Decorating for Fall with Gourds

One of my favorite Fall decorating accessories is gourds. You can usually find them at farm stands or markets this time of year, and they are inexpensive, come in all shapes and sizes, and can be stained or painted to complement any style decor. Here are a couple of ways I use mine: If you decide to try this project, be sure to select gourds with character (lots of different colors and patterns running through them). The more interesting they are in their natural state, the prettier they will be after they're stained. Before staining the gourds, wipe them off with damp paper towels and let them dry. I use Minwax stain in several different finishes (Special Walnut is my favorite), and you can also use oil paints if you'd like to add more color. The best thing about working with stain is that you really can't make a mistake. If one finish is too light, you can go over it with a darker stain until the desired effect is achieved. If the gourd has a lot of color and interesting patterns, you may want to just spray it with polyurethane to seal it and not stain it at all. I use paper towels (be sure to wear gloves because the stains are oil-based), and just "dab or rub" the stains on the gourds. Stain also works wonders on concrete urns or statuary. I have a pair of urns in my courtyard and, as you can see in the "before" picture below, the finish on this one had faded and looked awful. Here it is after a coat of Minwax "Special Walnut," which gives it a rich antiqued look ... I usually do my urns about once a year, because the stain does fade after a while. This technique works on anything made of concrete or resin, like birdbaths, fountains, and statuary.

The Times They are A-Changin'

The times they are a-changin' *
You can feel it in the air.

The summer's heat is fading,
As Fall arrives with flair.

To every thing there is a season,
With good things about each one,

But Fall ... in all its glory,
Is hard to be outdone.

(First line by Bob Dylan, rest of poem is by me)

---

The times they are a-changin' ... those words are very appropriate for this time of year when Fall's coming arrival is reflected in everything around us. And there's something about the rite of passage from one season to another that inspires me with a feeling of "starting over with a clean slate," especially when it comes to decorating.

One of life's simplest pleasures for me is to decorate our home for each season, and this year I started with the Welsh Dresser in our breakfast area. I began by removing everything from the shelves ...

Then I made a trip to the attic and brought down all my "Fall decor" stuff, which included silk flowers and berries, stained gourds, and my "crock collection" ...

Here are the "after" pictures ...

I hope Fall is in the air where you live and you are enjoying decorating projects, too. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it!

Decorating with Gourds

I don't know about you, but these "Dog Days of Summer" have me already pining for Fall and cooler temperatures. Although we won't have even a hint of Fall before October here in Mississippi, that doesn't keep me from thinking about it.

With that in mind, I would like to share one of my favorite Fall decorating items, which you can find at most roadside produce stands or farmers' markets — gourds!

I think gourds are the perfect Fall accessory — they're natural, inexpensive, and you are limited only by your imagination how you use them. Add some vines, berries, and leaves, and you can create beautiful centerpieces and arrangements that will last until Thanksgiving.

You can use them in their natural state, or you can stain or paint them to complement your decorating style ... and one of the best things about gourds is that you can use them from year to year. I store mine in a large plastic bag in the attic, and they have lasted several years.

The following picture features some gourds I bought for my mother and daughter at a yard sale at a farm a few years ago.

Here is the way they looked after we stained them ...

If you would like to try your hand at staining gourds, here are a few suggestions:

When shopping for gourds, be sure to select gourds with character — in various shapes and sizes, and with lots of different colors and patterns. The more interesting they are in their natural state, the prettier they will be after they're stained.

Start with clean gourds. You can wipe them off with damp paper towels or, if you're not going to stain them right away, rinse them off with a hose and place them in the sun to dry.

I use Minwax stain in several different finishes (Special Walnut, Mahogany, Golden Oak, and Walnut, to name a few). You can also use oil paints to add more color, if you'd like.

The best thing about working with stain is that you really can't make a mistake. If one finish is too light, you can just go over it with a darker stain, until the desired effect is achieved. Also, if the gourd has a lot of natural color and interesting patterns, you may want to just spray it with polyurethane to seal it, and not stain it at all.

I use paper towels (be sure to wear gloves because the stains are oil-based), and just "dab or rub" the stains on the gourds. After the stain is dry, spray them with a coat of polyurethane to seal the finish.

Here is a picture of some of my gourds after I stained them ...

My mantel arrangement
(you can click on the picture to get a closer look)

And my Welsh Dresser decorated for Fall ...

If this has inspired you to start your own gourd collection, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine.