How I make gourd lamps!

First step is to drive out to the middle of nowhere and go pick out some nice gourds at a gourd farm. I like to pick out a bunch of different shapes and sizes. I get like 50 at a time since it's a super far drive.

Since the gourds have been drying out in the sun for months, they grow mold on the outside. I scrub the outside with a wire toothbrush and a solution of one part bleach, nine parts water. The bleach kills the mold and ensures that it will not grow back.

After I clean them, I cut large holes in the bottom with a dremel tool and gut the insides. I don't have any process pictures of gutting the insides, but this is what the inside looks like after it's been gutted and the walls have been sanded down. I wear a face mask and protective glasses because the dust the gourd produces is toxic and can be harmful if too much is inhaled. I use different sized drill bits to make a design in the gourd. I like to sand the edges of the hole on the bottom and "stitch" the perimeter with twine. I think it adds a nice touch.

Sometimes I like to make spirographs with the twine into the gourds. It kinda looks like a dream catcher. I like adding beads for a pop of color.

Once I'm finished drilling and stitching the gourd, I spray them with an acrylic sealer. This adds a nice glossy look to the gourds and really brings out the deep brownish-orangeish colors. It also helps preserve the gourd and will make it mostly resistant to water on the outside.

Once the gourd is completely finished, I make wooden bases for them to sit on. I do this by tracing the bottom of the gourd onto a piece of wood, and add a centimeter or two to the circumference. I cut out the circle with a jigsaw, and then sand it down till it's smooth. Then I make pegs out of wooden dowels that I cut up into equal lengths, usually about an inch. I gorilla glue them to the bottom.

Then I drill a hole in the middle and I thread a bulb socket through. The lightbulbs I use are 25 watt LED EcoSmart lightbulbs. They are low-heat, so they won't get too hot. If the lightbulb is too hot, it can damage the inside of the gourd and potentially be a fire hazard.

And voilà! That's how I make a gourd lamp! I'm currently building inventory for an art festival this fall. I post pictures of new gourd lamps as I make them, so If you guys would like to see them as I churn them out, give me a follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/deeloochia/) or like my Facebook page, Deeloochia (https://www.facebook.com/deeloochia/). I have an Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/Deeloochia) and will be posting pieces when I no longer need to build inventory for the art festival. There are currently a couple still listed! Hope you guys enjoyed this! If anyone has any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask!

Edit: I added an album with a sort of "gourd lamp portfolio" for those of you who'd like to see some more of my pieces. Check it out! http://imgur.com/gallery/Jsq0l

Bonus: Here's a pic of me at my very first art show :)