February Reuse-It Item: Pine Cones

Think it's time to put the pine cones away, now that the holidays are over and Spring is fast approaching?

Think again!

This month, our blogger team has put together a list of clever ideas to use pine cones, all year round.

Michelle

I typically use pine cones for crafts and decor. It's important to me to clean out the dirt and possible bugs that may be stuck in the crevices of the scales. Check out this straightforward tutorial from Urban Jane to learn how to clean out pine cones, so you don’t have to buy them from a craft store.


Sarah

Give your feathered friends a treat, and lure wildlife to your yard with this awesome, all-natural bird feeder made from a pine cone! This is a simple, quick activity that's great for all ages. Get the instructions at Happiness is Homemade.

And because I couldn't decide which one I liked better, I also wanted to share this artificial zinnia floral arrangement, from A Fanciful Twist.

Siao

Growing up in Edmonton and having great access to the Rockies, I have a natural affinity towards the mountains.  I'm always trying to find ways to recapture those moments of adventure and calm. What better way to evoke these strong emotions and memories than to use the good old olfactory sense? Using essential oils and collected pine cones, you can easily make scented decor pieces around the home. Learn how at Apartment Therapy.

Mallory

Pine cones are one of the most common things that we can find in our everyday surroundings here in Northern Alberta, but the biggest question is: 'What can you do with them?' One answer that isn't at the forefront of most minds is to use them to add texture to paintings! It's very easy to take them apart, sprinkle them onto a canvas with some glue, and paint over them to add texture to any painting — especially more abstract pieces, as pictured here.

Painting by Bradley Collins
Image supplied by Mallory

Do you have a great idea to share? Let us know in the comments.