Making a Gold Gourd Jewelry Box
Gourds are most popular during the fall season and while their natural colors make a beautiful addition to any decoration, they can also be used in a wide variety of crafts. Most gourd crafts require the hollowing of each gourd, which means cutting the gourd open and scooping out the flesh. For some gourds like pumpkins, the flesh is easy to scoop out, while other gourds have harder pulp. This does not mean these gourds can’t be used for crafts, because there is a trick to making the flesh softer. For this project, a pear shaped gourd is used, along with the following items:
craft knife
pencil
gold spray paint
rhinestones
Tacky glue or a hot glue gun
scooping spoon
a piece of blue velvet, large enough to cover the inside of the gourd box
With the pencil, sketch a line around the gourd just below the neck. This will serve as the top to the jewelry box. The line should be even so if needed, use a ruler to measure the distance between the line and the base of the gourd. Take the craft knife and cut along the line until the top is separate from the bottom. Scoop out the pulp with the spoon. If necessary, soak both pieces in warm water until the pulp softens. Fill up your kitchen sink and let them soak for a half hour. Remove the pieces from the water, and dry the outsides with a paper towel. Scoop out the pulp, scraping down the sides thoroughly. Once all of the pulp is removed, the gourd can be set aside to dry for eight days. Slightly flatten the bottom of the gourd as it dries, and each day smooth the edge so it does not shrivel inwards while drying.
Once both pieces are thoroughly dry, they are ready for painting. Take your gold spray and a supply of newspapers and go outside. Lay the newspapers on the ground, and the gourd parts on top of them. Shake the can of spray paint. Spray both parts thoroughly. Allow the sides to dry before painting the bottom. After the paint dries, the rhinestones can be glued to the outside. Some rhinestone combinations to try: blue and red diamond shaped plastic stones, or clear rosette cut stones. Glue them at even intervals over the top and bottom of the box. When the rhinestones are dried in place, the ox is ready to be lined in velvet. Take the blue velvet square and fold it into quarters. Stick it inside the box. With the Tacky glue or glue gun, glue the velvet inside. The easiest way to do this is to fold over each edge so the threads in the velvet do not unravel. Then glue the piece in place. Do not worry if the velvet appears loose inside; it is supposed to have a few natural wrinkles around the sides and bottom. If there is any leftover velvet, that can be glued in the same manner to the lid of the box. Your gold gourd jewelry box is ready to be placed on your bedroom dresser and serve as a home to your favorite jewelry.
Image Credit: Kpsudeep, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
