Creative Pinecone Wreath Ideas~3 Stunning DIY Designs

There are pinecones galore here at our cabin. We are surrounded by Ponderosa Pine trees and for some reason, I am noticing a plethora of pinecones on the ground. This year I am using Mother Nature’s gifts and making several pinecone focused projects. This post I am sharing creative pinecone wreath ideas with 3 DIY designs. What makes this extra fun, is making wreaths and crafts with a friend.

Ponderosa Pines

Ponderosa Pine trees are drought resistant and remarkably fire retardant. The bark has been described of smelling like vanilla or butterscotch, depending on an individual’s sense of smell.

A Ponderosa pine’s bark is also really thick. A large tree might have bark that is six inches or more. The bark does not burn easily, which allows Ponderosas to survive during small wildfires. Pinecones are produced every 2 years years. They shed their pinecones in August and September.

Unlike spruce and sugar pines, Ponderosa pinecones are fat, with a roundish shape. For wreath-making, I collect 3 different sizes~large, medium and small; plus the chewed up cores left by the squirrels.

Items You Will Need

The items you will use for these projects are readily available. Some pinecones have sharp points so protecting your hands is a must. Also, for the wreath frame I use both the 12″ and the 20″. Choose what size and material you want for your wreath. I will use both the metal wreath frame and a grapevine one.

Wreaths:

• Wreath frame-metal with 4 rows
• Wreath frame-grapevine
• Floral Wire-22 or 24 gauge
• Glue Gun and glue sticks*
• A good pair of cut resistant work gloves
• Wire cutters
• Pruning shears or small garden clippers
• Pipe cleaners

A note about glue guns: If you do a lot of crafts, please invest in a good glue gun. I have a cheap mini glue gun here at the cabin which uses mini-glue sticks. You go through the glue sticks so quickly and I prefer a more professional one.

A Natural Pinecone Wreath

The first one I make is a pinecone wreath that is unadorned and just natural. Larger pinecones are wired onto the wreath frame in the middle, and smaller pinecones are added using a glue gun. There are 3 layers of pinecones but you can make it with less or more pinecones.

Depending on the size of the pinecone, cut a piece of wire long enough to wrap around the bottom of the cone. Twist to secure it and then wrap around the metal wreath frame.

Quite frankly, I find it difficult to wire on all the pinecones. This wreath has 85 pinecones on it, with all the larger pinecones wired onto the frame. Tucking the smaller pinecones is easier to do with hot glue than wire.

I love these pine cone cores that are left after the squirrels have munched on them. They make a fun outside edge and my wreath has 18 of them.

Now I am debating whether I want to spray the wreath with a satin or gloss clear coat. Any thoughts on that?

Note: Personally I find it easier on my hands to use chenille pipe cleaners. The floral wire slides on the metal frame. Once you have enough pinecones on the frame, they start supporting each other and stop sliding. But securing with pipe cleaners, I didn’t have as much movement. Also, if you are making an indoor pinecone wreath, you may want to slow bake your pinecones to kill any bugs.

Making Pine Cone Flowers

Here is a fun way to use pinecones but cut them in a way to resemble flowers. Using your pruning or garden shears, cut the pinecone into 2 or 3 pieces. With my bum finger, my sweet husband makes all these cuts for me.

The bottom of the pinecone resembles a zinnia.

The middle part of the pinecone looks like flower petals.

And the top of the pinecone, looks like a bud.

Affixing the “flowers” to the wreath frame can be done with floral wire (or pipe cleaners) and/or hot glue. Mixing and matching the textures is half the fun.

Painting Brings Life

When you add paint these flowers, the wreath comes to life. My talented friend, Tevia, paints her “flower” wreath in purple, blues and yellow.

I choose to make mine in the colors of fall. Using acrylic paints, my palette is red, orange, burgundy, yellow and green.

After painting the flowers, I realize the wreath needs some bulk. I add more pinecone segments to it, and I am much happier with the fullness of this one. However, you can personalize the density, color and shape of the wreath to your liking. Pinterest is a good source of inspiration.

I leave some of the pinecones unpainted as I like the natural effect mixed with the painted ones. What do you think?

Birdseed Wreath

I have fond memories of a child making taking a pine cone, covering it with peanut butter and rolling it in bird seed. Once hung from a ribbon or string, we would watch the birds happily enjoying this delicious treat.

Materials You will Need

• 12″ metal wreath frame
• 12 large pinecones
• 13 medium pinecones
• 12 small pinecones
• Jar of creamy peanut butter
• Wild bird seed
• Pipe cleaners or floral wire (or both)
• Hot glue gun
• Aluminum foil or large pan

With a 12″ metal frame pinecone wreath, I try and recreate this childhood memory, on a larger scale.

I make the pinecone wreath like all the others~with wire/pipe cleaners and hot glue. Placing it on a large square of aluminum foil with raised edges, I begin to coat the entire wreath in peanut butter. A large 4lb. jar from Safeway provides plenty of the spread.

It’s a bit like frosting a cake. Using a butter knife, I apply the peanut butter into as many nooks and crannies as I can.

Using a garden variety bird seed, I sprinkle each peanut butter- covered pine cone with a generous amount.

Once the wreath is packed and padded with seed, it is time to hang it up outside.

Placing the Wreath Outdoors

Sliding it over it an existing bird feeder arm on a Ponderosa pine, seems like the perfect place for the bird seed wreath. If you have a hook or a nail on a post or tree in your yard, that would work too.

Within minutes, the wreath is visited by woodpeckers. Maybe they will stop pecking at our house now that they have another food source?

The squirrels seem to like it too.

Since the bird seed wreath is such a big hit, I would imagine I will need to “refill” it shortly. The squirrels seem to like pulling the smaller pinecones off to snack on them. Bird seed wreath repairs are in my future.

The making of this wreath uses a little less than half the jar of peanut butter and half a 5 lb. bag of wild bird food. Walmart carries the 12″ metal wreath and it only costs $2. 48. Would be fun to add berries for color? Such an affordable project and a fun one to make with children or grandchildren.

If you do not have access to pinecones and live nearby, please let me know. Also, Amazon has a wide selection of pinecones of various sizes and shapes here.

I have a few more pinecone projects in the works that I will share in the future. After working with pinecones for the last week, I am amazed that each and every one is beautiful and different. Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?

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