Clever Pinecone Crafts and Decorations

To create this look, "plant" larger cones in clay pots and use tiny pinecones as "mulch" over the soil of a dwarf arborvitae. Scatter more pinecones and juniper sprigs across the mantel to continue the nature theme.

Related: Spruce Up Your Mantel with Tiny Tannenbaums

A mix of painted-white and natural pinecones suggests a snow-dusted landscape. Spray-paint different sizes of pinecones white, letting some of the natural color show through; let dry. Use 8-inch pieces of florists wire to attach pinecones to a wire wreath form. Hot-glue on red jingle bells for accents.

Related: Beautiful Holiday Wreaths

This pinecone tree is worth showing off until winter is past. Stand branches in a clear cylindrical vase, adding small pinecones and glass or plastic balls filled with greenery to support the branches. Hang small pinecones and tiny snowflake ornaments from the branches.

Curiosities such as milk starbursts grab attention in a centerpiece of pinecones and greens. Repurpose serving pieces as candleholders and tiny planters to add charming interest.

Related: Easy Christmas Centerpiece Ideas

Create a forest scene with pinecones and crafts materials. Green tempera paint turns the cones into trees. Craft owls using tufts from cotton balls for the body, white and yellow felt shapes for the face and wings, and yellow thumbtacks for the eyes; accent wings and eyes with permanent marker. Get creative with folded brown pipe cleaners to make a reindeer. Tree "trunks" can be cardboard tubes or rolled brown scrapbook paper accented with a dark brown marker.

Related: Easy Christmas Crafts

Pinecones and sprigs of fresh or artificial greens fill a woodsy basket, making a totally totable accent.

Hang a pinecone garland along your mantel or drape it from a window. To make, cinch wire around the stem end of a series of cones. Hang with thumbtacks.

Related: Gorgeous Holiday Mantel Decorating Ideas

Dress up pinecones and stand them on glittery wooden spools to create a fanciful forest. The photo shows needle-felted balls as "ornaments," but small pom-poms or beads would work, too. For the base, cover the sides of a wooden spool with glue, sprinkle with glitter and let dry. Glue ornaments to pinecone, and cone to base.

For easy elegance, showcase oversize pinecones under cloches. A dusting of faux snow adds wintry sparkle.

Nestle special "ingredients" inside ball ornaments for thoughtful, budget-friendly party favors or decorations. You can use wintry natural materials like we did, or let your imagination fly.

What you'll need
Plastic ball ornaments
Artificial snow
Pinecones
Pine tree clippings
Feathers
Ribbon

Instructions Place items inside one ornament half. (Leave them loose, or secure with a dot of hot glue.) Top with the other half, string with ribbon, and presto, you're done!

Related: Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments

To create this adorable centerpiece or party serving tray, first line a two-tier cake stand with a forest floor of dried moss. Then add a dusting of faux snow. Bring the scene to life with evergreen sprigs, pinecones, painted acorns and glass balls. Snow-white tumblers filled with sprigs and pinecones lend height and prop up reindeer cookies.

Surround lanterns with fresh greenery and pinecones for a classic, elegant centerpiece.

Celebrate the season's simple joys by creating a free-flowing mantel look with just three natural materials: green apples, pinecones and long-needle evergreen branches.

Layer pinecones, rose hips, dried pomegranates, sweetgum pods and moss for this easy look. Use materials from your garden first, then accent with others shown here (available at crafts stores or through your local florist).

Related: 14 Cheerful Winter Container Gardens

Gold "nuggets"—spray-painted walnuts and ornaments—sparkle against pinecones sprayed silver and white. Use 8-inch pieces of florists wire to attach pinecones to a wire wreath form. Hot-glue painted walnuts and ornaments where desired.

Decorate your holiday packages this year with a natural motif using fresh greenery, paint or glue, and pinecones. Put an evergreen piece on a paper plate and cover with crafts paint or glue, then press onto brown kraft paper to create geometric designs. (To keep your hands clean, put a sheet of waxed paper over the greenery before pressing it.) If using glue, dust the greenery designs with glitter. When your package is dry, add ribbon and pinecone accents.

Related: Easy Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas

For a natural touch on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table, glue pinecones onto short lengths of birch branches (available at crafts stores or online) to create place card stands. Cut extra bark into small banners to use as labels.

Related: Festive Holiday Tables

Fresh loose greens, large pinecones and red pears give a compote a natural look. Tuck in antlers for textural contrast.

Wintry white tulips lend a soft touch to this natural holiday centerpiece. Fill varying sizes of glassware with fresh flowers and arrange around metallic-sprayed pinecones and silvery ornaments.

If you have a hanging light fixture or chandelier, attach white-tipped pinecones with slender wire or fishing line for a wintery look.

Small vignettes, such as this one with pinecones, nuts and cinnamon sticks in crystal apéritif glasses on a silver tray, add surprising and sparkling detail to a room.

Top silver candlesticks with silvery painted pinecones for a glittering display. Group several on a tray, and add some blue or silver ornaments for even more impact. To paint pinecones, apply several thin coats of metallic silver spray paint.

White-tipped pinecones atop napkins hold place cards. The soft colors repeat in white candles wrapped with fat green velvet ribbon attached with pearl-headed pins.