Issue 4

Washington State Gourd Society
Winter 2008, Volume #1—Issue #4
www.wagourdsociety.org
In this Issue
Presidents Message
1, 2
Wacky Weather
3
Copyright Issues
4
Growing Gourds
5
Members in the News
6
Favorite Quotes
6
Funny Thoughts
6
Volunteers Needed
6
Growing Gourds Cont.
7
Featured Artist
8, 9
Reasons to join the AGS
11
Your Toolbox/ Gourd Classes
11
Gourds on the Go
12
Embossing Tutorial
13
Wuertz Farm
14
Upcoming Events
15
Myrna Grigsby was elected
as a Director to the American
Gourd Society this year.
Myrna will also be a judge at
the Wuertz Gourd Festival
this year.
Your WSGS Officers
President - Myrna Grigsby
Vice President - Dynva Todd
Treasurer - Garry Carr
Membership Secretary - Patty Burke
Secretary - Alana Riveira
Webmaster - James Ozburn (Oz)
Newsletter Editor - James Ozburn (Oz)
Director - Bob Riveira
Director - Kate Franchimon
Director - Dotty Cooper
Director - Jim Martin
Director - Sandra Palmer
Presidents Message by Myrna Grigsby
I cannot believe it is 2009. when I was growing up, my friends and I would figure out how
many years old we would be the year it turned
2000. now I have to add 9 more years! Yikes!
We have 3 fundraisers going at this time and
hope all of you will help support the projects!
We have two wall hangings, one has the theme
of Spring and the second has the theme for the
Fall. Alana and Bob Riveira and Dynva Todd
We are getting our committee's together for the
have spent a lot of time putting them together
2010 festival and will post any and all inforand we know you'll be amazed when you see
mation on the website. We need you to volunthem. Thank you to all the artists who submitteer to help us out! I know, when someone
ted their tiles! We also are doing another Travsays the word "volunteer" they head to the hills
eling Gourd. Dynva Todd has donated the
and don't look back.. but in order for this to be
gourd to be used and if you want a spot you
a success we need as much help as we can get
will have to check the website, so when it's
from all of you, the members. For those that
posted you can sign up. Tickets will be $1.00 a
don't know, we have invited the Idaho Gourd
piece or 6 for $5.00. We plan on drawing the
Society to co-sponsor the festival with us and
winning tickets in the Fall and will be selling
they have agreed to do so! The name of the
tickets right up until then. If you would like a
festival is Northwest Gourd Festival
"bunch" of tickets either to purchase or sell
"Celebrating Nature's Canvas" July 18 and 19,
yourselves, contact Dynva Todd at Dyn2010. As of this moment, we are planning on
[email protected] and she will send them to you.
having the festival at The Grant County Fairgrounds, located in Moses Lake, WA. Again,
On to another topic. The American Gourd Soall information will be posted on the website.
ciety. If you are already a member, then you
know how amazing the magazine is and the
We are running a contest for someone to come
things you can learn from it. It is chocked full
up with the logo to go on all of our festival's
of tutorials, tips, gourd art and so much more.
information.. i.e.. advertising, posters, t-shirts,
For $15.00 a year (that's only $1.25 a month!)
etc. If you would like to enter, please read
you can receive the quarterly magazine, supabout it on the website for all the information.
port gourd artists and learn and have fun at the
(Are you getting the hint? We want you to read
same time. I urge you to go to
the website!) The contest closes on June 30.
www.americangourdsociety.org and check it
There will be 3 judge's from Washington and 3
out You will be truly glad you did. I promise!
from Idaho. Oz, our webmaster won the contest for naming the festival and Evie Scribner
won for coming up with the tag line; Celebrating Nature's Canvas. So get those logo designs
in!
Continued on page 2
Director - Evie Scribner
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 2
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Presidents Message
(Continued) by Myrna Grigsby
By the time this comes out I will have returned
home from Wuertz "Running of the Gourds". I
was asked to be a judge again this year and was
happy to oblige! The success of this festival is
amazing. The amount of gourds that are entered
into the competition continually knock my
socks off! The vendors, both commercial and
private, are spectacular and offer such good
deals it's hard to come away empty handed.
(your pocketbook might be empty though!).
The caliber of teachers and the variety of
classes that are offered is outta this world. My
hats off to the Wuertz family and all the many
volunteers who makes it happen, year after
year. Here's a shout-out to all those wonderful
venders and teachers: WE NEED YOU AND
WANT YOU FOR OUR FESTIVAL!!
