Saturday, November 7: morning classes

Swordfish Is Expensive, Gourdfish Is Cheap And Easy! -- Mike Connolly Try your hand at constructing a fish from a banana gourd!  New member and self-acclaimed amateur Mike Connolly will guide participants through the steps of putting together a whimsical fish. Students will cut their own fish tails and Mike will provide precut fins. Students may also cut their own fins from gourd scraps provided by Mike.  You will take away one assembled fish of your design with semi-dried Apoxie-Sculpt in place.  If you stay at the festival all day your project will be almost dry by the time you leave. It will certainly be ready for painting or surface preparation at home on the next day. Supplies Provided by Instructor:  Gourds and gourd pieces, Apoxie-Sculpt, rubber gloves, hand cream, craft sticks, glue, wood pieces, power gourd saw(s) and Dremel sander. Supplies Provided by Student:  Imagination, craft knife, dust mask.  Students who have a gourd saw or Dremel-type tool, or any tools with which they are comfortable working, are encouraged to bring them. Time: Saturday 9:00 AM – Noon  Fee:  $25.00  Number of Students:  Maximum 10, minimum 1

Making Cloth-Coiled Rims -- Tina Skinner Learn how to use cotton and clothesline to make wonderful coiled tops for your gourd vessels.  Create your choice of single coil or stacked top for your project, and leave with ideas for an endless variety of future projects. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   Gourd, cotton products, hemp, needles and scissors. Supplies Provided by Student:   Please bring a smile! Number of Students:  Maximum 15, minimum 1

Textured Leaf Technique - Kathy Gordon  Learn to use a decorating bag and tubes, along with texture medium, to create beautiful textured leaves on a leather-dyed gourd. Supplies Provided by Instructor:    All supplies for an additional $15.00 fee. Supplies Provided by Student:  Student may want to bring an apron or cover up to protect clothes from the leather dye. Number of Students:  Maximum  10, minimum 2

Using InLace Resins --  Betsey Sloan  InLace is a liquid inlay material that takes 24-hours to harden. In this class, taught by the author of the recently released book on InLace Techniques, students will learn how to first grind and polish a pre-hardened sample. Then they will carve a simple design, and woodburn if time allows. Students can then select and learn how to mix and inset their choice of InLace products, leaving class with a semi-hardened inlay to be finished at a later time.  Many choices for designs.  Drill bit set, polishing and buffing compounds, mandrels and sanding/buffing pads included for each student.  Rim materials of pine needles and a strand of inlay beads provided for later use. Supplies Provided by Instructor:    Cleaned thick gourd, student kit including drill bit set, mandrels and drums, polishing wheel, compounds, plus patterns and rim materials. Supplies Provided by Student:  Rotary tool (if Dremel, please have equipped with Universal Chuck.)  Woodburner if desired.  Dust Mask and safety glasses. Number of Students:  Maximum  10, minimum 5

Filigree Carved Gourd and Stone Inlay --  Alice Moore Enjoy filigree carving and inlaying a stone to create a beautiful gourd art piece.  If time permits, students will dye the gourd and apply a rim treatment. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   Instructions, stones for inlaying, glue, dyes and inks, trim for the rim, and disposable gloves.. Supplies Provided by Student:  Mask.  One thick gourd, cleaned inside and out and at least 6” – 7” tall after cutting.  Dremel and carving bits:  1) inverted cone.  2) carbide burrs.  3) ball and cone.  4) small drill bit for filigree. Number of Students:  Maximum 8, minimum 1

Gourd Permanents -- Angela Mohr Learn how to make permanent hair designs for your gourd dollies. Using wood burners and markers, students will create many different hair styles for gourd dolls and puppets.  Styles will incorporate hair accessories as well. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   All supplies. Supplies Provided by Student:  Student may bring own wood burner if prefer to use familiar equipment. Number of Students:  Maximum 10, minimum 1

The Beat Goes On! --  Mary Hooks Make a gourd drum.  Students will learn how to mark, cut and attach drum skin to a pre-cleaned and cut gourd, then choose and paint one of two designs to finish the drum. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   All supplies for an additional $15.00 fee. Supplies Provided by Student:   It is not necessary to bring any supplies for this class Number of Students:  Maximum 10, minimum 1

Get Ready For The Winter Holidays! --  Mary Hooks Two beautiful ornaments will be made in this class. Students will draw and color a chickadee and a cardinal on small gourds with water color pencils, then add embellishments. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   All supplies Supplies Provided by Student:   It is not necessary to bring any supplies for this class. Number of Students:  Maximum 12, minimum 1

Harvest Centerpiece -- Instructor: Kate Fravel Discover the art of floral design using gourds! The mechanics and concepts of floral design will be combined with gourds to create a Harvest arrangement for a gift or a table centerpiece. The photograph is an example. Each student's piece will reflect personal taste and creativity. Students will learn how to open and roughly gut a 6" - 7" diameter gourd, then incorporate the gourd, its lid, harvest elements, silk flowers and mini gourds to create the Harvest arrangement. Although this class is based on a Harvest theme, the concepts can be applied to any floral arrangement or centerpiece. Supplies Provided by Instructor:    Glue, floral foam, picks, dried and silk flowers, tape, moss, mini-gourds and wire. Supplies Provided by Student:   6” – 7” diameter canteen gourd or gourd of similar size, and wire cutters.  Students are welcome to bring floral materials, but it is not necessary. Number of Students:  Maximum 10, minimum 1

Not Pulling Your Leg --  Angela Mohr These are usable gourd fan pulls you can make for all of your ceiling fans!  Learn how to make ceiling fan pulls using mini-gourds and gourd scraps.  Several techniques will be explored so you can suit the pull to the room’s décor.  Easy to achieve results will make you want to make everyone you know a fan pull for the holidays! Supplies Provided by Instructor:   All supplies. Supplies Provided by Student:   Yourself! Number of Students:  Maximum 10, minimum 1.

Filigree Carved Gourd and Stone Inlay --  Alice Moore Enjoy filigree carving and inlaying a stone to create a beautiful gourd art piece.  If time permits, students will dye the gourd and apply a rim treatment. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   Instructions, stones for inlaying, glue, dyes and inks, trim for the rim, and disposable gloves.. Supplies Provided by Student:  Mask.  One thick gourd, cleaned inside and out and at least 6” – 7” tall after cutting.  Dremel and carving bits:  1) inverted cone.  2) carbide burrs.  3) ball and cone.  4) small drill bit for filigree. Number of Students:  Maximum 8, minimum 1

Chip Carved Birdhouse -- Garnell Stultz Learn to use U-shaped wood gouges to carve geometric patterns onto the surface of a gourd.  By chipping away bits of gourd in a predetermined pattern, elaborate geometric designs are created.  This technique can be used on gourd birdhouses, bowls and ornaments. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   All supplies Supplies Provided by Student:   A good attitude! Number of Students:  Maximum 10, minimum 1

Parent and Child Gourd Wind Chimes Class --  Janice Kiehl A parent and child duo will enjoy constructing and decorating wind chimes made from gourds and gourd scraps. All gourds and scraps will come predrilled and ready for assembly.  Duos will attach the pieces together by threading and knotting cord.  Decorate your chimes using markers, beads, and ornaments.  Leave class with a beautiful set of chimes. Supplies Provided by Instructor:   All supplies Supplies Provided by Parent and Child:   Let’s have fun attitude! Number of Students:  Maximum 6 duos, minimum 1 duo