Reindeer Egg Ornament

Materials
Egg Gourd
Wood burner with any tip
Rubber Gloves
Old rag
Wood Stain
Sharp Knife for scraping

Start by cleaning the gourd. Place it in soapy water with a towel on top (to make it sink deep enough to get wet all the way around) and let it soak for 20 minutes or longer. Once the gourd has soaked, scrub it lightly with a kitchen scouring pad lightly and let it dry completely. Don't worry about the stubborn spots. They will come off with a light sanding! Now let the gourd dry completely.

Once the gourd is dry use a very find grit sand paper sand the gourd completely. This should only take a few strokes.
Holes need to be made in the top for hanging the ornament before it's decorated. They can be made by using a small drill or even a very small screw drive. Use a twisting motion to make the holes. Trying to "punch" through the gourd will result in a crack.
You can also hot glue your hanger in place if you prefer this method.
The gourd is now ready to be decorated&ldots;&ldots;.

Simply wood burn any design you choose with or without shading the design. Wearing rubber gloves, dip an old rag into woodstain and rub it over the entire gourd. After a few minutes take another rag or paper towel and rub all of the stain off. Now set the gourd aside and let the stain completely dry.

When the gourd is dry use a knife or other sharp edged tool to scrape away portions of the design, as seen in the photo. Once you have achieved the look you want, spray the entire gourd with clear polyurethane and let it dry again. The darker the stain - the more contrast in your design!

You can now hang your ornament. I prefer using wire. However, you can also use ribbon, raffia, string, ect.