How to Make Pinecone Elves: A Fun and Easy Holiday Craft
Pinecone elves are such a fun and easy holiday craft that is perfect for kids and adults alike. They are a great way to add a touch of rustic charm to your Christmas décor, and they can be made with just a few simple supplies.
Gigi, my 5-year-old daughter, helped me make these and we had so much fun creating all the details.
We are in the middle of creating an entire little village of pinecone elves and houses for our rustic Christmas decor theme this year! I hope you’ll follow along over the next few weeks as Gigi and I reveal the new little elves and their houses!
Today’s elves are a part of my Handcrafted Society Challenge. Everyone in the group made something awesome with pinecones and they are all so talented! You can see all 10 pinecone ideas linked for you at the end of this post!
How to Make Pinecone Elves
To make Pinecone Elves, you will need a few basic materials. These include pinecones, pipe cleaners, wood beads, twigs, and acorn caps. You can find most of these materials in your backyard or at a local craft store.
Start by collecting pinecones of different sizes. Martha Stewart made these originally in the 90s, and they are still a popular craft today. Once you have your pinecones, gather some pipe cleaners in various colors.
Next, choose some wood beads to use as the elf’s head. You can also use acorn caps as hats, and pipe cleaners or twigs for arms and legs. These materials are easy to find and add just the right touch to your Pinecone Elves.
Supplies
- Pinecones in various shapes and sizes
- Wood beads
- Pipe cleaners (I used red, brown, tan, and green.)
- Black craft Paint
- Sequins
- Hot Glue Gun
- Various thin ribbons and twine
- Acorn Caps
Once you have gathered all your materials, it’s time to start crafting. Like I said, this is a great project to do with kids, as it is easy and fun. With a little creativity, you can make a whole family of Pinecone Elves to decorate your home and your Christmas tree.
Creating the Pinecone Elf Body
Pinecone Preparation
The first step is to select a pinecone that is roughly the size you want your elf to be. You can find pinecones in your backyard or at a craft store. Once you have your pinecone, clean it by brushing off any dirt or debris. If your pinecone is closed, you can bake it in the oven at 150 degrees for 45 minutes to open it up.
Attaching the Head
To attach the head of your elf, you will need a wooden bead that is slightly smaller than the top of your pinecone.
I used this green and white bakers twine wrapped several times around my finger and hot glued it to the top of the pinecone first to hold my wood bead on more securely.
Next, Place a drop of hot glue on the top of the pinecone and twine and press the wooden bead onto it. Hold it in place until the glue dries.
Once the glue has dried, you can start to decorate your elf’s body. You can use felt, yarn, or other materials to create clothing and accessories for your elf. Be creative and have fun!
Designing the Pinecone Elf Face
To design the elf face, I start by painting the wood bead with a tiny brush. I avoid using a pen because it can bleed through the wood and ruin the design.
Making the Hair
I used pipe cleaner in light brown to make a cute hair style for my little girl elf by cutting it down and twirling the ends into a spiral. It turned out so adorable!
Making the Hats
I gave the Mr elf an wooden acorn bead as a head and painted the cap dark brown to look like a sock cap, but Mrs elf got a red sock cap that can pass as a hat or a beehive hair do! To make her hat/hair, I threaded the red pipe cleaner through the wood bead and coiled it on top. I added a drop of glue to hold it in place.
Painting the Face
When painting the face, I choose a dark brown or black that will show up without needing a lot of detail. I use acrylic craft paint because it dries quickly and is easy to work with.
To add facial features, I use a fine-tipped brush to paint the eyes, nose, and mouth. You can also use a toothpick to add small dots of paint for the eyes.
Assembling the Pinecone Elf Limbs
I used pipe cleaner as arms and legs by lacing them through the back of the pinecone and shaping them the way I wanted.
With a little patience and some creativity, you can make a charming pinecone elf that adds a festive touch to your holiday décor.
Here are a few more tips for making pinecone elves:
- Choose pinecones that are a good size for elves. You want them to be big enough to be sturdy, but not so big that they are difficult to work with.
- Use a variety of materials to decorate your elves. You can use felt, fabric, paint, buttons, and anything else you can think of to give your elves their own unique personalities.
- Get creative with your designs! There are no rules when it comes to making pinecone elves. Have fun with it and let your imagination run wild.
Once you have made your pinecone elves, you can display them anywhere in your home. They look great on mantels, shelves, and tables. You can even hang them from your Christmas tree!
I hope this inspires you to make your own pinecone elves this holiday season. They are a fun and easy way to add a touch of rustic charm to your Christmas décor.
Here is the post to how I made this adorable pinecone elf house!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can pinecone elves be used as Christmas tree ornaments?
Absolutely! Pinecone elves make adorable and unique Christmas tree ornaments. Attach a ribbon or string to the top of the elf’s hat and hang it on your tree. You can also make a bunch of pinecone elves in different colors and sizes to create a festive and whimsical tree.
What other Christmas crafts can be made using pine cones?
Pine cones are a versatile crafting material that can be used to make a variety of Christmas decorations. Some other fun and easy crafts you can make using pine cones include:
- Pine cone wreaths
- Pine cone garlands
- Pine cone centerpieces
- Pine cone snowmen
- Pine cone reindeer
The possibilities are endless, and you can get creative with your pine cone crafts by adding glitter, paint, and other embellishments.
Fun post Amy! This project is taking me back to my childhood. My great aunt loved making ornaments and created some similar to your adorable elves. We cherished them for years! Pinning!
Thank you Michelle, we always made ornaments and so I am going back to my roots! I am so glad it brought back fun memories fo you!
Such a fun project, Amy! I’m in love with the little house! This little elf village is a winner!
Thank you Missy! Gigi and I are having so much fun!
What a fun project, Amy! My Brookie would love to create this. I’ll have to put it on our craft list! So happy to join you ladies, this month! xo
Oh Kim she will love making these pinecone elves! They are so fun!
So fun Amy! I love their little faces and scarves! Sweet idea!
Loved the idea. I absolutely adore seasonal crafts. I was wondering, for someone who might be new to crafting, are there specific types of pinecones that work better for this project? Looking forward to trying this out with my kid!