Pine cones are extremely versatile and they're easy to find outdoors (or at your local craft supply shop). They can be decorated simply with paint and some glitter, or transformed into other holiday-themed decorations. Get the family together and create some of these pretty pine cone ornaments for your Christmas tree.
Snow Glittered Pine Cone Ornament
Turn plenty of nature's objects into festive ornaments with this simple project. Consider using different colors of paint and glitter to make a colorful set of festive pine cones.
Things You Will Need:
- Pine cone
- White spray paint
- Spray adhesive
- Silver glitter
- Wire cutters
- Eye screw
- 1/4 to 1-inch-wide ribbon
- Jute twine
- Ruler
- Scissors
What To Do:
- Spray paint a pine cone white and allow to dry.
Paint pine cone. - Lightly mist the pine cone with spray adhesive and sprinkle with silver glitter. Allow the adhesive to dry completely.
Add glitter. - Clip off the stem of the pine cone using wire cutters. Insert an eye screw into the pine cone where the stem was removed.
- Cut a 12-inch length of ribbon. Wrap the ribbon around the base of the screw and tie in a bow. Trim the ends.
- Cut a 9-inch length of jute twine. Thread the jute through the eye screw. Bring the ends together and tie in an overhand knot 1/2 inch from the end to create the hanger.
Angel Pine Cone Decoration
You don't have to stop with just one natural element in crafting this angel ornament. Besides the pine cone, she also uses Spanish moss, raffia, jute and wood.
Things You Will Need:
- Pine cone
- Jute twine
- Ruler
- 1 1/4-inch wood head bead
- Hot glue gun
- Craft glue
- Spanish moss
- Raffia
- 20-gauge, gold craft wire
- Wire cutters
What To Do:
- Cut a 10-inch length of jute twine. Bring the ends together and tie an overhand knot as close to the end as possible. This is the ornament hanger.
Make the hanger. - Insert the fold of the loop into the hole on a 1 1/4-inch wood head bead. Fold the remainder of the hanger up the side of the bead. Fill the hole with hot glue. Turn it over and set it on the stem end of a pine cone. The side of the bead with the hanger is the back of the angel's head.
- Apply hot glue to the top, sides and back of the head. Place a tuft of Spanish moss over the glue for the angel's hair. Apply a dot of hot glue to the base of the hanger and press to the head to force the hanger upward.
Attach hair. - Cut a 12-inch length of jute twine. Wrap the jute around the neck and tie in a bow on the front of the angel. Trim the bow as desired.
- Tie several strands of raffia into a 5-inch wide bow. Apply hot glue to the knot on the front of the bow. Press the bow to the neck on the back of the angel. This creates the angel's wings. Trim the ends as desired.
Form wings and halo. - Form a 1-inch ring using 20-gauge, gold wire. Apply craft glue to one side of the ring and place it on top of the head for the halo. Allow the glue to dry before hanging.
Snowman Pine Cone Ornament
You won't freeze while making this snowman and his happy smile will be all the encouragement you need to whip up a whole frosty family.
Things You Will Need:
- Pine cone
- White polymer clay
- Ruler
- Orange, light pink and black acrylic paint
- Toothpick
- Cotton swab
- Wooden skewer
- Black fine-point permanent marker
- Craft glue
- Small bowl or cup
- Paper towels
- Scrap of homespun fabric
- Scissors
- Craft wire
- Wire cutters
- 1/4-inch red pom-poms, two
What To Do:
- Roll a 1 1/4-inch ball using white polymer clay for the snowman's head. Firmly press the ball onto the stem end of the pine cone. Determine which side of the head will be the face. Poke a toothpick into the center of the face. Remove the toothpick and remove the head from the pine cone. Following the manufacturer's instructions for the clay, bake the head in the oven.
Roll the head. - Paint approximately 1/2 inch on one end of the toothpick using orange acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry. Cut off the orange tip using wire cutters. Apply craft glue to the hole in the center of the face. Insert the cut end of the toothpick tip into the hole to create the snowman's nose.
- Dip a cotton swab into light pink acrylic paint and dot cheeks on either side of the nose. Dip the blunt end of a wooden skewer into black acrylic paint and dot eyes above the nose. Draw a smile using a black, fine-point permanent marker.
Detail the face. - Stand the pine cone in a small bowl or cup with the stem end sticking up. To keep it standing straight up, stuff around the pine cone with paper towels. Apply craft glue to the top of the pine cone and set the head on the cone. Allow the glue to dry.
- Rip a 1-inch-wide by 12-inch long strip of homespun fabric for the scarf. Apply a heavy amount of craft glue around the neck of the snowman. Wrap the scarf around the neck and tie in a knot at the front. Trim the ends of the scarf as desired. The extra glue around the neck will provide an extra bond for securing the head.
- Cut a 12-inch length of craft wire. Find the center of the wire and position it on the front of the snowman. Thread the wire under the first layer of pine cone petals below the scarf. Cross the ends in the back and continue back to the sides. Bend the wire ends up and twist the tips together. This is the ornament hanger.
- Apply two dots of craft glue down the front of the pine cone, just below the neck. Place the red pom-poms in the glue for the snowman's buttons. Allow the glue to dry.
Store Carefully
Once your ornaments have graced the halls or the trees during the holiday season, you'll want to take extra precaution to ensure they are preserved and stored properly. Large plastic storage bins are a wonderful place to store pine cone ornaments. Be sure to wrap your pieces in a protective sheet of tissue paper to avoid breakage while storing.
Versatile Holiday Nature Crafts
Besides crafting up family memories, pine cone crafts make great gift toppers. Get creative with your ideas, and you'll find there are many ways to decorate with such a versatile piece of nature.
