Tiny Gourd Santas

It pays to think outside the box when craft items go on clearance. I just happened to be in the craft store when they announced that all fall items were 90% off. It was the end of October and I didn't want to buy Halloween decor. I started digging around and found bags of small, real gourds which cost just 99 cents! I picked out the red ones, and here you go.

Approximate Time: 30 minutes

Supplies:

• small gourds
• sealer
• acrylic paints
• ribbon or cord

Instructions:

1. If the gourds aren't already red, paint them now.

2. Paint face area with peach paint.

3. Add white beard, hard and trim on Santa's coat with a flat brush, holding it upright and using a tapping motion.

4. Now add almond-shaped eyes and oval shaped mouth in black.

5. Add round red nose. With tiny liner brush, trim mouth in red.

6. Add white eyebrows, mustache, and dots to eyes with small round brush.

7. Seal your project with two coats of acrylic varnish or sealer. It's very important to seal the gourds before beginning. The red bleeds through the white paint, I soon learned!

8. Tie on ribbon or cord for hanging on the tree.

By Cindy from Waynesburg, PA