Decorative Fall Gourds Inspired by “The Raven”

With the fall season officially upon us, the urge to decorate with strange, misshapen fruits is at its strongest. Gourds are, after all, abundant and inexpensive this time of year, so using them to spruce up your home is only natural. But for extra credit, try painting them with this Edgar Allan Poe–inspired design. With just a bit of paint and the templates below, you can fill your home with Poe’s eerie presence.

What You Need:

• Decorative gourds of varying shapes and sizes
• White and black craft paint
• Small paintbrush
• Fine-tipped black marker
• X-Acto knife
• Mod Podge
• Printer
• Templates

What You Do:

1. Paint all of your gourds white. They may need a few coats, depending on how brightly colored they are.
2. Print the templates and carefully cut them out with an X-Acto knife.
3. Coat the back of the templates with a thin layer of Mod Podge, and place them on your gourds. Keep in mind that you will be peeling these off.
4. With a fine-tipped marker, trace the template onto the gourds.
5. Peel the template off, paint inside your drawn-in lines with black paint, and you shall work nevermore.

Shop for deals on fall-friendly decor and, of course, pumpkin patches:

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