5 Craft Ideas for Gourds That Will Elevate Your Fall Decor

Dive into some fun craft ideas for gourds with these five DIY projects that celebrate the harvest season. From intricate patterns etched onto gourds to crafting rustic centerpieces and creating stunning topiaries, each project offers a unique way to showcase these symbols of fall.

Whether you're a DIY enthusiast or looking to elevate your fall decorations, these ideas provide inspiration for turning ordinary gourds into festive DIY fall decor.

1. Gourd art

Growing gourds is a fun process, however, the real excitement comes during the harvest! Here, Melnee Benfield shares three ways to create gourd art.

After cleaning and scrubbing the gourds to remove dirt and wax, a wood carver is employed to etch intricate patterns onto their surfaces. Using iridescent watercolors, leaves are painted, and a final spray lacquer adds a protective finish.

The resulting gourd artworks, adorned with patterns inspired by actual leaves, make for wonderful gifts and seasonal decorations.

2. Gourd topiary

Don't store away your tomato cages just yet after clearing the garden; Alicia W will guide you through creating a DIY gourd topiary for fall that's both simple and cost-effective.

By wrapping chicken wire around a tomato cage, cutting and securing it, and adding a cylindrical wire frame, you create a structure to hold the gourds. Place this into a tall flower pot filled with rocks and soil. Insert gourds into the cage, using the internal cylinder to minimize the number needed.

Crown the top with a gourd, concealing the tomato cage ends, resulting in a visually stunning fall topiary.

3. Stained gourds

Starting with natural gourds, easily obtained from farmers' markets, antique shops, or online, 2 Bees in a Pod - Vicki and Jennifer demonstrate how to stain gourds to highlight their inherent beauty.

Applying a thin layer of stain using a paper towel brings out their colors, followed by a swift wipe to remove excess. The results speak for themselves—stained gourds that showcase their natural charm even more effectively. A quick application of clear paste wax provides a finishing touch.

Get ready to elevate your fall decorations with this simple yet impactful project!

4. Gourd centerpiece

If you're a fan of creating eye-catching tablescapes, you'll love this DIY table centerpiece project. Whether it's for a special event like a wedding or to adorn your dining table for different seasons, a well-designed centerpiece can transform your decor.

Robyn Huff offers insights into selecting the right centerpiece, considering size and scale, and utilizing favorite items like vintage pitchers, candlesticks, and more.

The tutorial takes you through crafting a rustic wooden frame centerpiece, showcasing how to cut, glue, and assemble the wood pieces. The result is a versatile centerpiece that you can style with various elements, including fall gourds, as shown above.

5. Gourd tablescape

If you're still stuck on what do to with your gourds, W M Design House shares her top 3 gourd decorating ideas, which are effective, yet really easy to do.

1. The first technique involves cleaning the gourds and using crackling medium to create a textured surface, then painting them with a vine design using hot glue and white paint.
2. The second approach demonstrates how to mimic wax drips on gourds using glue and flour, resulting in a realistic texture.
3. The third technique showcases how to dye gourds with vibrant colors using dye and applicators, and then protect the finished gourds with clear varnish spray.

The result is a beautiful fall tablescape adorned with a variety of creatively adorned gourds.

Craft ideas for gourds

Whether you're decorating your table, accentuating your garden, or seeking personalized gifts, these gourd-inspired crafts add a touch of autumn magic to your surroundings. Which of these projects impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments below.