Clever Ways to use Pine Cones for Christmas Decorations
With everyone keeping an eye on their spending, making your Christmas decorations instead of buying them is a sure way to save money.
16/11/2021
pinterest.com/pin/2955555989453413/
With the pandemic almost behind us, hopefully, many of us are left in the position of trying to make ends meet at the end of every month. With an ever-decreasing budget, finding money for non-essential items is not on the list for everyone and that means that decorating the home for Christmas may require some ingenuity, but that's OK, South Africans are known for being tough when we hit the rough!
better homes and gardens magazine
Pine cones are just one of many of nature's bounty and can be found along roadsides, in public parks and on many a ramble through the countryside. Pine cones usually drop to the ground at the beginning of summer and, while they may be grubby or dirty, giving them a quick scrub with an old toothbrush or soaking them in bleach will have them perfect for using to make your own festive decorations, and here are some clever and craft ideas on how to use them.
pinterest.com/pin/392305817549334242/
From toppers on beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts, place holders for your festive dining table, decorations to adorn the front door over the holidays, or even as decorations to dress up the home, pine cones are as versatile as they are free. For most of the crafty pine cone ideas shown on this page, you will need nothing more than a few materials and supplies that you may already have or can pick up cheap at a craft or discount store.
pinterest.com/pin/828029081495378376/
1. Pine Cone Gift Toppers
Wrapping paper and gift tags can be expensive, so being able to wrap your presents in white or brown paper and add your own gift topper is a way to save on money. Making your own gift toppers using pine cones is easy and simple.
Paint the edges of your pine cones with white, silver or gold paint, cut a piece of hessian or burlap fabric to make a basic bow and then add a few embellishments such as spray-painted star anise or curled orange skin flowers. These adorable gift toppers not only look good - but they also smell great. You can also use this idea for a place setting for the festive dining table.
Some brown wrapping paper, pretty satin ribbon and a few painted pine cones are all you need for perfectly decorated gifts.
pinterest.com/pin/155303887499866934/
Nothing is more festive than pine cone place cards set around the holiday dining table.
2. Pine Cone Place Card Holders
Pine cone place card holders and serviette decorations are another easy craft where you can make your own trimmings. Cut a branch from a large shrub and cut this into slices - or you can buy wood slices online at craft stores - to hold the decorated pine cone. Or use raffia and embellishments to wrap up your serviettes for a festive celebration.
pinterest.com/pin/9992430410830017/
Keep the kids occupied during the December holidays by making pine cone decorations for the dining table.
pinterest.com/pin/91549804915246561/
3. Pine Cone Tree Decorations
Plain and simple, it is so easy to make pine cone decorations for the Christmas tree. Dig around for scraps of ribbon or fabrics, rope or string and perhaps glue and glitter to make sparkling tree decorations.
pinterest.com/pin/15762667436461639/
Buy a small pot of silver metallic craft paint or spray paint for your pine cones, add some silver ribbon or tinsel and hang these on your Christmas tree.
pinterest.com/pin/651755377331317076/
pinterest.com/pin/813955332661776073/
4. Pine Cone Garlands
Blue Gum trees can be found everywhere in South Africa and their foliage is a wonderful blue-grey colour that works perfectly for a garland or decoration, plus, it brings a beautiful scent into the home. Scatter pine cones throughout the greenery or wrap around a piece of twine or string to hang on a wall or over a door.
pinterest.com/pin/30891947436659799/
Decorate your home affordably using pine cones and a few embellishments to hang on walls, over doors or even around the Christmas tree.
pinterest.co.uk/pin/697283954792247025/?nic_v2=1a13i6f0u
5. Pine Cone Centrepiece
Decorating the holiday table doesn't have to be expensive if you use pine cones and fresh greenery for your own garden. Brush the ends of the pine cones with white paint, add some sprigs of greenery from the garden and place scented votive down the centre of the table for a festive atmosphere.
pinterest.com/pin/67765169384428723/
Collecting pine cones when they fall from the tree will provide you with holiday decor for many years. I have had a collection of pine cones for over 10 years, and they can still be used when I need them.
pinterest.com/pin/252834966570351011/
6. Pine Cone Decor
Versatile and provided free by Mother Nature, there are so many ways to use pine cones to decorate the home for the festive season. You can make assorted decorations for a mantlepiece or to sit on a shelf or cabinet, make pretty vignettes to place around the home, or miniature Christmas trees.
pinterest.com/pin/61572719896730102/
pinterest.com/pin/754704850062251929/