The Gourd Festival

We were so fortunate to be able to go to the gourd festival this year. There are so many talented people who have made gourds into beautiful works of art. Until now, I had never heard of making gourds into art, but when I saw all the gorgeous pieces I thought that I would like to give it a try (someday). Here are some pictures that I took while at the festival. Maybe it will inspire you like it did me.

Making a Girraffe Out Of Paperclay

Making this paperclay giraffe was so much fun! You can purchase the paperclay from any craft store. I used aluminum foil for the body and head and wire for the legs and neck. Roll the aluminum foil into a fairly solid ball and poke the wire into the aluminum foil and glue. Wrap the paperclay around the aluminum foil to form the body. As it dries it will crack some, but you can fill in the cracks with more paperclay and after it is dry you can file smooth with a nail file. You will know when it is dry because the clay will not be cold anymore, now you are ready to paint, varnish and embellish. I used false eyelashes, wool for the neck and horns and embroidery floss for the shoelaces.