How to make a gourd turkey centerpiece

Hi everybody!  October has come and gone.  The goblins and witches are back wherever shadowy place they came from, and now it is time for the turkeys to come out!  Not talkin about me, but about the real turkeys, err.. or at least some turkey look-a-likes for Thanksgiving.   Today I want to show you how to make a turkey from a gourd and some gourd scraps using some easy to use proxxon tools, a little putty, and some paint from plaid.   Oh and just a little glitter for bling!

Supplies

1 bottle neck gourd plus gourd scraps

small piece of thin leather or felt

Plaid paint

Glitter

school glue

gorilla glue

Apoxy sculpt

spray sealer  (I used krylon crystal clear)

Equipment

Proxxon mini jigsaw

Proxxon OZI/E delta sander

Here is the gourd I chose to be my turkey.  I like the long neck and how the "head" tips back just a little bit.  Even before I get started, I can see a turkey in this gourd.

The next thing I need is a piece of a gourd I can use to make his tail feathers.   The bottom of a different gourd will work perfect     I could use a scrap piece of gourd here but I am going to cut the bottom off another gourd using the proxxon mini jigsaw.   I want to start with a circle so I use a bowl to mark my line then cut it with the mini jigsaw.  

I use the bottom for his tail feathers.   I am going to draw, then cut out a really simple pattern.

Next I cut the wings from a different gourd scrap.  (pay attention to the curve of the gourd so your wings will lay properly)   The little proxxon mini jigsaw makes gourd cutting super easy.  Without this tool I don't know how I would ever be able to make these delicate cuts!

Time to sand all the edges using the Proxxon OZI/E delta sander.  Round over all the edges on the wings   Also the inside part of the gourd is rough but this is easily smoothed with sanding.  This will make for easy painting later.

Time to Paint

 Using Plaid paints I squeezed a little of my chosen colors onto a palate then dipped a sponge into the 2 browns and orange which I had placed side by side.  then I just sponged the paint all over the gourd, letting it make a mottled "feathery" look.   I painted the tail feathers next. Then I used school glue in a zigzag pattern and added black glitter.   This was just how I chose to do it.  Your turkey---your design!

I used apoxy sculpt to form a beak and painted on some eyes.  I will paint the beak after It dries overnight.

 When I finished painting, I sprayed all the surfaces with krylon crystal clear to seal it.  This also helps to keep the glitter from coming off.   I used gorilla glue to glue on the tail and the wings.

A piece of leather for the waddle and he? she?   is All done!  

 

That was fun.  Truth be told this was super easy.  This could be painted and decorated so many different ways. Big and little turkeys everywhere.    I hope you give it a try, let the kids paint it.

Thanks so much for visiting.   Thanks Proxxon, and  Plaid  for the great products.

Everyone have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!   Carol