| Pine-Cone Projects |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-119 |
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Debbie Stapley, the host of HGTV's Crafts & Company, shows different ways to create with pine cones. You can collect them year round when you go for walks, or purchase them at craft and floral-supply store. If you collect your own, make sure they're thoroughly dry and not still green. The materials listed are for all nine projects described. Debbie makes a simple ornament, a centerpiece, filled baskets, a pine-cone tree and two projects using pine cones in the fireplace: one to make flames turn colors, another to create easy fire starters. You can also create a wreath and attractive packaging. All of these simple projects make elegant gifts. Materials: Pine cones in various sizes and shapes
Gold spray
Thin ribbon or cord
Scissors
Wire
Wire cutters
Fresh greens
Large baskets
Large bows
Small bows
Large white plastic foam cone
Brown acrylic paint
Brush or sponge
Wooden floral-wire picks
Gold-star wire garland
Small picks
Small ornaments
Small dried flowers
Hot-glue gun and glue
Gloves
White glue
Brush for glue
Copper sulfate (from chemical-supplies store) will create a blue flame
Borax will create an apple green flame
Trisodium chloride, or table salt, will create a yellow flame
Potassium chloride, or salt substitute, will create a violet flame
Large empty coffee cans or large aluminum pie plates
Plastic spoons
Paraffin
Double boiler
Sawdust
Tongs
Vine wreath
- Ornament: Spray a pine cone gold and let dry. Attach a thin ribbon or cord to the flat end and hang.
- Centerpiece: Take fresh greens and arrange pine cones on top of them. You can scatter small gold-sprayed cones between them or add any other gold accent.
- Basket: Fill a large basket with cones, and add a bow to the handle.
- Pine-cone tree: With a brush or sponge, apply brown paint to a white foam cone, and let dry. Wire the base of the pine cones with wire or wooden floral picks and, starting from the bottom, insert them into the cone, working your way up. Glue on smaller cones to fill in so that the foam base is completely covered (figure A). The brown paint also helps hide the base. You can leave the tree as is or add a bow, a gold-star garland, small ornaments or small dried flowers.
- Creating colored flames using pine cones: Place the chemicals listed above in separate containers such as large coffee cans or large aluminum pie plates. Wear protective gloves, and brush the tips of a pine cone with white glue. Hold the pine cone over the container, and spoon the chemical over it until the glue is covered. Shake off any excess. Let the pine cones dry completely. Fill a basket with them, and decorate with a bow. Next time you have a fire in the fireplace or are out camping, toss in a few cones and watch the flames crackle with color (figure B).
- Fire-starter pine cones: Mix sawdust with one of the chemicals mentioned in a large can. Melt paraffin in a double boiler. With tongs, dip a pine cone into the wax, then into the sawdust/chemical mixture. Put aside to dry, then fill a basket with the pine cones, and add a bow.
- Gold pine cones: Spray cones gold, fill a basket, and add a bow.
- Pine-cone wreath: Using floral wire, wrap the ends of pine cones, and wire them to a vine wreath. You can leave as is or add a bow or any other embellishments.
- Adding a natural touch: After you've wrapped a gift, glue some fresh greens, a few pine cones and a bow onto the package.
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