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Carol Duvall

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  • Halloween Gourds
  • From "Carol Duvall Show"
    episode CDS-567
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    It has long been a problem for periodicals to remain timely when they are prepared so far in advance of the actual sale date. So, when HGTV's staff was preparing the fall issue of HGTV Ideas magazine in July and wanted pumpkins on the cover, there was no place in the United States where real pumpkins were in season. Undaunted, HGTV's staff simply decided to substitute gourds and ordered a generous supply of basketball-size gourds from Lena Braswell's Gourd Farm in Wrens, GA. The gourds were distributed to a number of HGTV's on-air hosts with the request that they "do something" with them.

    Well, I turned my gourd decorating into a family affair and enlisted the help of my son and daughter-in-law to carve a gourd version of a jack-o-lantern. My daughter-in-law, Rita, drew the rather severe features, while my son Michael carved them out using a Dremel tool and I added the finishing touches by drilling holes across the top of the head and filling them with toothpicks. Michael also carved an opening in the back so a candle could be placed inside.

    Quite in contrast to the primitive look of my gourd was the labor-intensive version that my producer, Linda Watson, decorated. Linda started by sanding, and sanding, and sanding to smooth the surface and remove the mottled look caused by the mold that had formed. She cut an opening about four-inch diameter across the top, and painted the entire gourd with Liquitex metallic bronze paint. Around the opening she placed several carved grapes and leaves made from a product called Carved Magic. When dry, she colored them with Krylon's new gold and silver leafing pens. It was quite spectacular looking.


    RESOURCES :
    gourds - Lena Braswell
    Lena Braswell Gourd Farm
    1089 Hoyt Braswell Rd.
    Wrens, GA 30833
    Phone: 706-547-6784

    Krylon metallic/leafing pens
    Available at local craft and hobby stores.
    Krylon Products Group
    Website: www.krylon.com

    Carved Magic deluxe grape cluster- discontinued

    Iridescent (Metallic) Bronze - Liquitex
    Available at Michaels or fine art supply stores.
    Liquitex
    11 Constitution Ave.
    Piscataway, NJ 08855-1396
    US
    Phone: 732-562-0770
    Toll Free Phone: 800-445-4278
    URL: www.liquitex.com

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