With that, I sign off and ask you to remember
this.."It hardly seems real.. the life without the
ha.."
Myrna Grigsby
NORTHWEST GOURD FESTIVAL
LOGO CONTEST
WSGS President
It is with sad news that one of our members has passed away.
Listed below are the initial rules for the logo contest
for our joint endeavor with Idaho Gourd Society for
the 2010 festival
Carolyn Wiley of Eastsound (Orcas Island), WA., Passed away 12 December
2008, Our deepest condolences go out to
her family.
1. The contest begins January 1, 2009 and ends
June 30, 2009.
Carolyn moved to Orcas Island in 1975
where she worked at Washington Federal
Savings and Loan for 14 years and met
her husband, Mike Wiley, on a blind date.
They enjoyed traveling, building their
dream home, and their dogs, Mandy and
Rudy. Carolyn was a long-time member
of the Madrona Club and a volunteer at
the Orcas Center. She was gifted with a
green thumb and created beautiful gardens and areas of repose. She was also an
accomplished artist.
2. The selection committee will consist of 3 members from both WSGS and IGS.
3. The format will be sender's choice (i.e. snail
mail, email jpeg, etc.)
4. The winner will win a shirt and recognition for
being the logo contest winner!
5. If you cannot scan your logo, snail mail it to
Oz and he will scan it. Mail to: James Ozburn,
2756 Maple Street, Bremerton, WA 98310
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 3
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Wacky Weather
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
by Oz
We have had some odd weather this past year. The eastern part of the state didn’t get a long period of warm weather
over the summer. This will have a long term effect when dealing with gourds. The beginning of last summer was
overcast and not very warm and the weather just didn’t heat up like it normally does in the summer. I talked with a
few of the gourd growers in eastern Washington and they were very disappointed, their gourd crops were cut in half
by the weather. Most of the gourds never reached maturity which caused a lot of them to collapse and then rotted by
the end of the growing season. This will leave very limited dried gourds for this summer. You can see in the picture
(left) that Jim Martin did not get a very good crop last summer.
The bare dirt area is usually covered with gourd vines. Jim only
got a few patches which left him with only a few gourds.
Our end of the year winter weather was a bit unexpected. Usually we get some snow then the weather warms up and the snow
melts the next day. The weather that came to visit this year decided it was not leaving so quickly. The first night it snowed,
awwwwwww what a beautiful sight. Everything was covered in
a powdery 5 inch layer of white wintery heaven. The next day it
was 26 degrees, well there was no chance that it was going to
melt. Because of the snow I missed the Christmas Potluck at
Myrna's house. Two days later we got another 6 inches of the
white stuff. This time it warmed up just enough to barley melt,
then the temperature dropped and froze all the slush. This is the
point when the white stuff really becomes annoying.
The next few days were a real challenge for anyone trying to
get anywhere. For some odd reason our snow plows were only
skimming the top layer and leaving ruts of frozen muck below.
It was like driving in a broken slot car track. The cold weather
finally snapped and eventually the visiting frozen water slowing disappeared. The depth of snow varied around the Puget
Sound from a few inches to almost two feet. In the Kitsap
(Bremerton) area we had roughly 11-1/2” at one point. It was
also fun driving around and looking at all the snow that was
pushed into enormous piles in store parking lots. The pile below was at least 14’ high and 40’ across. Last minute update:
the snow made a last minute showing 9-10 Feb. We only got 14 inches depending on the hills.
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 4
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Copyright Issues Become Touchy Subject
Copyright issues amongst artists has become a very
touchy subject as of late. It seems that this issue
comes up at one time or another. Copyright issues
amongst artists has become a very touchy subject as
of late. It seems that this issue comes up at one
time or another in all the groups I belong to. Here's
what I have come to understand as the basics of
copyright law as it applies to art: "How do I protect
my idea?"
"Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim
copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in
your written or artistic work."
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faqprotect.html#idea
Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems,
or methods of doing something.
Let's use Hellen's Santa from the cover of her book
for example. Her Santa art is copyrighted. But the
idea of a Santa wearing a furry hat, holding a Christmas tree and wearing snowshoes is not. One could
look at her Santa and form their own artistic rendition of it and be within the law. It's purely inspiration! It may look extremely similar to her Santa, but
it is not her Santa exactly. What one CANNOT do is
make an exact replica of the Santa (i.e. scanning the
image and creating a decal) without the original artist's permission. Nor could you use a photo of her
Santa for any reason without permission.
