How2Day: Gifts Made From Dried Vegetables

Dried corn makes for nice fall centerpieces. indian corn image by sparkia from Fotolia.com
Different dried vegetables make attractive and unique gifts. Simple arrangements such as wreaths and other home decor and crafts can be made with dried vegetables. Items from your garden such as certain strains of popcorn and gourds make thoughtful and affordable handmade gifts. Everything from bird houses made from a dried gourd to a fall centerpiece featuring dried corn and mini pumpkins communicate thoughtfulness and creativity to those who receive them.

Lagenaria or large, hard-skinned gourds make wonderful bird houses. Cucurbita gourds (small, yellow and green in color) make colorful containers for potpourri or tea lights. You can grow these vegetables yourself or buy one fresh. Either way, you will need to dry and cure it before you can make your bird house out of it. Gather a few gourds, a drill and drill bits, small knife, sandpaper and a 1/4-inch dowel. Pick up some wood glue and set all the items aside while you clean the inside and outside of your gourd thoroughly. Clean the outside of the gourds with a sponge and soap and some rubbing alcohol and place them in a well-ventilated place to dry. After one week, move the gourds to a dark, dry place where they can dry on the inside. This will take about six months. When the gourds lighten in color and you can hear seeds rattling around on the inside when you shake them, your gourds are cured and ready to drill for your bird house or container. Use sandpaper to smooth the outside surface and your drill bits to drill holes of various size and shape. Paint the gourds' surfaces, if desired.

Dried pumpkins make unique and creative bowls for fall centerpieces. You will have to prepare the pumpkin a year ahead of time, or purchase a dried pumpkin from a craft store. Once the pumpkin is completely dry, cut an opening from the top and hollow out the inside. Fill the pumpkin with a variety of colorful dried vegetables such as corn, carrots, peas, rosemary, lavender, thyme, beets, peppers and squash. Arrange the dried vegetables around a glass jar filled with dried beans and spices tied off with a ribbon and recipe for chili soup. The centerpiece is both beautiful and functional so that the lucky recipient can enjoy a meal around the decoration you have created.

Dried corn and mini pumpkins can be used to make beautiful fall wreaths. Zea Mays 2-inch strawberry popcorn produces rich, deep red small ears of popcorn shaped like strawberries. Leave half of the husks on and remove them entirely from other ears after the vegetable has reached maturity (100 days). Tom Thumb popcorn is another strain of corn that makes beautiful ornamental displays such as fall wreaths and centerpieces. Pick a handful of small, white, green and orange mini pumpkins. These colors will coordinate well with the deep red of the strawberry popcorn and the bright yellow of the Tom Thumb variety. Gather a wreath base from your local craft store and use a glue gun to arrange the items in a pleasing fashion. Give the wreath to a friend as a fall housewarming gift.

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