Great Gourds

Yeah, we're pretty excited about
gourd boxes.

What's not to like?  They're beautiful, each one unique, made from natural materials, and handcrafted using techniques that were handed down through generations.

Our gourd boxes are made by artisans, often families working together, living in the Andes Mountains of Peru.     

Using the same techniques their ancestors used, they start by harvesting and peeling the gourds.  


(Gourds are similar to pumpkins, by the way, and grow on low trailing vines.) When the gourds have dried in the sun they are ready to be decorated.  

The artisan etches the design first, then uses a piece of heated quinual wood to burn the gourd, creating the dark colors.  As they blow on the red-hot ember, they control the shading by blowing harder or softer. 

Blowing harder creates a darker burn.  It is through incredible skill that they create the contrasts and shading that result in such varied and fantastic designs.

Today, Peruvian families that produce these gourd boxes really depend on the craft to support their communities.  

We think gourd boxes are fun to collect and display, and they're handy little boxes too.  

They also make great gifts - especially when you share the story of how they're made.  See more at Dogwood Box