DIY Network

Retro Gourd Lamp Visit DIY's Craft Lab and learn how to create a unique gourd lamp. From "Craft Lab" episode DCLB-112

Guest Melynda Lotyen guides you through making a gourd lamp by showing you how to cut the appropriate pieces and adhering them together with wood glue. Patterns are cut out of the gourd and painted up. A utility lamp is added to finish off the new light.

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	Guest Melynda Lotven creates several gourd treasures in this episode of Craft Lab.
	Figure A

Project Designed by Melynda Lotyen.

Materials:

acrylic paints: lime green, orange, purple, white and lemon yellow, metallic gold
acrylic sealer
dried, cured and cleaned 12" or taller birdhouse gourd
flat piece of gourd measuring approximately 10" in diameter cut from a bushel gourd
assorted paintbrushes
pencil
safety glasses
shop mask (respirator)
mini-hand jigsaw
nail to prick gourd with to insert saw to cut
clip light
4 volt bulb
scraper or scallop shell for scraping
sand paper

Retro Gourd Lamp

1. Cut a 6" diameter circle out of the bottom of the birdhouse gourd, clean all the pulp and seeds out. Soak the inside with water for 15 minutes if it is especially pulpy, then scrap out with a scallop shell or scraper.

2. Cut from a bushel gourd that has at least a 9"-10" flat top or bottom to cut your lamp base. Sand the edges and bottom.

3. Use the pattern and a pencil to draw in your cut marks on the gourd.

4. Use your safety glasses and mask to cut out your pattern on your gourd (figure A), the nail is used to prick the gourd so that you can insert the saw and cut.

5. Paint the inside and outside of the gourd white along with the base you have cut out.

6. After it is dry, pencil in your swirls on the lamp and base.

7. Paint in the colors of your choice for the lamp and base.

8. After you have painted your colors in, seal with a brush on sealer.

9. Set on the base and insert light in the back.

GUESTS :

Melynda Lotven
Website: www.justgourds.com