The Gourdzette
September 15, 2006


Quote of the Week:

"The undertaking of a new action brings new strength."

- Evenius

Inlay Metal in Gourds!

Metal Inlayed Design
by Kristy Dial

Haven't been able to make it to the latest Metal Inlay classes? Bring the classes home to you! Purchase a Metal Inlay Gourd Kit and have your own personal gourd class delivered to your front door, complete with gourds, supplies, and easy to follow step-by-step instructions! Buy kits for your friends as gifts and have a Metal Inlay Gourd Crafting Party! What a great way to learn a new technique! You supply the friends and let us supply the kits! Call for multiple order discounts!

Your personal gourd class awaits! Order your Metal Inlay Gourd Kits now! Click Here!

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Welcome New Subscribers!

We are pleased to bring you this full feature edition of The Gourdzette!

- Announcements
- Feature Article: Cannonball Contest Winner! - Under Hopi Skies
- The Gourd Classifieds
- Calendar of Events
- Contact Us
- Unsubscribe

The Gourdzette is proudly brought to you by CALIFORNIA GOURDS!
To visit the California Gourds website, please use www.californiagourds.com

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) THIS JUST IN - NATIVE AMERICAN BEADWORK BOOK! - NEW
Learn the beautiful beading stitches and techniques of Southwestern Native Americans. Filled with authentic, striking projects for you to make - from jewelry to baskets - this extraordinary book features designs evocative of tribal legends and cultural traditions. Whether it's a Sonora Weave Choker and Earrings set, a Huichol Lace Netted Gourd, or a Navajo Bead Rug, these distinctive projects reflect the beauty and the traditions of Native American life in the Southwest. Order Now!

(2) THE GOURD CLASSIFIEDS & PERSONALS!
What would you do with over 20,000 new gourd customers and friends? Connect with other gourders, sell your wares, seek out gourd items...all in The Gourd Classifieds! What a great way to get hooked up with gourd people like yourself! Find new and used items to use on your artwork! Whether you are looking for a great deal, selling or trading your gourd extras, or looking for the next gourd connection, The Gourd Classifieds are the next best way to getting what you want! To view all of the ads or to find out how to place an ad yourself, visit The Gourd Classifieds at www.gourdzette.com/gourdclassifieds.html!

(3) CALIFORNIA GOURDS COMING TO YOU!
For our subscribers who live in or around New Albany, Indiana, Ojai, California, and Grass Valley, California, be sure to stop by Ben Franklin Crafts to select from top quality, craft-ready California-grown gourds! You can also find a wide range of leather dyes, ink dyes, stamp pads, pigment powders, and applicators for your gourd coloring needs! Be sure to ask about their gourd art classes!

(4) WE LOVE FEEDBACK!
Check out our web site and let us know what you think! If you are one of the many, many people who have ordered Magic Sculpt from us recently, please let us know what your thoughts are! Whatever the subject, we would love your feedback! E-mail us at editor@gourdzette.com!

(5) PHONE NUMBER UPDATE
Please update your phone books for California Gourds. Our new toll free number is (888) 548-7571, and our fax is (951) 443-5245. Thank you! We appreciate your loyalty and continued patronage!

FEATURE ARTICLE


And the winner is...
Under Hopi Skies

by Agnes Sowle

Skill level: Intermediate

Materials
Clean cannonball gourd
Craft glue
Wood putty
Sandpaper
Pencil
Compass
Scissors
Heavy paper or blank stencil plastic
Ruler
Tape
Denatured Alcohol
Acrylic craft paint (black and red)
Acrylic varnish
Paintbrushes
Brush-on or spray varnish
Metal or other stand

Tools
Saw appropriate for cutting gourds
Gourd scraper
Woodburner Pen
Fine line tip for pen
“Dot” tip for pen

Step 1
Using compass, draw a circle in the bottom (stem end) of the gourd. Using saw, cut out circle. Save piece. Scrape inside of gourd though hole and empty. Glue circle back in, fitting carefully. Let dry, then putty any cracks or gaps left in seam. Again dry, then sandpaper smooth. This circle will be the bottom of the gourd. Gourd is now ready for design.