You may express your ideas in writing or drawings
and claim copyright in your description, but be aware
that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.
This deals with the actual written instructions and
patterns. Let's say I create a beaded necklace and I
want to make a set of instructions to sell or give
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
by Mary, Dakota Morning
away. I write down and illustrate, step by step, exactly
how I made my necklace and then copyright the instructions. You are perfectly within your rights to use
my set of instructions to create an exact replica of the
necklace. You may do what you like with the finished
necklace. You may wear it, give it away and even sell
it if you'd like. What you CANNOT do is make copies of
my instructions or any part of my instructions and distribute them to others without my permission. What
I'm saying by copyrighting my instructions is this, "If
you want these instructions, you have to come to me
to get them!". This is especially important if I am selling the instructions (i.e. in a book or as a internet
download) as this is how I'm getting paid for my time
spent to prepare the set of instructions. My instructions are copyrighted, but the idea of stringing beads
together and making a necklace are not.
But what happens if you change my design slightly?
Suppose you just change the colors of the beads?
Does this necklace now become "your" design? NO, it
does not. You may not copy my instructions, with the
color change, and call it your own. Perhaps you like a
portion of my design but not the overall look. You
could take the part you liked and combine it with a pattern of your own creation or even a part of another pattern you purchased and this design would, in fact, become your own. The general rule is once you've
changed a pattern by 30%, it is no longer the original
pattern. You could make your own set of instructions
for this new design and copyright it. What you CANNOT
do is 'copy' my instructions for the part of my design
you have used and incorporate them into your set of
instructions. Just remember: Ideas cannot be copyrighted!
Actual images of a finished piece of art and any copyrighted set of instructions for creating that piece of art
can be copyrighted! Hope this helps. Please remember, these are strictly how I interpret the copyright
laws. I am definitely not a copyright lawyer, I am an
ARTIST!
Mary, Dakota Morning
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 5
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Growing Gourds—Author Unknown
Gourds will grow and spread on long vines like pumpkins. They will need plenty of room to spread. Smaller gourds
can be trained to climb up a trellis. A few gourd plants can be grown by everyone. When gourds are mature they will
dry and have a pretty hard shell and sometimes you can hear the seeds rattle inside by shaking the gourd. Harvesting
gourds at the right time is important. "When is the right time"? My suggestion is to leave the gourds in your garden
until frost has come and your growing season is over. This way you will obtain the most growing time as possible for
maturing each gourd. You can also prune off the gourds that come on late in the season.
Growing gourds is not difficult. Gourds will grow even when everything else is against them. This is not to say that
they will be quality gourds but they will produce and maybe even produce some nice gourds. So, if you apply some
tender loving care in growing them they will reward your efforts.
Seeds— Pre-soaking: Seeds should be soaked in warm water for 4-6 hours, then planted in a 4-6 inch pot. Place each
pot in a warm area where the temperature will be 85-90 degrees. Gourd seeds like high temperatures to germinate
well. Without good warm soil temperatures your success in germinating gourd seeds will not be very good. Seeds can
be planted directly outside in the soil when the soil has warmed up sufficiently. I plant 2 or 3 seeds in a hill but space
them 3-4 inches apart ensure the success of having a plant in each hill. This way I can transplant from hills where two
or more came up to hills where non cam up. When direct seeding your gourd seeds ensure that the soil does not dry
out. This mean that you might have to water them every three days prior to the seeds sprouting. The point here is that
you want to keep the ground moist until they break ground.
Starting seeds indoors using "seed starting mixes" can also lengthen the growing season for gourd maturity. Most
seeds germinate within two weeks, but can take a little longer. I usually start several seeds in a 4-6 inch pot, then repot them after they germinate, just like "transplanting" small tomato seedling. In the beginning this will save you
some time, soil and space. Some folks will not recommend transplanting because it disturbs the roots, but I have
found no problem with doing this.
