Bernadette's Gourd Creations: September 2012

Sister Kathy picked up seven of my gourds this past Friday. I custom made them for her for reselling in the Dominican Center Bookstore and Gift Shop located in Grand Rapids (http://dominicancenter.com/). I made seven gourd vessels and bowls, some with lids and some without, but all with the purpose of being used as Prayer Gourds. Sister Kathy explained this tradition to me as a vessel to hold petitions and problems that should not be dwelt upon but given to God in faith and trust.

And I am happy to say she was very pleased with all of them and has asked me to make seven more for her. But this time she wants me to make them even simpler in design, and I admit it - simple is a challenge for me, but then again challenge is what I like. :)

Here are some photos of them - check them out next time you're in GR. Also, see them featured on the bookstore's website: http://dominicancenter.com/bookstore/featured-gifts/

Leather and Fiber Bowl

Precious Meeting

Weaved Simplicity

Trinity Knot


Rose is a Rose is a Rose

Three Crosses on a Hill

Turquoise Perfection

I had this really large bushel gourd for quite a few years now. It's been sitting in grandma's basement ever since I took it from the field. I didn't touch it all this time mainly because an animal made a hole in the bottom and top and the gourd itself was rather lopsided. But it's so big so I wanted to take on the challenge this year. I had lots of ideas on how I wanted to decorate it and at last I decided on a patriotic theme - the American Eagle (or Bald Eagle as it is commonly called, but American Eagle sounds cooler). First thing I did was fix the bottom by attaching a leg to the gourd, fixing both the hole and balance of the gourd. I covered the whole bottom half of the gourd with navy blue tissue paper that I decoupaged. Nice effect I think. I woodburned a large bust of an eagle, an eagle flying, and then because God and patriotism should go together I woodburned a banner with the words "In God We Trust." I also woodburned some eagle feathers and an olive branch with 13 leaves (symbolic of the 13 colonies). Plain woodburning didn't cut it for me so I added some color with ink dye, bright red stripes, and I even embossed some pewter stars along the bottom. Love it! What do you think?

Same view but three different "light saturations." Couldn't decide which to post. :)

The Eagle Soaring:

Close-up!

Dominican Center Bookstore Grand Rapids - My Gourds are Now Available!

American Eagle Woodburning - Bushel Gourd Bowl