I enjoy pyrography (woodburning). It is the first craft I've found that is easy, you see immediate results of your work, you can design your own patterns or use others', either as is or altering them to suit what you want. Pyrography can also be done of several different mediums, not just wood. Leather takes it beautifully, and dried gourds provide interesting shapes from which to work the designs around.
This latter medium is what I am currently researching (again). I bought some gourd seeds the other day and intend to plant one or two of them. I don't want a huge pile of gourds, at least not yet. Even more immediate is the probability of selling our place and moving back to Texas, and trying to move gourd plants just does not sound like a fun endeavor, as I would not leave them here. LOL
I'm considering planting 4 seeds in a huge terracotta pot. The best 2 plants that come up will be the ones I keep, removing the others. Moving the pot with a trellis in it for holding the vines & gourds will be easier than if I was to try digging them up later. Which probably wouldn't work anyway. They have such a long growing season (up to 180 days!) that transporting them in our move once the place sells, should be ok even if it's later in the growing cycle. I'd just have to be very careful with it. Hubby will love that!
I found a few interesting sites with information on gourd shapes & sizes, how to grow & dry them, and crafts to make from them, pyrography included. Some of the most beautiful I've seen also have embellishments such as basket weaving, inlaid stones, metal leafing, beads, paints & stains, etc. The ideas seem endless.
Making a few bucks extra for myself would really be nice, and I think growing & drying the gourds, then selling them, whether plain or embellished, should be a good way to make a few bucks. I could sell them at flea markets and/or online. If I get proficient enough at it, I could even offer classes on it.
So, that's my new project - grow gourds, dry them, decorate them, sell them, and offer classes. I would love to teach something. I enjoy teaching and working with people, so teaching something fun just might pay off!
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