Step 2
Decide where you want Hopi bird design and circles on gourd, keeping in mind that it has a top and bottom. You will want the main design to be about center on one side and the circles interspersed around the gourd. Create Hopi bird design for gourd. In order to avoid copyright infringement, I develop my own designs using historical Hopi designs I find in books about historical Hopi designs or from internet. Make a template for design. Draw out on firm paper or blank stencil plastic and cut out.

Step 3
Tape template on the gourd, and using a sharp pencil, draw around design with pencil. Fill in interior lines. This will be your main design. For the circles, use a compass to draw a few small circles on gourd. Then using ruler, draw in designs in the circles. I use small squares, a combination of lines and squares, and small designs arranged in lines to represent shards of Hopi pottery. Next, draw a wavy line around gourd at about halfway to serve as a guide for your “stars” You will place the stars on the upper part of the gourd. The design is now ready to wood burn.

Tip: To accommodate for the roundness of the gourd, I clip in from the edges of the paper template in several spots and then overlap the papers to form to the gourd. Then I trim any places where the folded seams do not meet exactly on the outline.

Step 4
Using the woodburning pen and the fine line tip, carefully outline all of the lines of your designs, except the wavy line you made as a guide. Using the “dot” tip and your wavy line as a guide, burn small dots around top part of gourd.

Step 5
Using very fine sandpaper or sand foam, gently sand over the burned design to remove any rough spots and residue left from burning. You don’t want to scratch the surface of the gourd, but you do want it to be completely smooth before painting. Then clean off any pencil that remains.

Tip: You can simply erase the pencil, but I like to clean the gourd with denatured alcohol. It not only removes pencil lines but also cleans any remaining residue from the burning and leaves a perfectly clean design for painting.

Step 6
Use the small brush and acrylic paint to fill in the pictures you have traced. I use very small paintbrushes: size 2 filbert and size 1 or 0 round or liner. When you are done painting, let the paint dry for 24 hours.

Step 7
Follow the directions on the varnish or sealer you have chosen to put a protecting finish on your gourd.

 

 

TIP: I use acrylic varnish applied with a good quality wide, very soft artist paintbrush, and use two or three very thin coats. With the round surface, I apply the varnish to one half at a time and let dry thoroughly between coats.

Step 8
Place on stand and enjoy!

Thank you, Agnes!!! And Congratulations on being the Winner of our Cannonball Contest!

Be sure to check out the next full feature issue of The Gourdzette where Agnes has created an expert level project to do with cannonballs! We are very excited and know you will be, too!

For a great deal, order Cannonballs by the box and Save! Each box contains eight 5"-6" beautifully symmetrical cannonball gourds! Order your Cannonballs now!

Share your inspiring gourd projects! And see your ideas in a future issue of The Gourdzette! Send your project ideas and articles to the Editor at editor@gourdzette.com! We love hearing from you!

THE GOURD CLASSIFIEDS

Buy, Sell, and Trade your gourd tools, supplies, fetishes, embellishments, and more in The Gourd Classifieds! Clean up your studio and get rid of those gourd items you no longer need! Place your "FOR SALE" ads in The Gourd Classifieds and get two lines of text plus a bold title for just $15.00*. "FOR TRADE" & "WANTED" ads are FREE! All ads will be viewed on the web by thousands of other gourders for 30 days!!! PLUS your ad will run in one issue of the widely viewed newsletter, The Gourdzette, the longest running online newsletter for the gourd community. To place your ad, contact Patti at editor@gourdzette.com or call (951) 639-3681. To view all current ads, go to The Gourd Classifieds on The Gourdzette web site or just click here!

*Each additional line or partial line is $5.00 per line.