Planting time-Hardshell Gourds— Hardshell gourds mature in 110-130 days and giant gourds (like the African
wine kettle or the giant bushel gourd) will take longer as much as 130-170 days, so if you plant directly in the garden
plant as soon as the soil warms up in the spring. In North Carolina late April through mid-June is good. Too early,
wet or cold can make the seed rot if they are planted directly in the garden. If you transplant them in the garden and a
frost comes you will need to cover them for the night
Soil preparation— Gourds will grow in any type of soil, but light, well-drained soil is the best. If you have soil that
is hard, rocky or mostly clay, a raised bed might be a consideration. Have your soil tested to determine if lime or additional nutrition are needed. Gourds like a pH range of 5.9-6.3.
Gourd Problems—Like most garden plants gourds don't like weeds, drought or bugs. They also do not like diseases
like anthracnose, bacterial wilt and mildew. You can control most of the problems by keeping your gourds free of
weeds and having a good spray program. Check with your local garden center or county agriculture agent to determine the best insect control to use. I will say that gourds are very determined plants and will produce some gourds
even under adverse conditions.
Pollination— Male and female flowers will appear on each gourd plant. Female flowers will have the small gourd
under the petals. To encourage female flowers cut the main vine when it has reached a length of 10-15 feet. This will
encourage the secondary vines to grow and it is on the secondary vines that the gourd will appear. Most large gourd
growers do not cut the main runners off because they grow too many gourds. Insect and bees carry pollen from male
to female flowers.
Continued on Page 7
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 6
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Members in the news
Oz had his Gourd Chess Set featured in The American Gourd
Society’s The Gourd Magazine.
Oz also had his Chess set mentioned in the Seattle Times insert Pacific Northwest Magazine.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/
pacificnw/2008415316_pacificplife23.html
Favorite Quotes
•
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four
Americans is suffering from some form of mental
illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're
okay, then it's you. Rita Mae Brown
•
The world is but a canvas to the imagination. Henry
David Thoreau
•
A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones
who need the advice. Bill Cosby
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned
about life: it goes on. Robert Frost
•
•
•
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and
hang on. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they
are, and doing things as they ought to be done. Harriet Beecher Stowe
Funny Thoughts
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Volunteers Needed for Festival Committees
Plans are underway for the 2010 Festival! The name of the festival
is: Northwest Gourd Festival "Celebrating Nature's Canvas". This
event will be co-sponsored with The Idaho Gourd Society. Mark
your calendars for July 18 and 19, 2010 Grant County Fairgrounds,
Moses Lake, WA.
Committee's are forming and we need your help! Below is a list of
the Committee's, please look the list over and let either myself or
the Chairperson (if we have one yet) know that you would be willing to give some time to help make this the best festival ever! If
you want a "job" description of a committee, please let me know
and I will get one sent off to you.
•
Overall Committee Chairs:
Myrna Grigsby, Chair [email protected] and
Caryn Nicolosi, Chair [email protected]
•
Entry Committee: ?
•
Judge Committee: ?
•
Ribbon Committee: Alan Sweeney, Chair
[email protected]
•
Volunteer Committee: ?
•
Show Staging Committee: ?
•
Extra Items and Information Committee: ?
•
Entertainment Committee: Jim Martin, Chair
[email protected]
•
T Shirt/Sweatshirt Committee: Bob and Alana Riveira, CoChairs [email protected]
•
Teacher's Committee: Shawna Stout, Chair
[email protected]
•
If you are old and are in a bathtub how would you
know if you have been in there too long?
•
Vendor Committee: Dynva Todd and Evie Scribner, Co-Chairs
[email protected] and [email protected]
•
Do the actors in the re-enactments on Americas most
wanted, ever get arrested (because they were seen on
TV portraying the criminal)?
•
Advertising Committee: ?
•
Signs Committee: Oz Ozburn [email protected]
•
Saturday Night Dinner Committee: ?
•
Admissions Committee: ?
•
Do stairs go up or down?
•
Since there is a rule that states "i" before "e" except
after "c", wouldn't "science" be spelled wrong?
•
•
Do sheep get static cling when they rub against one
another?
Why do we say "bye bye" but not "hi hi"?
We cannot do this alone! We need your help! In any capacity!
Please sign-up today!
*Remember, the logo contest is going on and will remain open until
June 30th.
Myrna Grigsby, President
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 7
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Growing Gourds— Continued from Page 5
Bees are the predominate pollinators of gourds. Honey bees like to pollinate the ornamental gourds (yellow flowers) and
the bumble bees like to pollinate the hard shell gourds (white flowers). Other insects will pollinate gourds as well. The
more pollination that is done, the more gourds you will have as well as seeds. Generally, the more seeds pollinated in a
gourd the larger the gourd will be. Pollen can be transferred with a small brush or by taking the male flower and using it
to pollinate the female. Just clip off the mail flower and carry it over to the female flower and gently tap on the male
flower stem so as to knock pollen off unto the female.
