Great Idea Number Two: Pinecone Crafts

Pinecone Turkeys

You will need:

Colored construction paper or cardstock (or real feathers if you like)

One large, fully opened pinecone

One acorn (if you can’t find one, improvise... we used a small crab apple for our turkey’s head)

Googly eyes (we made ours with paper and a sharpie marker)

Scissors

Tacky glue (we used a hot glue gun)

One small piece of cardboard

Cut the tail feathers out of your colored construction paper, and glue them between the petals of your pinecone at the wide end (you can use real feathers instead of construction paper if you like). Fan out your feathers to show a full display.

Glue the body of your turkey onto a small cardboard base, so he doesn’t roll over on the table.

Glue the googly eyes onto the acorn to make your turkey’s head. Make a beak and a waddle out of construction paper and glue these on as well. Glue the head of your turkey onto its body (using plenty of glue, so it won’t fall apart).

What other pinecone animals can you think of to make?

Greeting Card/Photo Holder

You will need:

One large, fully opened pinecone

A photograph (or an index card if you don’t have a photo yet)

A piece of corrugated cardboard

Twigs, acorns, pinecones, stones and other natural treasures

Tacky glue (we used a hot glue gun)

Begin by inserting the photograph into the pinecone so that it stands up straight. Glue the pinecone onto the cardboard base in this position. Arrange the rest of your natural items around the pinecone and glue them into place. Trim the excess cardboard. 

Pinecone Birdfeeders

You will need:

Pinecones

Smooth peanut butter

Birdseed

Ribbon or yarn

Scissors

Cut a piece of ribbon or yarn and tie it around the top of the pinecone so that it forms a loop to hang your birdfeeder. 

Determine how much peanut butter you’ll need based on how many pinecone birdfeeders you want to make. Heat the peanut butter in a saucepan or in the microwave until just melted. Pour the birdseed out onto a separate plate. Begin by dipping your pinecone into the melted peanut butter until coated, then roll it through the birdseed.

Lay your birdfeeders flat until dry, then hang them outdoors to attract birds during the winter and summer months. They make beautiful decorations when you hang them from the tree branches in your yard!