GLITTER GOURDS

Two years ago I saw Martha Stewart make glitter pumpkins on her TV show. I really liked how they looked so I decided to try them. I used several different kinds of little gourds instead of pumpkins. They sat on my dining room table all through the fall and winter and I didn't toss them out until early spring. Gourds last months and months. I made the basket of glitter gourds in this photo yesterday morning. It took less than two hours from start to finish.

These are really easy to do. Here's what you need to make a pretty basket of glitter gourds:



You need a basket, raffia or excelsior to line the basket, several colors of powdered glitter, brown acrylic paint, a medium size cheap paint brush, a cheap water color paintbrush, white glue and a selection of gourds (or pumpkins if you prefer).

Use the medium-size paint brush to spread a thin layer of white glue over the surface of your gourd. Sprinkle glitter over the gourd, covering completely. (Hold the gourd over a piece of newspaper so you can catch the excess glitter and pour it back into the container.) Let dry for about an hour and shake off excess glitter. Paint the stem with brown acrylic paint and let dry.

I make these every fall now. They just look pretty sitting on my dining room table.