Here is what one of the members in our group wrote after I posted about using the newspaper pots: Another yes on the
newspaper pots, and the fact that gourd seedlings don't like crowded roots.
I've sprouted both gourd and brugmansia seeds on damp paper towels, and it works like a charm. Our refrigerator doesn't
get warm enough on top, so I use a heating pad set on LOW and several bath towels on top of the pad, to keep the temp
about 85 degrees. It's amazing how fast some of those seeds pop out. And those really, really slow ones that just rot in
the soil seem to do better on heat, too. And another YES to clipping the seed shoulders and soaking all seeds, especially
on the larger ones, like the bushel, big kettle, etc. Tried it many times and so have the Georgia gourders... Good luck to
all and many lovely gourds this fall! (They really recommend starting the seeds like this and then potting them as soon as
they sprout. Give it a try - even with your old seeds!
Rita) MICHIGAN GOURDS
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 8
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Featured Artist — Alan Sweeney
Our featured Gourd Artist for this newsletter is Alan Sweeney of Caldwell, Idaho.
My first introduction to gourds came when I was ten years old. A neighbor grew a mix of ornamental gourds on a chain link fence and I was allowed to choose one to have for my very own.
I remember the choice was difficult, but I finally settled for a perfectly round Orange Ball
Gourd. After surviving a bicycle ride home on a mile stretch of gravel road, my prize gourd
was placed on the front step next to a Jack-o-lantern, both had matching triangle eyes and jagged mouths. My gourd remained on that step long after the Jack-o-lantern had collapsed and
had been tossed over the fence to become a snack for Flossy the Milk Cow. I had to say good
bye to my first gourd early that spring because it had become moldy and Mom said it was an
eye sore even though it still held its perfectly round shape. I never gave much thought to
gourds after that and I was totally oblivious to the fact that a seed had been planted at an early
age that would sprout, grow and bring great joy many years later to my life.
Gourds resurfaced in my life about eleven years ago when Shirley Lowman of Kalama
Washington, a member of WSGS gave Duane and I some Bottle Gourd seeds that she had
acquired from a friend. Duane was thrilled with the gift from his big sister. I on the other
hand, was not too impressed. I reluctantly planted those darn worthless seeds in the garden
next to a chain link fence so they would be out of my way and not take up any valuable
garden space. Much to my relief not a single seed came up. The next spring I broke out the
tiller and prepared the garden for another Gourd free season. As the new garden began to
take shape I noticed a strange volunteer had popped up next to the chain link fence. I was
sure that it was an imposter Acorn Squash and I was just getting ready to rip it out by the
roots when Duane came around the corner and caught me red handed. After a lengthy discussion I finally agreed to let the Squash have a chance. We watched as the season progressed and the volunteer squash began to clime the fence as well as the peach tree. It became apparent that we weren't dealing with a squash when white blossoms and strange
green hourglass shaped fruit began to appear. We ended up with about five bottle gourds
and had no idea as to what to do with them. Eventually one did end up becoming a birdhouse. The heart shaped entrance hole was cut out using an Exacto knife and a sealer was
applied to the gourd that still had the dry skin attached. That first attempt at gourd art is
proudly displayed on a shelf out in the shop as a reminder that we all have to start somewhere.
My experience with the Bottle Gourds was all it took to spark my
interest. I began to do some research and found out that the State I
live in had its own Chapter of the American Gourd Society. My
membership with the American and Idaho Gourd Society opened up
a whole new dimension to Gourds. I learned a variety of things
ranging from cleaning Gourds to the cool mini tools that worked
much better than my Exacto knife. I started ordering seeds and following the expert advice of Carolina Gourds and Seeds. The peach
tree was chopped down and the other half of the back yard was
transformed into a gourd patch equipped with soaker hoses and
trellises. I was hooked and there was no turning back.
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 9
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Featured Artist (cont)
I have tried many different techniques on Gourds over the past few years
but my most favorite is Chip carving. I enjoy the soothing effect it has without the dust, smoke and noise that can occur when using power tools. I love
teaching others to Chip Carve and keeping Dr. Miller's legacy alive by telling the heart-warming history of how it all got started in the Gourd Community.
