Are you looking for inexpensive fall decor for your home? Growing gourds in a garden and drying them yourself is an easy way to bring nature into your home for a cozy, natural look without spending much money. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a friend who lives on a farm, and she gifted me her dried gourds. You would have thought she gave me a car! After seeing the prices in the stores for dried gourds, I will only grow and dry in the coming years. If you want to skip the steps of growing and drying, you will, unfortunately, spend quite a bit of money. There’s also something special about growing them and creating something unique from them or perhaps gifting them to someone else. Here’s how . . .
To preserve gourds, follow these simple steps to ensure they will not rot and can be enjoyed for many years.
- Pick the gourds and place them in a cool, dark space, such as a garage or basement, and ensure they are not touching each other for proper air circulation. If the stems are
intact, gourds may be hung to allow for even airflow and discourage mold growth. - Be patient. Depending on the environment, this process can take one to six months for the skin to dry and become hard. You will know when the gourds are ready when you hear a rattle-like sound when you shake them. This sound is the seeds inside the gourds, gently dancing inside the shells as you shake them back and forth.
- The gourds may not be in the best-looking shape when sitting and drying for several months. Gently wipe them with a damp cloth, or use a steel wool pad or fine sandpaper to make the shells smooth and ready to decorate.
Gourds are beautiful in their natural state and are the perfect fruit to incorporate into any home for the fall season; however, there are many ways to integrate them so the entire family can join in creatively. Remember to preserve painted gourds so they can be enjoyed year after year by sealing them with a shellac or acrylic varnish for a glossy look after painting.
LET’S GET STARTED
SPONGE PAINTING: Even the littlest hands can have fun with a small sponge and fall-colored paint. Dip the sponge in paint and dab it all over the gourd, choosing multiple fall colors for a beautiful ombre-like paint effect. This activity will surely fuel creativity and keep tiny hands busy.
HANDPRINT MEMORY: Create a one-of-a-kind pumpkin memory by capturing a handprint on a gourd. Dipping a small hand in paint or tracing with markers will create a beautiful memory and a cherished memento. Don’t forget to add the date and the child’s name on the gourd so that when they are brought out every fall, your child will be reminded of how much they have grown.
PAINT A DESIGN, PATTERN, OR PICTURE: The possibilities are endless with acrylic paint or
markers. Here is a photo to inspire you.
LEAVES & WILDFLOWERS: If you enjoy pressing leaves or flowers, try using them to decorate by hot gluing them in a pattern around a gourd. This unique decor could be displayed as a centerpiece on a dining room table, giving a vintage Victorian flare to the room.
BIRDHOUSE OR BEE INN: Use a drill to make a hole in the side of the gourd to create a safe place for birds or bees to live. Leave the seeds inside for
a treat for our fine-feathered friends and hang it from a tree by the gourd’s stem.
DIAMONDS, GLITZ, & GLAMOUR: Consider gathering materials that sparkle and shine, and create a magical gourd. Drill holes in the gourd and place a battery-operated candle or a string of colored lights for extra pizzazz or to serve as a magical nightlight in a child’s room so it’s not so scary during spooky season.
CLASSROOM OR HOMESCHOOL MUSIC: Once gourds are dried, the seeds inside make a great sound, perfect for shaking to the rhythm of music. Paint a gourd and use it as a maraca during music time. This could also be used in a homeschool/classroom to transition to different activities – – – if you hear the seeds shake, it’s time to clean up!
GOURD MESSAGES: Gather several gourds and paint a letter on them. When placed together, it creates a message such as BOO, COZY, FALL, THANKSGIVING, WELCOME or OCTOBER. Use your imagination and place them in a special spot for friends and family to see. 
JACK-O-LANTERN: Carve the gourd into a face of your choice with a sharp tool or design it with a small hand drill. This Jack-O-Lantern gourd was designed with a small drill. A small opening in the back of the gourd was cut large enough to place a battery-operated flickering candle. Don’t forget to stain or paint the gourd and preserve it.
GOURD FILLED WITH FLOWERS: Gourds are nature’s perfect vessels for fall flowers, twigs, and berry bushes. Cut off the top of the gourd, and place flowers inside the gourd for a beautiful centerpiece for any special occasion. Simplicity is best, so there is no need to decorate this gourd because the flowers are the star of the show. Wrap flowers in a damp towel or insert a smaller, shorter vase and place inside the gourd before arranging the fall flowers.
Adding a touch of nature’s beauty (with a few embellishments) is a creative way to decorate any home. It allows you to personalize your style while remaining budget-friendly, and most importantly, these activities can include all family members. While rummaging through my fall decor, my father’s paper-mache jack-o-lantern, probably made in the late 1940s, had revealed strands of old frayed newspapers dyed black and orange and a tiny broken stem barely hanging on. I imagine my Nana may have made it for him, and every year I bring it out, I can’t wait to breathe new life into it by setting it next to the window with a battery-operated candle, hoping to carry on the legacy because this decoration is not just a simple pumpkin. It is a connection to our past, a quick glimpse into my father’s childhood and the joy he experienced.
May you all be blessed with the simple pleasures of the upcoming holidays, cherishing time spent with loved ones and remembering the family that came before us. Their mark on our lives will remain forever in our hearts.🧡