FOR SALE
CUSTOM WEBSITE for artists and crafters. Personal & business sites. Special price includes professional design, optional free secure shopping cart, custom logo & MORE! 5-pages with up to 25-products or images. Only $79 + $30/year hosting (includes domain name) Limited time so hurry! References & free consultation. pagestarts@aol.com.

WANTED
Gourd Instructors Wanted - Looking for all specialties of gourd crafting to start up gourd art classes. Contact Ben Franklin Crafts in Ojai, CA, Grass Valley, CA, and New Albany, IN.

Place your ad in the Gourd Personals and find other gourders like yourself to share your time with! You choose how long you wish to have your ad run on the web, viewed by thousands of other gourders! PLUS your ad will run in one issue of the widely viewed newsletter, The Gourdzette. Create your own gourd patch! Fantastic for Gourd Art Instructors searching for teaching venues! Click Here for Pricing!

GOURD PERSONALS
Attention Instructors - Great way to get students to your classes or to find a new place to teach.
Your ad including your name listed here!

For questions regarding The Gourdzette or The Gourd Classifieds, please contact us via email at editor@gourdzette.com or call (951) 639-3681.

The Gourd Classifieds are copyrighted and the sole property of California Gourds.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FREE ADVERTISING FOR YOUR GOURD CLASS OR EVENTS
Email us with your gourd art classes and your gourd events, and we will add them to our Calendar of Events for free! The Calendar of Events is posted on every full issue of The Gourdzette. Let other gourders know what's going on in the gourd world! Let's get more people hooked on gourds! Email our Editor at editor@gourdzette.com.

************************************************

September 15-17, 2006 - Illinois Gourd Society Festival of Gourds at the new location at the Morten Arboretum. Workshops, demonstrations, competitive classes, raffle, vendors and more. For more info, visit www.illinoisgourdsociety.org.

September 16, 2006 - Mississippi Gourd Festival at the Gourd Gracious Farm in Collinsville, MS. We will have another Traveling Gourd to raffle. Updates can be found at gourdgracious.homestead.com/gourdfestival.html

September 16, 2006 -Gourd Music-Making a Shekere by Terri Schmit, hosted by the Wisconsin Gourd Society. Class will be held at The Gourd Guy, 2099 County Road E, Blue Mounds, WI. Contact Teri Adler at adlerdesign@centurytel.net or 920-836-2324 to register.

September 21-22, 2006 - Pre Festival Classes—Zittels Gourd Farm, 6781 Oak Ave. Folsom, CA. For pictures, descriptions and sign-up information, visit www.folsomgourdarts.com. Payment is due at the time of registration and classes will fill on a first come first serve basis, so sign-up early and enjoy 2 days of camaraderie and gourd fun!

September 23, 2006 - Wisconsin Gourd Society Fall Membership Meeting/Potluck and Open House. Noon-4 pm at The Gourd Guy. For more information go to www.wisconsingourdsociety.com or contact Terri Schmit at thegourdgirl@yahoo.com

September 23-24, 2006 - The 12th Annual Folsom Gourd & Arts Festival will be held at Folsom City Park, Folsom, CA. Applications are available at www.FolsomGourdFestival.com. Contact: FolsomGourdFest@aol.com or (916) 431-3139.

September 23-24, 2006 - Tri-Valley Wood Carvers Annual Show, Included will be judging categories for Gourd Carvings and Gourd Burnings. Displays and vendors wanted. This event will be held in the Senior Center 5353 Sunol Blvd, Pleasanton CA. 94566. For more details go to www.tri-valleycarvers.com or contact Ken Morgan 925-462-6586, e-mail:kjasmorgan55@comcast.net

September 29-October 1, 2006 - Ohio Gourd Show - new location in Greenville, Ohio at the DARKE COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS. Show dates are 9-30, & 10-01. WORKSHOPS will be held 9-29, 9-30, & 10-01. The new location is approximately 25 miles from the Dayton Airport. Workshop Instructor's application now online. Phone: 937-447-2845 E-Mail: tvmosipple@koakonnect.com

October 7-8, 2006 - Coyote Melon Festival at the Mojave Drums Retreat Property in Meadview, AZ. Festival Hours: Saturday, 10:00AM to 7:00PM and Sunday, 10:00AM to 4:00PM. For more information, click here.

October 12-15, 2006 - New Mexico Gourd Society's 2nd Annual Celebration of Gourds. Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd. NE. Gourd classes all four days. Festival dates Saturday, October 14, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday, October 15, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Demonstrations, special exhibits, vendors, arts/crafts booth, featured gourd artist raffle, door prizes, entertainment. Class schedule and registration form can be obtained on our web site, www.newmexicogourdsociety.org.

October 14, 2006 -Gourd Music-Making a Shekere by Terri Schmit, hosted by the Wisconsin Gourd Society. Class will be held at Sew What?! Supplies in West Allis, WI. Contact Teri Adler at adlerdesign@centurytel.net or 920-836-2324 to register.

October 21-22, 2006 - Alabama Gourd Society Festival. This year's festival will be held at the Cullman Civic Center in Cullman, AL. For more info visit
www.alabamagourdsociety.org

November 3-5, 2006 - Sunshine Gourd College in Bradenton, FL. Please see www.sunshinegourdcollege.com

November 4, 2006 - Making a gourd ornament by Mary Rose Mansour, sponsored by the Wisconsin Gourd Society. . Using beeswax and the Ukrainian style Kistka, you will learn design and color balance as you "play" on a mini-gourd to create this wearable art form. Bring shirt/smock for clothing. Time is noon – 4pm. Contact Teri Adler at adlerdesign@centurytel.net or 920-836-2324 to make your reservation or for any questions.

November 4-5, 2006 - Virginia Lover's Gourd Society presents the 5th annual VIRGINIA GOURD FESTIVAL -- Saturday 8:30a-5:30p and Sunday 10a-5:30p at Richards Fruit Market, Middletown, VA (Use I-81 Exit 307 in Stephens City) Vendors, workshops, demonstrations, silent auction, food, entertainment. All the details: americangourdsociety.org/virginia.html

November 11-12, 2006 - Texas Gourd Society 11th Annual Lone Star Gourd
Festival. Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington St., Waco, Texas.
For more info, visit www.texasgourdsociety.org

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!

ABOUT CALIFORNIA GOURDS

California Gourds is the nation's leading online retailer of quality hard-shelled gourds. Our quality hard-shelled gourds are sold throughout the continental United States, Canada, Hawaii, Australia, and more. Dedicated to service and to the gourding needs of our customers, California Gourds seeks out the best pricing and quality of each gourd we sell.

Presently, California Gourds features gourds grown in California. Get wild on gourds! Craft a gourd today!

Visit our web site at http://www.californiagourds.com/

HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU BETTER?
California Gourds is dedicated to bringing you the best gourds, products, friendly service and prices possible! Please let us know how we can serve you better. What would you like to see changed or improved on: web site? newsletter? products or services? Send us an e-mail! Or give us a call: 888.548.7571.


To contact California Gourds:

E-mail: info@californiagourds.com
Phone: 951-639-3681
Fax: 951-443-5245
Toll Free: 888-548-7571

California Gourds
31752 Pepper Tree St.
Winchester, CA 92596

If you have a pressing question about an order or any other issue, please give California Gourds a call at (951) 639-3681 or toll free at 888-548-7571 Monday through Thursday 9am to 3pm (Pacific Standard Time) or send an email to info@californiagourds.com. We are happy to answer any questions!

This newsletter is a copyrighted publication of California Gourds. For information on reprinting this publication in whole or in part, please contact the Editor of The Gourdzette, at editor@gourdzette.com.

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© 2006 California Gourds