Keep it natural for holiday decorations
As you head to the lake this holiday season, look no farther than your own surroundings for some quick and easy last-minute decorations. Pine cones of all shapes and sizes provide the perfect natural embellishment for a warm and cozy setting. And, minus the red bows, it’s a look you can keep long after the holiday season ends.
Decorating with pine cones is as easy as …
Head outside.
Take in the view, enjoy the fresh air and gather up a variety of cones – large and small. Make it a family scavenger hunt with a prize for whomever finds the biggest cone.
Keep out the bugs.
Before using collected pine cones, remove all visible pine needles and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake them at 200 degrees for 30 minutes to an hour until the cones are fully open and the sap has melted (check occasionally to avoid burning).
Start decorating.
*Heap them in empty bowls, surround the base of pillar candles in glass hurricanes, add them around the edges of trays, and even nestle them among books and objects on your shelves. They look great just about anywhere and no glue gun is needed.
*Set large ones on their flat end and use on a table as place-cardholders. Small pieces of cardstock with handwritten names tuck easily between pine cone scales.
*Use twine to hang pine cones on the Christmas tree as natural ornaments. You can go old school and cover them with peanut butter and roll in bird seed to make feeders for your outdoor trees.
*Connect multiple cones as a garland for the top of your mantel or the center of your table by cutting an extra-long piece of twine or ribbon and securely wrapping some around each cone.
No time to do it yourself? No problem. The above Preserved Pinecone Wreath (from $139) from Birch Lane will greet guests in rustic style, while Terrain’s Glitter Cones Wreath ($34) brings a little more festive sparkle.
