Pinecones

I am always on the hunt for different and cheap (read: free) things to do with the kids at home. So when I came across some fallen pinecones on our walk to the park the other day my wheels started to turn. I googled and pinterested (yes, that's a word) and it turns out there is an abundance of crafty things to do with pinecones. Apparently you can buy them at craft stores for that very reason. You can paint them, make them scented, turn them into a garland or a wreath or use them as place card holders. I was pretty impressed. Apparently, making them into owls in the fall is a pretty traditional thing to do. Who knew? Well maybe you did, but not me. Anyway, I wasn't planning on blogging about this but it ended up being so much fun for us all that I had to share. Seriously, even if I didn't have kids I would enjoy strolling through my neighborhood hunting for pinecones just as the seasons are turning. It was peaceful and challenging and made me look at the nature in our community and it even allowed us a gander at our neighbors' Halloween decorations. (Liam loved them but a few houses made Brygit cling to her bucket of pinecones). 

I quickly grabbed a couple of Easter baskets from the garage on our way out for the kids to carry their loot and I obviously chose wrong when I gave Liam the larger basket. He was very particular about which pinecones were worthy of a spot in his bucket. He looked at each one and only picked up large, open, symmetrical ones. Brygit, on the other hand, thought it was a race. In her defense, the last time she was holding an Easter basket and picking stuff up off the ground it was a race. She filled her bucket to the brim at our first stop and pinecones were falling from her lap the entire stroller ride. But we couldn't head home until Liam's basket was full, too. These are my children.

 

 

 

 

 

Once home, we tried copying this cute little owl I found on Pinterest but ours wasn't as adorable. Isn't that how Pinterest always works? Liam loved his and he was walking around the house pretending it was his pet owl. Once I got the hang of it I made a quick one for Brygit which she promptly disassembled. Again, these are my children. 

 

 

(And I feel I should apologize to future Brygit for letting her hair look like that, allowing her to wear a dirty shirt and letting her eat pinecones).

We filled our glass pumpkin, which is currently home to Liam's piñata winnings, with pretty pinecones and I still have a ton sitting on my dining room table. I see pinecone turkeys in my future.