How to Make Animal Ornaments From Pine Cones

Turn pine cones into works of art with these cute animal crafts.

Making pine cone animals can be an entertaining family craft. You can make the ornaments for gifts, fun or decorations for special occasions. Go for a walk with your kids and allow them to pick up pine cones. When you arrive home, rinse the pine cones to eliminate resin and dirt. Then you are ready to create your very own pine cone animals. Your choices are limited only by your imagination.

Things You'll Need

• White glue
• 2 plastic googly eyes
• Pine needles
• Yarn
• Felt or construction paper
• Scissors
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Feathers (optional)

Instructions

Pine Cone Mice and Porcupines

1. Lay the pine cone on its side. The pointy side will be animal's face. Place a small dot of glue on each of plastic googley eyes and paste them on either side of the pine cone tip.

2. Put two small dots of glue on both sides of the pine cone tip. Glue two pine needles to each side for whiskers.

3. Cut a small piece of yarn if you are making a mouse and glue it to the back of your pine cone as a tail. Your mouse will also need two small round ears which you can cut from felt or construction paper and stick just above the eyes with glue.

4. Paint the tips of the pine cone with black and white acrylic paint if you are making a porcupine.

Owl

1. Stand the pine cone up so that the pointed side is at the top. Place a dot of glue on the back of the plastic googley eyes and paste them next to each other on the side of the pine cone that is facing you.

2. Cut a small triangle of construction paper or felt for the owl's beak. Paste that below and between the eyes.

3. Paste feathers between the pine cone branches if you want a more realistic looking owl. Feathers can be obtained from craft and art stores.

Pine Cone Turkeys

1. Lay the pine cone on its side so that the tip is facing you. Paint the tip of the pine cone yellow for the turkey's beak.

2. Paint the branches at the back of the pine cone with red, yellow and orange paint so that they look like feathers.

3. Put a small dot of glue on each of the plastic googley eyes and paste them on either side of the beak.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use the construction paper or felt to cut feet for your animals. Past them onto the pine cones with the white glue.

• Tie a ribbon around one of the pine cone branches if you want to use the pine cones as hanging ornaments. They also make great centerpiece decorations and gifts.

• Supervise younger crafters who are using scissors.