Bottle Gourd Lantern With Round Eyes and Oval Mouth

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Select and prepare the gourd

   Choose a gourd with a flat stable bottom and a broad enough lower bulb to fit both eye holes and a mouth with at least half an inch of shell between each opening. Wipe the outside with a damp cloth. Use a sharp drill bit to make a small entry hole before using the saw, which is much easier than trying to start the saw from a standing start on the hard shell.

2. 2

   Mark the face

   Use a pencil to draw two equal circles for the eyes and a wide oval below them for the mouth. Position the face on the broadest part of the lower bulb where the shell is thickest and most stable.

3. 3

   Drill entry holes

   Drill one small entry hole inside each eye circle and one inside the oval mouth. These holes give you a starting point for the keyhole saw and prevent the hard shell from cracking when you begin the cut.

4. 4

   Saw the openings

   Insert the keyhole saw into each entry hole and cut along the pencil outline in short controlled strokes. Swap to a fresh blade as soon as the saw starts to drag, which happens quickly in dense dried gourd. Remove each piece and clear any fibrous debris from the interior.

5. 5

   Hollow the gourd if needed

   If the gourd is not already fully dried inside, scoop out any remaining dry material through the neck or through a small opening cut in the bottom. A hollowed interior with thin walls glows more brightly than a thick-walled one. Use a long-handled spoon or a bent wire tool.

6. 6

   Light and display on a stone doorstep

   Drop a low warm battery LED inside through the neck or base opening and position the gourd on a stone doorstep at night. The tan mottled shell glows with a warm amber color that is entirely different from an orange pumpkin and has its own antique charm.

Written with AI to match this design