3 Uses for Discarded Walnut Shells

Walnut shells aren't just for magic anymore.

Walnuts have many health advantages. When done eating the nut, a person is left with the shell. The shells can be kept for future crafts. There are many creative uses for these shells. Clean them with some soapy water and then let air dry and the shells will be ready for use.

Walnut Mouse

Create a mouse out of walnut shells.

To create a friendly mouse, trace two dime-sized circles on brown construction paper for the ears. Cut these out and fold down 1/8-inch on the top. Glue the folded part of the ears to the outside of a walnut shell. Glue on two small wiggly eyes and paint a small dot for the nose. Soak a dark piece of yarn, about 3 inches long, in glue; this is the tail. When the tail is dried and stiff, insert it through the hole in the shell and glue in place.

Treasure Shell

Take both halves of a walnut shell and place a coin, or folded dollar bill, inside the shell. Loop a piece of string between the two halves, then glue the two halves together. Decorate the exterior of the shell with rickrack, beads or leave the shell plain. Hang this ornament from the Christmas tree or place in a special place for a happy surprise for the treasure hunter.

Advent Calendar

An advent calendar gives a loved one something to look forward to each day in December. For this craft, 24 walnuts will be needed. Clean the insides of the walnuts out, then place a small gift inside the shell. Some gift ideas are charms, stickers or notes. Glue the two halves of the shell together. Number 24 pieces of paper consecutively, 1 to 24. Punch a small hole in one corner of each piece of paper, then thread a ribbon through the hole. Next, wrap the ribbon around the shell, then tie in a bow on the top. Create a loop from a piece of thread and glue to the ribbon to create a hanger. These can be hung on a tree. Each day of December, one of the walnut prizes will be removed and opened, starting with number 1 and removing the rest in consecutive order.

Walnut Strawberry

To create this simple craft, paint half of a walnut shell red, then glue small beads on the outside. These beads represent the seeds in a strawberry. From green felt, cut out a small stem for the top of the berry. This is a nice craft for kids to make for Mother's Day.

References

• Make Stuff: Projects: Walnut Shells: 1998-2011
• Mother Nature Network: Family Activities: Walnut Shell Advent Calendar: 2011