Gourd Crafting For Kids

Materials needed:

1. A seasoned dried, ornamental or bottleneck gourd, cleaned and cut with a dremel too (diagram 1)

2. Acrylic paint, colors optional depending on puppet you are making.

Example: Flesh tone for a human, tan for a lion also white and brown or blue for eyes.

3. Sealer or varnish

4. Material for the body approximately 2 pieces 10" x 12" cut like diagram 2, also scrap material, buttons, ribbon ric-rac for decoration.

5. Doll hair, sheep wool, goat hair can be used for the head or you may paint your hair.

6. Glue gun and glue sticks and a bowl of cold water for burnt fingers.

Directions:

1. Paint your prepared gourd with gourd with acrylic paint. Paint in layers letting each color dry between coats for a neater look. Seal you gourd with acrylic sealer or varnish.

2. Cut and sew your fabric according to diagram2. Decorate it as you wish with other scraps of material, ribbon, buttons etc.

3. Attach hair to head if you wish.

4. Assemble puppet like diagram 3 and glue with glue gun.

Decorative Hanging Hot Air Balloon

Supplies:

1. Dried bottle neck gourd cut like example 1 below
2. Acrylic paint-white to basecoat and other colors of your choice for balloon and tan or harvest gold for basket color
3. paint brushes, water, paint tray
4. acrylic spray or brush on sealer , modge podge or varnish
5. 5, 20" (longer or shorter depending on size of gourd) cut jute cords
6. glue gun and glue sticks, dremel tool to cut gourd and drill 5 holes in basket
7. 1/2" eye hook
8. Floral tape

Directions:

1. Insert eye hook into the top of prepared gourd, also drill your holes in basket 1/2" down from top spaced evenly around the basket like example 2.
2. Base coat your prepared gourd with white paint and let dry. Use a pencil to draw out your basket and design on your balloon.
3. Paint with colorful acrylic paint and let dry.
4. Seal up with acrylic sealer and let dry.
5. Thread cords through drilled hole, wrap floral tape around cord loops at basket, pull other end up over balloon shape, tie off on top and hot glue under cords to attach securely. Refer to example 3 for assembling balloon