I have people wanting to purchase my work on occasions, but choose not to
sell. I already have a full time job as a welder and don't want my hobby to
become a second job. I did sell one gourd last November and I still am having second thoughts about doing so. People often ask what I do with my
finished Gourds if I don't sell them. I have given them away as gifts to
friends and family members. My Mom has managed to get three gourds out
of me. (Its impossible to tell Mom no). I like to donate my artwork to help
raise money for
different causes I feel could use a little help. Some of my work has
brought in several hundred dollars. My favorite event is a silent auction
held each Valentines Day that benefits people in my community who are
living with HIV/AIDS. Gourds truly can make a difference in the lives of
others.
When I heard that the State of Washington had formed an AGS Chapter, I
got on line to see if you had a web site. The results of my search yielded
not just another Gourd web sites, but a Gourd Gold Mine. I was in heaven
and joined that very day. I watched as WSGS began to grow at lightening
speed and when the 2008 spring meeting at Moses Lake was announced, I
started making plans to attend. Duane and I were greeted at the door of the
spring meeting with open arms. We felt a special bond forming right from
the start, and that bond only grew stronger at the fall meeting in Lacey.
My heart goes out to each and every one of you. I am extra excited about
the 2010 Northwest Gourd Festival and cant wait to Celebrate Natures Canvas with my wonderful
Gourd Family.
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 10
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Bonnie Gibson Gourd classes in Boise, Idaho
Classes will be held on Friday, April 24th through
Sunday, April 26th, and will include classes for
beginning to advanced gourd carvers. I'll be teaching basic power carving, filigree, feather carving,
inlace inlay, and even an advanced 3-D class.
The Woodcraft store of Boise is located in the Overland Park Shopping Center, 6883 West Overland
Road. You can e-mail the Woodcraft store at: [email protected], or call them at (208) 3381190 to learn how to register. You can see of each
class on the Woodcraft Classes http://
www.woodcraft.com/stores/store.aspx?
id=326&nav=classes page. (The site is a bit cumbersome; you'll have to scroll through all the pages
to the very end to see the classes.)
Because these classes are offered at a Woodcraft
store, I will not be bringing any tools or supplies
with me. Carving burs and tools may be preordered
from my site, or you may purchase items from the
Woodcraft store.
It'll be fun showing all those Boise woodworkers
how many cool things you can do with gourds!
Bonnie Gibson, www.ArizonaGourds.com
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 11
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
REASONS TO JOIN THE AMERICAN GOURD SOCIETY
by Bob James, President, American Gourd Society
1.
You have joined with the national group of the best folks in the world, gourd lovers
2.
The AGS has supported and published results of health information on gourd working
3.
The AGS represents you to the world, having worked with China, France, and Canada societies
4.
The AGS represents you nationally, supporting movies, newspaper articles, TV shows, and more national activities in the works
5.
The AGS provides web space to your chapter if they need it
6.
The AGS website is a wealth of information on working with gourds
7.
We provide information to anyone who wants to form new chapters; this is available nowhere else
8.
You have access to experts about gourd problems across the nation who are ready to help you
9.
Communication between chapters significantly improves the quality of your chapter activities and shows
10. The AGS board developed standard judging rules that significant improve the transparency of gourd competitions
11. We sponsor the Jim Story award for national recognition of excellence in growing gourds
12. We are producing a pamphlet to be made available to everyone to help get the word out
13. Our book sales gives you access to many books on gourd growing and gourdcraft
Did I miss anything - oh yeah, we have a BLOCKBUSTER magazine!!!
P.S.—. Those of you who have heard me speak at your chapters have heard me say many times that I believe the
AGS is not a service you purchase. People do not join to "get" the benefits. They join a club, where we all help
each other. That is our strength and why the American Gourd Society will be here for a long time. We are united
by a love of the gourd and a desire to spread the word.
Bob James, President, American Gourd Society
For more information on AGS, please go to www.americangourdsociety.org
What’s in your Toolbox?
•
•
Take an old tuna can and cut the ring top
edge off. Bend one side inward, this will be
the handle. Take a file and sharpen the edge
that is not bent over. This tool make a great
gourd scraper .
Take an old butter knife and bend the end
with a ball pean hammer so it takes the shape
of a hook, take your file and sharpen one
side. This make a great scraper for getting
into small areas.
