This charming extract from A Christmas Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom invites families to step outside, gather pinecones, and turn them into beautifully scented holiday decorations.
With a sprinkle of cinnamon and a touch of creativity, homesteading author Angela Ferraro-Fanning and illustrator
Annelies Draws show how to transform foraged finds into festive treasures. Perfect for little hands and grown-up helpers alike, this craft captures the warmth, fragrance, and joy of a homemade Christmas.
CRAFT DECORATIONS FROM FORAGED PINECONES
Is there anything that makes a home smell more Christmassy than the scent of cinnamon? Use pinecones foraged from outdoors to make these scented homemade decorations!
You Will Need:
- 12 pinecones free of mould and dirt
- Baking sheet
- Baking paper of foil
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Cinnamon essential oil (can be bought at many health shops)
- Crafting bowl or bucket
- Crafting spoon or foraged stick
- Plastic or beeswax paper
- Shake out the pinecones over the ground to make sure any lose bits of dirt fall away.
- Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Heat the oven to 100°C and bake the pinecones in the oven for 30 minutes. This kills any germs.
- Carefully remove the pinecones from the oven.
- Once the pinecones are cool, put them in a crafting bowl.
- Add the cinnamon sticks and 15 drops of cinnamon essential oil to the pinecones – do not ingest any of the oil! Stir well with a craft spoon or stick.
- Cover the bowl of pinecones with plastic or beeswax wrap. Let them rest, undisturbed, for at least two days.
- Remove the pinecones and place them, with the cinnamon sticks, in a decorative bowl or wreath. Take a deep breath in – they should smell wonderful!
Tip: The longer the pinecones sit in the covered container, the stronger the scent will be!
Tip: If your skin is sensitive, wear gloves when handling the finished pinecones.
