Whether you use these sweet little treasures to dress up a tree, wreath, or the mantel, having your own home-made decorations makes this time of year just a little more personal and cheerful.
Where to Find Your Materials
Traditionally, homemade decorations are made by the kids and usually out of whatever odds and ends you have around the house. This year, take time out for a walk in the country with the kids and bring home a bag or basket filled with natural treasures that you can pick up along the way: small twigs, milkweed pods, cones from evergreen trees, and if you’re lucky, acorns from oak trees.
If you can’t get out into the country, you’ll find milkweed plants growing in empty city lots while pine cones and fallen twigs can be gathered up in city parks. Use these natural finds to create wonderfully rustic decorations that will bring a smile to anyone who sees them.
You and the kids can create charmingly naïve ornaments for your home such as rustic twig stars, chunky pinecone teddy tears, or amusing milkweed and pinecone angels.
Instructions
To make a milkweed pod angel, all you need is one milkweed pod, one pine cone, and an acorn. Add a ribbon to hang it on a tree. Why not make a few extra for the kids to take to their teachers as a pretty gift?
Preparation
- After you have brought your treasures home, spread all of the twigs, cones and pods in a single layer on a bench or table out of doors for an hour or two so that any insects can look for other shelter.
- Split the milkweed pods and remove the floss out of doors as these tend to float around and will make a mess inside the house.
- If you can’t find acorns for the head of the angel, use any other small nut, small pine cone or a dried poppy seed head instead.
What You Will Need
- 1 milkweed pod (split open and cleaned of floss)
- 1 large pine cone (2” to 3”)
- 1 acorn (for the head)
- Glue gun and glue sticks
- Ribbon
- Tiny toy instrument (optional)
How to Make It
- Apply glue to the flat side of the acorn (head of the angel) and attach to the pointed end of the pine cone ‘body’.
- Separate the milkweed pod ‘wings’ and glue each ‘wing’ to the back of the angel’s body (the cone).
- Fold a 5” to 6” narrow ribbon to form a bow and glue between the wings at the back of the pine cone.
- (Optional) Glue a toy instrument where the acorn ‘head’ meets the pine cone ‘body’).
