All About Pinecones
I don't know about your corner of the world, but here in the Ottawa/Gatineau valleys, we are in the in between time. The trees are bare, we just got our first snow (that didn't melt on contact), the best of fall is behind us, but it's still a little early to go into full blown Christmas mode. Just like all in between times, though, now is a great time to prepare.
Today, I'm sharing a couple projects that lend themselves perfectly to this time of year. So grab your tuque and walking boots, and head outside with me.
The main ingredient for our project today, as the title states, is pinecones.
Pinecones are perfect for winter decor with their neutral colors, rich texture, and outdoorsy elements.
When I was collecting my pinecones, I told my little helper to help me find some of all sizes: tall, thin ones; short, stubby ones; and some of proportions all in between. You want to try to get ones that are intact (no broken or missing 'arms'), and that are as symmetrical as possible. (Of course, you can always buy pinecones...but where's the fun in that!)
Once you have a nice size collection, the first thing you want to do is clean them up. I put lots of water and liquid soap in the tub (you could also use a deep sink), and rinse and spray them off. Then let them sit in the soapy liquid for a few minutes. Your pine cones will close up when wet, but as they dry out, they will open up again. You can also "cook" the pinecones to kill any bugs that might still be hiding, and to help open them up again. (See link here)
So the first project I'm going to share is possibly my most favorite decoration for winter - Christmas too, yes - but I love keeping this up well into February. So what is this beloved decoration? A pinecone garland!
I love the way it looks slung under the fireplace mantel.
Here's what you will need to make this for your own home:
-pinecones
-twine or ribbon
-screw eyes (something like this)
-glitter (optional)
-glue or modge podge (optional)
-plate or lid (optional)
-box (optional)
If you want to dress up your pine cones just a little, sprinkle some glitter (I used fine gold-coloured glitter) on to the bottom of a small box. On a small surface, like a paint palette, plate, or old lid, squeeze some glue out. Roll a pine cone in the glue so that the tips are covered, and then roll the pinecone through the glitter. Set aside to dry. Once dry to the touch, take your screw eye and twist it into the base of your pinecone.
String your twine through the first eye all the way to the end. Leave yourself enough twine or ribbon to attach it where you will be hanging it, and knot it in place. I left enough twine to drape (can you say that about twine?) down on each side. Keep sliding your pinecones on and knotting them in place.
And there you have it! A beautiful accent piece that will keep your home looking homey- or hygge-all winter long.
As well as working for a garland, this project lends itself very well to making Christmas tree ornaments. Once again, you decorate your pinecones with glitter or leave them au naturelle, add a ribbon or bow if you wish, and tie it to the tree. Ashley, from makeit-loveit.com, made some beautiful ones using ribbon and hot glue, that you can see here. This is my version, using the screw eye method, hung with craft ribbon.
Another, great use for pinecones is a rustic pinecone wreath. This project is a little more involved, and will take you quite a bit more time to complete, so plan accordingly!
This is where the pinecones of many different sizes will come in handy! You will need:
-lots and lots of pinecones (I used a combination of natural and glittered ones, but you could also paint or bleach them)
-floral wire
-wire wreath form
Now, while there are a few tutorials I came across that suggested hot gluing the pinecones, in my experience the glue just does not stand up to the extreme cold that Canadian winters throw at it. The pinecones would seem to be secure, but would start falling off at the first cold snap. If you plan on keeping it indoors, however, this could be a good, quicker option for you.
With that public service announcement out of the way, here's a great link for a tutorial on how to attach your pinecones using the floral wire.
This was my finished project. Look for it on my front door when we get a little closer to Christmas!
While these are the pinecone projects I've tried, I've been saving up other projects for a later time, or to use as gifts, on my Christmas Pinterest page - in fact, pinecones have their own section on there. You can find all my inspiration for these projects, and more, on my board here.
Hope that I've been able to offer you some inspiration today, and maybe get some of those creative juices flowing!
Until next time.
God bless
~Cheryl
