How to Make Scented Pinecone Ornaments

In front of our house, there is a HUGE pinetree. As a result, we have a very healthy supply of pinecones on our front lawn. I thought that it would be fun to make use of them and create some simple ornaments to use as decorations and possibly give as gifts. The girls and I made these little babies over the weekend as part of our Christmas Countdown. These ornaments look beautiful on the Christmas tree. You could also suspend some on fishwire as decoration above a mantel as well.

I learned how to make these ornaments at MOPS several years ago. They are shockingly easy...and yet so pretty. Here's how you do it:

Materials:

• Pinecones
• Small Screw Eyes
• Q-tips
• Concentrated Fragrance Oil (I picked up a small bottle of cinnamon-scented for $2 at Walmart)
• Paper Plate
• Craft Paint (white, silver or gold)
• Glitter (optional)
• Ribbon

Directions:

1. Remove the stem from the pinecone. Twist the small eye screw into the end where the stem used to be. The pinecone "scales" may be sharp. You might want to protect your hands with gloves while you're putting the screw eyes in. I used oven mitts. If you need to, use pliers to help you twist the screw eyes in.
2. If you wish to make your pinecones scented, dip a q-tip in fragrance oil and then dab it on the pinecone in between the "scales."
3. Squirt some craft paint onto a paper plate. Gently roll the edges of the pinecone into the paint. You can use a q-tip to get any areas that get missed. If you want to, you can add glitter before the paint dries.
4. Allow to dry. Tie a pretty ribbon through the eye screw to use to hang your pinecone.

Note: If the pinecones are very fresh, they may still be "closed" as mine were. You can try this method of opening pinecones. I just brought mine inside for about a week, and they opened on their own as the moisture left them.

Like to make ornaments? Check out this tutorial on how to make beautiful Borax Crystal Ornaments.