YAY! My organic gourds I grew last summer are finally drying out! At first I thought it might be a total fail project cause they were molding so much (part of the natural drying process) and I didn't have enough vinegar on hand to wipe them down. I decided to wing it nature style 100% and stuck them outside to dry on their own - rain, snow and sun. While a few got a lil' soggy when the snow melted - a bunch are nearly bone dry so I went ahead and started to play around with turning them into cute birdhouses!
First thing I had to do was learn to punch a hole into the side carefully without damaging the gourd... of course I just went ahead and used my voodoo magic powers to blow a freakin' hole right into the thing, so powerful a blast it blew all the seeds and scum right out without me having to get a single finger dirty.
Just kidding.Actually I used a relatively sharp knife to stick into the center of the hole I wanted to make and then slowly twisted in in full circles.
After twisting it in enough circles to create a hole large enough to get some leverage I used the knife to widen and smooth the edges of the hole.
Once the hole was about the right size, I shook out any extra seeds or goop left on the inside. The super dry ones only had dry seeds falling out - but a few of my iffy ones I was trying to save had some moist gunk... it kinda stunk but i put my fingers in anyway and pulled it out. (Like halloween pumpkin carving but smells different).
I ended up doing about 5 birdhouses and two bowl shaped containers so far - but before I decide whether I want to decorate them(wood burning tool? natural paints?), I want to let them dry out some more by the wood stove during this next cold snowy week. I also want to do two bat houses with the others still needing to dry. :) Bats eat mosquitoes!
Oh, I really love them, bunchie bunches alot. 
XoXo
Btw - the title of this post is a reference to this song::
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnObAMwBUYI
Voodoo magic photo: Proof you are, indeed, evil.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the club!
punch a few little holes in the bottom so if some rain gets in. you wouldn't want some wet baby birds.
ReplyDeletedrilling little holes in the bottom also let them breathe and dry out faster when they are fresh.
most people paint them white to hide the mold, but it's a fairly harmless type and natural.
for bat houses you just cut out the bottom, but you need to cut little grooves along the inside so they can have something to hang from.
you can also glue in pieces of small bent vines instead of grooves. that are drill holes and lace them through while the vines are green.
Erik!
ReplyDeleteI am honored to be part of the dark side. But if you notice there is a flash of bright white light... cause my voodoo is white magic. :)
Panne - Oh, good idea! I didn't think to put holes in the bottom to drain... i am guessing it wouldn't have to be too big a hole (i dont have a drill)! I also took care to cut the hole in such a way that it wouldn't be open to rain collection, as easily.
For the bat house, how do you make the grooves for him to hang on? I might try putting a stick through one side to the other.
don't need a drill and they only need to be about 1/4" diameter. just heat up a metal rod red hot and burn it through. an old clothes hanger works well for light stuff like gourds. old phillips head screw drivers work great for thicker stuff like bamboo. burning also reduces the chances of splitting.
ReplyDeleteWonderful birdhouses. It's awesome. People always should love to the nature. I am really amazing with hole in birdhouse. Its too easy breath dry out and lots of things.
ReplyDeletePretty hard work. I am really appreciate her love of the nature. so keep it up with this hard work.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! What a beautiful way of making something that is for animals. I think you love birds so much.
ReplyDelete