does think I am a big Old Ham.

Stay Tuned for the Gourd Doll House Tutorial...
I have been working on it all week!

Made It Myself Monday: Another Pup and Pumpkin Pancakes

A new pup with stuff. Pedro Pup.
Actually Augie the Doggie found a new home.
And then he found 2 more new homes. So I am in the pup making business.
At least, for now.
And I am just thrilled about it.

KnitSonya was the first to ask about Augie but after there were other inquiries she said her lovely daughter would actually prefer a Chihuahua... so I made this little Pedro Pup.. But I then did more research and I think she meant a chihuahua that looks more like this.
Hmmm. That will be so Cute!

Anyway.. I am setting about making one that is more like that anyhow.
and I am listening to funny chihuahua songs, because it makes me laugh.

And if that isn't just nice enough,
this weekend my hub made these :
Pumpkin Pancakes
(swoon)


and I loved them,
so I am suggesting to anyone who wants a
cozy Autumnal breakfast experience
to get the recipe.. and eat some.

Yummy.

The Friday Finish Line (Saturday Edition)

I am back to my "School Week System" of making a list of what I managed to get done Friday to Friday.
What did I get done this week?

I canned tomatoes with my friend Meridith.
This is just batch number one. 17 Jars. 8 for me, 9 for her.

It is beyond addictive to set in stores for the winter.
It appeals to me on a
"wild frontierswoman/ Survivor of the Great Depression"
kind of level.

I sent StressBunny II: The Return of StressBunny
off to his new home in The British Isles.

I got my haircut. Only 12 weeks overdue.

Took Puppers to school.
He isn't the best puppy in class, but he's close.

Talked to the track coach about some nasty foul mouthed little creatures
who have NO Idea What Sportmanship Looks Like.

I made a new "pup with stuff" for a sweet friend

Finished His Dark Materials trilogy.

Bought "pricey" vintage toy kitchen. Photo Essay to follow.

Ordered more tomatoes to can.

Finished a crayon tinted vintage embroidery bit.

And went to watch track meet number one featuring "the reluctant runner: Jacob Mann".
He was not last.

Put off regular housekeeping chores with a level of procrastination that is difficult to explain,
let alone justify.

It was a pretty good week.

Gourd Getting and Thanks on Thursday!

Just a Big Thanks to my blog friend Cassi for featuring my Gourd house on The Crafty Crow !
And to all the nice new folks stopping by from there.

Just wanted to post a link on where to get those great gourds:
Wellburn Gourd Farm sells them in big bunches,
Amish Gourds are more expensive but you can buy one at a time.
This one is 5 inches across but only the tiny peg ladies fit inside.

A bigger Kettle Gourd could house multiple sized dolls, and that would be sooo sweet.

If you like these little play sets but don't feel crafty, I can make you a doll house to order. Just email me.
Or if you'd like to see a step by step tutorial, leave a comment.. I will order more gourds and put one together as quick as I can!

Thanks everyone. Lately I can use all the encouragement I can get!

Made It Myself Monday: Simple Little Doll House

The peg doll twins needed a little house.

I took a swan gourd that I dried a few years ago, that was too interesting to toss, but had moved from the realm of seasonal decor into the realm of clutter. I washed and sanded and painted it with Mod Podge Gloss. Then, I cut out doors and window with my little dremmel tool. (I used the rotary saw tool; the one that looks like a drill made of sandpaper) I used what I had, and it looks like Dr. Seuss was their architect.



I scraped out all the dried up gourd stuff with a metal spoon, smoothed a bit, with sandpaper, and then painted the inside their favorite color.

After it dried, I hung eyelet curtains made a rug, a bed, and a little spool table.



Easy as pie.



Simple Little House.

Tuesday? Really?

Hmm... already Tuesday, already September. 8 day since my last post.
I'm in deep denial.
So here you go... some images of cute animals and purchased loot to distract you from the fact that my promise to start blogging regularly again has not yet been fulfilled:

Gratuitous Thrift:

more stuff I don't need and could not live without.

Gratuitous Kitten:

i just love the sly smile

Gratuitous Pup:

snozzle

Gratuitous Cicada Studios Fabric Splurge:

they make me a little weepy, they are so pretty

As for serious news?
My son is now the same height as myself, I am working on a cool top secret project with my sister, I am sewing a new vintage garment, in swanky, saucy animal print-ish velveteen, the pup can roll over on command (and often actually does), the fridge has been clean and organized for 4 straight weeks, I gained back 3 of the pounds I lost since I started walking almost every day, and J actually likes at least one of his teachers this year.

Let's all have a hearty cheer for Mrs. Anderson, Miracle Woman!

All right, I really will start posting regularly again. I'm serious. This time I really mean it.