Turn gourds daily and change out any damp newspaper. Another way to dry small gourds is to hang them on a line by stringing them through their stem. Large gourds are generally too heavy to string. The internal drying process requires about 2 to 3 weeks. Move gourds to a warm, dry, DARK area with good air circulation.
Darkness helps preserve the color.
Gourds can be decorated in any number of ways for all sorts of uses. You might want to start with a wax or polyurethane coating for a glossy finish. For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find the number.