The weather we’ve been having lately has prompted me to search my brain a bit to find indoor things we can do here at Chez Arbo. My Nana used to be a whiz with the crafty stuff and I have extremely fond memories of either receiving something she had made, participating in making something with her, or going and checking out what other people had made together with her. I was also a Brownie and a Girl Guide (and later a Pathfinder and a Ranger leader) and so some of the crafties I’m remembering are a mish mash of Nana and Brown Owl.

Hi. I'm a Pinecone Sparrow.

Today we’re going to look at the Pinecone Bird.  Like a lot of my favourite kids’ crafts, this one involves going for a walk first to collect the treasure which is about the only part of this craft that is Kale’s speed as the parts are a bit small for 1 and a half year olds.  This craft is more about assembly (and the assembly of teeny parts) – and the creativity and personality you can give your owl(s) / bird / small round critter when you assemble can stretch it out for a long time. My critters ended up looking more like sparrows – I was shooting for owls -but there is no right and wrong in crafts, right?

Supplies:

Supplies!

• Pinecones
• White glue or tacky craft glue, or if you are feeling advanced, a hot glue gun – note: hot glue guns should only be used by older crafters
• Scissors
• Yellow felt for beak, perhaps some brown felt for wings
• Pipecleaner for feet
• Googly eyes or more felt, in appropriate eye colours
• To add more pizzazz: little feathers or fuzz, glitter spray

Method:

1. Go for a walk. Find yourself some nice, dry pinecones. Ponderosa Pines make nice pinecones. Or, you can cheat and can ask your friend Briana if you could have a few of the pinecones she bought for a decorative centrepiece. Not that I would do that or anything. You might need to trim off their stems a little bit, and you can use scissors or even pruners for that.
2. Bend the pipecleaner into some feet. Glue it on.
3. Cut out a triangular shape for a beak. Glue on.
4. Glue on googly eyes, or cut out eyes from felt, and glue them on.
5. You can add little feather tufts around its head. Or felt or feather wings.

Think about making the owls more fancy by adding glitter spray all over, or by painting on glitter to the edges. Dress up your owl – think of glasses, hats… go nuts. A little family of pinecone critters makes a nice centerpiece, or add string and give them as tree ornaments. Or just put them on your table like a little a small army.

Army Waiting to Deploy

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