Gourd Classes
Evie Scribner has ongoing gourd classes every Tuesday from 10 to 12
at Baxters Community Center in Marysville. New project every month
and tons of sharing of ideas.
Dynva Todd will be teaching a Ocean Drum class at 2009 Wuertz
Farm Gourd Festival this year. More info on their website
http://www.wuertzfarm.com/classes2009.html
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 12
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
GOURDS ON THE GO
(Donated by Jack Cooper)
Hey, Cinderella, pumpkins
really do travel well. A
new genetic analysis of 147
species of the gourd family
(Cucurbitaceae) by the
University of Munich suggests that gourds originated
in Asia and floated across
the oceans to other continents. In the past 60 million years, gourds reached
and took root in South
America, Australia and Africa multiple times and
colonized Madagascarhome to a cornucopia of
gourd species today-on 13
separate occasions...(The
Smithsonian Institute,
2009)
WSGS Gourd Patches
If your interested in finding other people in your area that are as
passionate about gourding as you are please check out our Gourd
Patch page http://www.wagourdsociety.org/Patches.htm If you
need help contacting people in your area please contact Oz
[email protected] as he has a complete list of all members and
their contact information. We currently have three Gourd Patches
formed and meet on a monthly basis.
The North Sound Gourd Patch encompasses the North Puget
Sound area and meets at the Baxter Community Center
http://www.wagourdsociety.org/NSGP.htm
The Crystal Gourd Patch encompasses the South Puget Sound
area and currently meets at the home of Stacey Annon.
http://www.wagourdsociety.org/CGP.htm
The Nuthatch Patch encompasses the area around Spokane area
and currently meets at the home of Carmen Easter.
http://www.wagourdsociety.org/NHP.htm
The Washington Store
Myrna and Dynva Todd have their
gourds at the new "The Washington
Store", located in Aberdeen. This is
a co-op that features artists
throughout the state along with
goods that are grown and produced
in Washington. Come Spring time it
is scheduled that Horse and Buggy
rides will be available from the store
for a tour around Aberdeen to see
and learn about the rich history of
the area. If you happen to be passing
by on the way to the ocean beaches,
stop and take a look, we think you'll
be glad you did!
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**
Page 13
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Embossing Gourds Tutorial -
by Shawna Stout
Make sure all unwanted powder is removed and back in your container prior
to heating.
Heat Embossing Supplies
You will need:
• Embossing pen (I recommend Versamarker pen) Pigment inks should work
also, however, I haven’t tried them on a
gourd yet.
• embossing powder
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Different inks & powders act uniquely
depending on gourd surfaces.
Always practice first on a scrap gourd.
Using the Heat Gun
Hold the heat gun about 4-6 inches above
your project. As the embossing powder
• clean dry paintbrush and sharp tool (to
melts it will rise up a bit and become
clean off excess powders)
shiny. Be careful not to heat it too long
because the powder will melt too much
Heat Embossing Steps
and flatten out and look dull. This powder
After gathering your supmelts very fast so it doesn't take much.
plies:
Once done, turn off the heat gun and
1. Burn or draw out image place it on a heatproof surface. Stays hot
on your gourd.
for several seconds, don't touch until
cool!
2. Ink your image. Work
with small areas.
Heat Embossing Tips
• embossing heat gun
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
A R T B Y S H AWN A ©
3. Pour embossing powder over the ‘wet’ image.
You can use what is called an embossing
ink pen for any of your embossing powders. These are usually tinted pink or blue
4. Dump the excess powand work well if you are using a colored
der off the gourd onto the
embossing powder. . If you use clear
paper and funnel this back
powder, the tinted ink will show through.
into the jar. If stray powFor clear ink, I recommend Versamarker,
der remains, use a tiny
it has 2 different size tips and provides a
paintbrush and sharp tool
smooth finish. Works well when using
to remove it.
colored embossing powders.
5. Turn the heat gun on,
Important facts to Remember…
preheat for several seconds and move it back and If you heat too long, the embossing actuforth over the
ally bubbles and flattens…if not long
inked/powdered image.
enough, it will be bumpy or flat in finish.
Stay 4-6 inches away, too
long and too close you
will scorch your gourd.
S H AWN A S T O U T
7314 75th PL NE
Marysville, WA 98270
Phone: 425-299-5611
Email: [email protected]
web: www.picturetrail.com/artbyshawna
This tutorial ran in
The American Gourd Society Magazine
The Gourd Magazine
Remember your WSGS dues are now due at the beginning of the year.
