We are into November and the days are getting chillier and shorter so it is time to get into crafting mode. Besure to visit the Christmas page from the drop down menu to see all my ideas. I recently shared some craf-tea ideas. Nuts and pinecones are the theme for this post. I”m a collector of items from Nature and they can be used for some lovely Christmas crafts.
The first is a pinecone and candle centre piece. The base is a wicker plate with a candle in the middle and decorated with pinecones and small ornaments. Small pieces of greenery are added to give a bit of scent. You do need to be careful when the burning candle gets very low so that the cones and greenery don’t catch on fire. These were made one year with our youngest daughter and given as gifts to teachers and friends.
I love crafting with nature items and a pinecone wreath is simple to make and depending on what you add to it can be as simple or as fancy as you like. These pinecones were collected on different nature walks and seeing it each year reminds me of those great hikes. Adding some small branches from a spruce tree and some small Christmas ornaments makes it a festive wreath.
Glitter pinecones have been hanging on our tree since our girls were very little. It is such an easy way to get the kids and now the grandkids into making decorating for the tree. Glue was brushed onto the dried out pinecones and then epson salts and glitter were sprinkled all over them. Almost instantly you have some sparkly pinecones. Just fasten a piece of fishing line around the cone, tie it in a loop and hang them on your tree. I use fishing line because it is clear and it looks like the cones are suspended in the air. They sure do sparkle when the tree lights are on. I still have some glitter cones that our two oldest daughters made when they were toddlers. Wonderful memories.
Last year I also bleached some pinecones, and while they aren’t exactly festive they can be used in decorations. I used an old Christmas card holder and filled it with bleached pinecones and some little twinkle lights.
This nutty snowman is a cute addition to your tree. He’s made with walnuts and hazelnuts, google eyes, pom moms and a plastic top hat. This nutty snowman was originally make as a Brownie craft and then made at home when our girls were young.
If you collect a variety of nuts, and they will be on sale soon in the stores, you can make your own nutty family. Just use as many types of nuts as you have people in your family. The nuts are glued onto a little strip of wood, google eyes, hats, pom poms and felt features are added and the sign was made with a demo printer. This nutty family was originally given to us by my mother in law and it brings back wonderful memories each season it comes out. I’ve now shared some nutty family decorations with our daughters.
This year I’m working on a Nature tree with branches cut from the garden, pinecones, felt birds, nature ornaments and snowflakes. I’ll share it when I’m finished.
The festive season is coming … and it will be here before you know it.
Make some memories and make them homemade.
Pinecone Ideas:
- candle center piece
- decorating with pinecones and nuts
- Fall center piece
- pinecone feeder
- pinecone wreath
Teresa
I love the idea of using pine cones. We can get lots of them close to where we live, so it’s always a great choice.
Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party. Pinned.
Julie
Lovely ideas.
My mum had a beautiful tree in her garden that produced LOADS of pinecones for us to us each year. I still have a bag full that I bring out every year.