Pine cones can easily be transformed into many wonderful creations? Browse through these amazing pine cone crafts ideas, and you and your kids will fall will have plenty fun projects to make.
Some of these pinecone creations can be played with, some will make the most wonderful decorations and some of these pine cone crafts are great to sell at fairs. This makes it a fun activity for you or your kids that is easy and rewarding. You will find ideas for all ages – be it toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarten kids, or older! You can’t go wrong with this activity, as it’s a frugal one.
So make sure to gather as many pine cones as you can on your next stroll in the woods.
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How to Prepare Pine Cones for Crafting & How to Wash Pine Cones
The most important thing you need for making pine cone crafts is pine cones. You can gather them yourself or you can buy larger packs of them in craft stores.
If you are gathering your own pine cones they will usually come with some uninvited guests (bugs) as well as dirt so we’ll first explain how to wash pine cones and how to get them ready for crafting.
Fill a bucket with water and add a cup of vinegar. Toss in the pinecones and let them sit in water for roughly half an hour. You can gently shuffle them to dislodge any dirt. The vinegar will take care of the bugs. Take the pine cones out of the water and let them dry. If you want to be super sure that all the bugs and mold is gone, we do reccoment baking them as well.
Alternatively, you can also bake the pine cones (especially if there isn’t dirt on them) in the oven at 220°F (100 °C) for about 30 minutes to sterlize them.
Pine Cone Crafts and Decoration Ideas
Without further ado, here are some of our favorite pine cone craft ideas for you or your kids to do.
Pine Cone Fairies
One of the most magical (and coolest) pine cone crafts you or your kids can make is the pine cone fairies. Keep them natural, let them represent the different seasons, or go all crazy with pink (or other colors) to make these magical creatures come to life. All you need to do is attach (glue gun is best) a wooden ball on top of the pinecone and get creative.
Snow Owls Pine Cone Craft
This is probably one of our all-time favorite crafts for kids, with just a few cotton balls and pinecones you can make the most magical pinecone snow owls ever.
Make pine cone decorations
Liven up your room, surprise someone with a bouquet that won’t wilt… Dip pinecones in paint (you can paint them with a paintbrush, but it will take a while) to evenly cover them and use them in wonderful arrangements.
Make a Pine Cone Gnome
Gnome crafts have been really popular lately, especially in wintertime. You can easily make a rustic-looking gnome figure by using a pinecone. Make a little hat using felt (you can also make arms from felt. Glue the beard inside the hat (one side only). An easy way to make the beard is to either use yarn as it is or, if you want a finer beard, carefully comb through the yarn strings to separate them.
Pinecone Turkey
As chances are you will be collecting pinecones in the fall months you can utilize them to make some cool Thanksgiving decorations with your kids. It’s super easy to transform a pinecone into a funky-looking pinecone turkey.
Natural Looking DIY Pinecone Wreath
Purchase a wreath base and decorate it solely using pinecones (and a bow just to top it off). You can make a great looking fall themed pinecone wreath by mostly using pinecones as they are and by dipping or painting a portion of them in fall colors.
Pine Cone Hedgehogs
Now if there is a pine cone craft idea that just screams to be made it’s these pinecone hedgehogs. All you need is a pinecone that’s nicely opened up some plasticine or air dry clay and googly eyes.
Make a Rustic Fall Banner
One of the easiest pine cone decorations you or your kids can make is this simple rustic fall pinecone banner. All you need is a couple of pinecones, some dollar store fall-themed decorations (usually random stuff painted in orange and yellow), and twine.
Mini Pinecone Christmas Trees
Why have a big old tree when you can have these adorable mini pinecone Christmas trees? Well, having both is probably the most fun choice of them all.
Most Wonderful Pinecone Mobile
Dip the pinecones into different vibrant paints, let them dry, and tie a string to them. Hang them on a twig to make the coolest little mobile that will shine on your porch.
Pinecone cactus craft
Struggling to keep real plants alive? Even when it comes to cacti? We have a cool solution for you. Run to the store and grab a couple of cute plant pots (bonus points if you get terra cotta pots and paint them). Also, grab decorative sand. Go on a walk and gather pine cones. Dip the pinecones in your paint (or paint them with a brush). Fill the pots with decorative sand and press in the painted pinecone. If things are feeling too loose, you can hot glue the painted pinecone to a smaller rock; this will both weigh it down as well as make it easier to secure it with decorative sand.
Simplest Pine Cone DIY Decoration
Making gorgeous DIY decorations doesn’t have to be complicated. This one is best made during the canning season, as jars are readily available in stores. Find the largest jar possible. Paint the pinecones and just toss them inside the jar. If you want to add some magic to your creation (and take it to a whole new level) add mini battery-operated mini LED lights.
Add pinecones to your gift wrapping
Wrap the gifts with brown kraft paper, tie them up with twine or other natural-looking string, and add a pine cone or two with a hot glue gun. Oh so pretty!
Another take on hedgehogs
If you have a bunch of pinecones, some of them might fall apart a little. You can use the parts and make a hedgehog.
Christmas Tree Ornaments
If you want to go all naturall with your Christmas tree this year, consider using pine cones to make Christmas baubles.
Pinecone Bouquet
You can make all kinds of gorgeous bouquets with pine cones. For a winter themed one, gently spray the pinecones with fake snow spray or gently brush them with white paint. Add a few white faux roses and other faux winter “greenery” and make a magical bouquet.
Make Pine Cone Forest Animals
With a bit of paper, glue, paint and a pinecone you can make all kinds of forest animals. Dip the pinecone in orange paint, make a triangle head out of orange construction paper and you almost have a fox.
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