How to Make Snowmen From Gourds

Who knew a gourd was so handy?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Buttons
• Socks
• Semigloss Or Matte Sprays
• Steel Wool
• Steel Wool
• Newspaper
• Newspaper
• Pencils
• Markers
• Pencils
• White Spray Paints
• Pencils
• Markers
• 6-inch dried, bottleneck gourds
• small, artificial carrots

1. Choose a smooth, dried, bottleneck gourd, about 6 inches tall, not including the stem.

2. Soak the gourd in warm water for 4 hours to soften its skin. Put a dish towel over it to hold it down: Gourds float.

3. Remove the skin with steel wool.

4. Rinse well.

5. Let the gourd dry overnight.

6. Take the gourd outside or into the garage and place it on some spread-out newspapers.

7. Spray paint it white all over. You may need more than one coat of paint depending on the temperature and quality of the paint.

8. Draw a face on the smaller end of the gourd with a pencil.

9. Go over the pencil marks with a fine paintbrush or a Sharpie marker.

10. Spray the entire gourd with a semigloss or matte spray.

11. Use a small artificial carrot to make the nose. Cut the end off so that it's flat, and glue it to the face.

12. Glue buttons down the front.

13. Roll the open end of a sock up to form a hat. Pull the hat over the stem and glue it to the snowman's head.

14. Make a scarf using another sock or any other suitable piece of fabric tied in a single overhand knot.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure the gourd is completely dry before you paint it, or the paint won't stick.

on 11/22/2005 Use twigs for arms and even try dabbing faux snow (can be bought at any craft store)on the finsihed snowman.

on 11/22/2005 In my experiences in crafting gourds, I have found markers often have a tendency to run when applying a finish coat to them.