The kids are always asking us to buy those funky decorative gourds at the grocery store in the fall. I usually say no, but last year I gave in and let them each pick one. They were initially annoyed that I wouldn't let them try to carve them, but I challenged them to find a different way to decorate them.
I was happily surprised at the end result. They used construction paper, as well as a few items that they had in their rooms. They turned out really well and lasted a long time since the kids just used tape to adhere everything, leaving the skin intact.
We do a lot of painted gourds. We sell quite a few. We grew these gourds and then cleaned and painted them.
This plant holder is made out of a gourd. I used jute for the hanger and put a few macrame knots in it with some wooden beads. I cut the top out of a gourd (that I grew), and it cracked so I put a leather lace in it to keep it from cracking more.
