I made a commissioned gourd for sale, to customer order. I've made special requests as gifts but this one was my first "made to order for money". No pictures because it is going to be a gift (maybe after the holidays I will use it as a portfolio picture for stirring up business making more commissioned work).
What I learned from making this commissioned gourd: I can make a gourd using my own design for something other than a horse as long as I can find decent reference pictures. I can get work done in a reasonable time frame as long as I have all the tools I need. Shipping items out freaks me OUT because I worry so much about the items getting damaged in transit.
Now I am going to work on some dippers. I have them cleaned and cut and they just needed sanded and then burned.No clue what designs I am going to put on them. Probably some with just simple tribal style markings, some with horses, maybe one with a horse skull on the back or something morbid like that, lol. Then wax the inside and it's all good. I have not listed anything new on my etsy account in ages. So those will be nice to toss up there.
I'm not looking forward to next years dearth of gourds though. Right now my commissions start at $45. But if I have to buy the gourds I will have to raise that to $55 and go from there. *sigh* I had so much fun growing gourds last year, I missed it so much... watching the baby fuzzy gourds grow and ripen and get big and round and then harvesting them and watching them dry over winter.... I planted 50 plants total and they are still out there the same size as when I planted them. I should have had hundreds of gourds out there right now and I got NOTHIN'!!
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I can't wait to see what you've done. I have made several gourd dolls this year and always from my own garden. This year was abysmal - too dry to grow much of anything. I did get one to volunteer in our compost. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI have seeds if you would like me to share with you!
Blessings
Blondie