Pine cone projects

Recent frost warnings made me realize it's time to gather up the garden "debris" that can be transformed into interior and exterior decor. I'm talking about pine cones and assorted pods from trees in my garden. Now's the time to collect them before they get beaten down and damaged by fall wind and rain — should we be lucky enough to finally get some rain. 

Though you can make elegant creations, I often take the lazy way and just pile my finds in containers like this glass jar (above) filled with pine cones. Come winter, I'll add bowls of paperwhites but for the moment the cones are my solitary decorative item in the front entrance.

I found the two images (directly above and below) last winter and saved them as inspiration for this fall when my trees star shedding cones. I paticularly like the long string of pine cones because you can use any color of ribbon — matching or contrasting with your house color outdoors or indoors in the room you want to decorate. Such an easy way to personalize a decorative item. 

You can see more photos of designer Dorothee Schumacher's home (below) here.

Here are some of the other ways I've used pine cones and assorted pods for fall decor:

Pods in the parlor

What to put in a fancy vase

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Great inspiration. I have some beautiful ribbon that needs to be used. I see a pinecone swag in my near future.

[Curt Heuer]

I love to use natural items from my garden for decor as well. In lieu of a Christmas tree last year I cut red dogwood and covered it in tiny white lights. I loved it but my son ( tree lover) was not amused. I especially love the bowl your pods are in.

Jeanne

[di from the culinary library]

Pine cones make great bird feeders for cold winter months. Just melt some fat like copha, lard, or anything that sets when cold, stir in wild bird seed mix (+ stuff that has expired in the pantry like dried fruits, nuts and seeds) and when it resets fill the open cone holes with it. Wind a wire safely around the top and hang in your garden. I first invented this idea for my book 'Alchemy of the Mortar & Pestle'.