January
2001 I accompanied some of my family to Hawaii and we took in the
Swap Meet. I just happened to see gourds hanging on a rope and
immediately a vision flashed before me: Polymer Clay and
Gourds. So I bought what I could without breaking the bank and
also thinking of how to pack the gourds for the flight home.
The beginning of another addiction. As of now (July 2001) I've
PC'd 18 gourds and another 22 are on their way.
The 1st gourds I did were from Hawaii, already cleaned and
installed with twine.
What a blast to do. Cane (1-4) and Pearl Inks
(5). I paint all the gourds with Sobo glue to give the gourd
tooth. Let it dry. Make pieces of the cane pattern,
usually run 1st layer thru at #3 then lay the cane layer (#3 or #4)
on top, cut and afix to gourd. I made a rope affect to lay
inbetween or on top of where the pieces fit together.
(1,2) front and back - ClayCamp 2001, picked leaves
outside the camp then did a applique and covered with pearl powders
(3,4) are sheets of texture pages run thru pm
(1) 'gourd man', made at clay camp. When the
cats see this face on the computer they get afraid and jump.
(2,3) this g. measured 3" tall so I split it in half and lined
the inside with canes
(1,2)mask on g with triangle shapes. Beads
with curly wire for hair, ribbons and wire hanging on sides.
(3,4) pc on g with inlay of red, yellow, beads and feathers hanging
on sides.
(1,2,3) my little owl "hooter". he
is a small gourd. I started with his bitty feet on a branch
then attached his body, wings, etc. The base was built with
stacked up scrap pc and then covered it with black.
July 2001 - gourd all hollowed out, covered with pc
leaves inside and out. Little flowers are at the end of
twisted wires that are stuck into beads and the beads are then glued
onto the bottom of the basket
At the present time I'm working on a 33" g that
will be a Southwestern bowl of some sort and I have another gourd
that I hear noises coming from, seems to be moving around, like
something is trying to get out. (???)
Now Presenting: (finally completed Aug 2001)
This has been a very fun project. I love the
subject matter, colors, polymer clay and gourds. This one
measured 34" circum. 8" high. The inside has
individual pieces laid out one at a time, tiny bit by bit!
Some of the highlighting was done by using Pearl Inks.
I almost feel like a traitor showing gourds without
polymer clay BUT I just had to strike out and try something new and
different to me so armed with a new sword jig saw I did the cutouts
(oh what fun!!!), picked leafs from the trees, woodburned them and
then painted. The last bowl has gold leaf on all the edges.
(1) Just some pictures of my couch with sitting
gourds, only room left for cats, not me. (2) a new birdhouse, this
one made for finches (3) a gourd sent to me by my Gourd Friend
Colleen, and I can blame her for getting me into this and into this
and into this (4) gold gourd wrapped with fiber from Cardladies and
beads, love this stuff
(1)lavendar gourd wrapped with fiber and ribbon
(2,3,4) gourd au natural with pc grapes/leaves/vines. cooked
in oven for 2 hours! wow
(1)gourd bowl with pc grapes/leaves/vines and
paper/paint inside. This was a present for the hostess of the
Magic/Astrology Swap. The crystal that goes in the bowl was
sent later. All going to Barb Elfie! (23,4)just some
little surprise fella's
my gourd birdhouse phase
gourd birdhouse phase, continued and continued and
continued