We changed our due date to coincide with the American Gourd Society.
Page 14
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Wuertz Farm "Running of the Gourds" by Myrna Grigsby
Those of us that traveled to Arizona for
the state festival were not disappointed!
Quite the contrary! There were over 300
entry's from all over and we are proud to
announce that 2 of our members were big
time winners!!! Garry Carr won 3 ribbons
in the Master's category! First Place, Best
of Division and Best of Show. James Ozburn "Oz" won 2 ribbons in the Adult
Novice Category! First Place and Best of
Division. The gourds that were entered
were unbelievably beautiful and really
they were all winners. Even though I was
a judge, I did not judge the Adult Novice
Division and the Master's Division had to
be an anonymous choice by the 5 judges
for the Best of Show Award.. I didn't
want anyone to think just because I was a
judge I would "throw" the vote our way!!
These two guys won fair and square and
are truly deserving a pat on the back and
an "atta boy" from all of us! Good job!
I was fortunate enough to attend the Master Judge's Training Seminar. It was so
Garry Carr wins big in the Masters Division
at the Wuertz Gourd Festival.
Myrna Grigsby and Bob James (AGS President) hanging out
and having a great time at the Wuertz Gourd Festival.
interesting to learn about The American Gourd Society's guidelines
for judging, which we will adopt for our festival. The teachers did an
excellent job and I am now officially a "Certified Judge-Master
Judge". I will be able to train those of you that are interested in the
job of judging gourd shows. You will then be a "Certified Judge"
which will be necessary if you are to judge any show that is using the
AGS Rules of Judging.
I was able to meet
the AGS President,
Bob James and his
lovely wife Kathy.
He is doing an outstanding job and we
are lucky to have
him. The vendors,
artists, teachers at
this years festival
really did an outJames Ozburn “Oz” wins two ribbons in the adult
standing job and I
Novice Division at the Wuertz Gourd Festival.
salute Arizona for
all their hard work!
They have set the bar high so we need to really get down to work so
we can show them what Washington and Idaho are made of when it
comes to putting on a festival!
Myrna Grigsby, President
Page 15
Washington State Gourd Society Mu’s News,
Volume # 1, Issue # 4
Upcoming Events
February
February 6, 7 & 8
Wuertz Farm's 6th Annual Gourd Fes- "Running Of The Gourds"
tival
http://www.wuertzfarm.com/Festivalhome.html
February 27 - March 1 11th Annual Florida Gourd Show
2009 Florida Gourd Show, "GOURDING TO THE
FINISH" http://flgourdsoc.org/
March
March 7th
Gloria Dittrick Birthday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_7th
March 8th
Daylight Savings
Spring ahead 1 Hour
March 20th
1st Day of Spring
March 27-29
Gourd Retreat Southern Style
Near Savannah, Georgia
http://www.webgourds.com/southern/
March 27-29
17th Annual Show I.G.S.
17th Annual Show, Indiana Gourd Society, "GourdsGoing to the birds"
http://www.indianagourdsociety.org/
March 31st
Charlotte Masi Birthday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_31st
March 31st
Evie Scribner's Birthday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_31st
April 4th
2009 Wisconsin Gourd Festival
Gourds Gone Wild!
http://www.americangourdsociety.org/WIGS/
April 18-19
Spring Gourd Show
http://www.americangourdsociety.org/TVGS/index.ht
m
April 25-26
2009 Show Me Gourd Festival, Sedalia, MO
http://www.showmegourdsociety.com/gourdfestival.h
tml
April
Advertising Rates for WSGS Newsletter
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4 Issues: $35.00
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Deadlines:
Spring Feb. 15
Summer June 1
Fall Aug. 30
Winter Nov. 15
Past issues can be found here: Mu’s News Back Issue’s
Please contact Oz if....
You would like to recommend anyone to be our featured artist, You would like to write an article for the newsletter, You would like to submit
a tutorial for the newsletter, We welcome all feedback and on ways you think we could improve our newsletter and/or website
Our mailing address is: [email protected] or [email protected]
Our telephone: 360-249-8144
Copyright (C) 2009 * www.wagourdsociety.org * All rights reserved.
**Remember to pay your 2009 membership dues! Memberships run from Jan. to Jan.**