How to Make a Pinecone Wreath

Warning: this is the non-Martha way to do it. You are welcome to go to her site and find the “right” way to do it, using lots more wire and sheets of moss. This is the shortcut method for people whose cookies will burn or children will bleed if they get too caught up in craft projects.


Supplies needed:
About 3 quarts of pinecones per wreath
12” grapevine wreath frame (from craft store)
Small decorative ornaments, picks or bulbs
Glue gun and glue sticks
Floral wire – about 12 inches

1) Get the kids out from in front of the TV and send them out into the backyard or neighborhood with some bags to collect pinecones (and don't let them back into the house until they're found!).   If there are no trees near you producing pinecones, you can probably get them at your local craft store or Oriental Trading. Get a variety if you can. If the squirrels haven't taken all the larger acorns, they’re nice too.

2) Inspect for bugs. Not a bad idea to rinse them off. Lots of ours had a nice frosting of sap on them. I like this because it smells wonderful, but it can make them a little sticky. (or if you're like me you can break out in little red bumps wherever the sap touches you.  Small price to pay for beauty.)

3) Lay out the cones on the wreath and decide on your layout. They look nice 2 or 3-deep in a braid-like pattern.

4) Using the hot glue gun, make two dime-sized globs of glue on the top and bottom of the pinecone. Apply them to the wreath one at a time. (Note: Older kids can do this, but make sure they’re instructed on how to use the glue gun. It’s very easy to get a burn from hot glue, or by touching the wrong spot on the gun. Emergency room visits can ruin your night.)

5) Apply glue to the base of the ornament or pick. Find the ugly or empty spots in between the pine cones and fill them in. Acorns can be added now, too.

6) Take the wire and twist it so that it loops at one end. Tie the other two ends around the wreath so that the loop is in the back. The loop can be used to hang the wreath from a nail. Or you can skip this step and just hang it from the grapevine.

Now it’s just a matter of waiting until some kid slams the door a little too hard, dislodging the wreath, so it comes crashing down, making it necessary for you to re-glue a large percentage of loose pinecones. Have fun!

If you’ve ever had a regretable craft project, you have to see the snarky and hilarious blog, Regretsy. Where do they find this stuff? (They’re probably outside taking a photo of my wreath right now!)