Gourd Ornaments Carved Hand Dyed Red - Ring in the holidays with these natural colored gourd ornaments! Etched with star motifs, these ornaments are all set to brighten up your holiday season. Gourds are naturally occurring vegetables similar to the squash or pumpkin. Gourd carving is a traditional craft of the Andean mountain region. After the gourds are dried in the sun, artisans sketch designs on the gourds and then incise them by hand. Images range from simple motifs to complex stories. Rich brown colors are added by applying a flame from a small torch to parts of the design.