Simple Glittered Pine Cone Garland

December is right around the corner, which in our house, means it’s officially time for all things Christmas. We’re approaching the holiday season with a "less is more" philosophy this year and really focusing on enjoying the parts of Christmas we love, which for my daughter and I means hand making a few simple, but beautiful decorations for our home. First up is this very easy way to make a pine cone garland that combines natural and woodsy pine cones and twine, with a little glitter and sparkle — a match made in heaven!

Here’s what you’ll need to make a simple glittered pine cone garland of your own:

• pine cones
• white glue
• a small paintbrush
• glitter in a colour of your choosing (we used white and silver for a snowy effect)
• twine
• scissors
• a glue gun

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The first step in this project is adding a little sparkle to your pine cones (because everything is better with just a little sparkle, right?) Pour some glue into a small dish or container, and invite your little one to brush it onto the pine cones however he or she sees fit. We chose to do just the top half of our pine cones for a snow-covered effect, but I also think an all over golden glitter look would be absolutely beautiful.

Next, have your little one generously shake glitter onto the glue. You’ll want to make sure this part is done over top of a plate or tray, of course.

When all of your pine cones are sufficiently sparkled, set them aside and let them dry fully.

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When the pine cones are dry, warm your glue gun and cut a piece of twine that’s slightly longer than the length you’d like your finished garland to be. Tie a little loop at each end of the twine for easy hanging and then invite your little one to help you with the glueing process. I’m a big fan of letting kids use real tools (with active supervision, of course!) and a low-temp or cool-touch glue gun is a perfect way to safely let them be part of the process, but not to worry if you don’t have one. You know your child best, so allow them to participate in a way you feel comfortable with — even if that means that they’re just the pine cone passer this time around — and maybe have a bowl of ice water close by if you feel like there’s a chance that a little finger may accidentally come in contact with warm glue.

To attach the pine cones to the twine, first shake off the excess glitter, then add a small dollop of glue to the bottom of the first pine cone. Carefully press the twine down into the glue and hold it in place for a moment while the glue sets. Starting the glueing process in the middle of your twine will ensure that the pine cones are centred on the garland.

When you’ve added all of your pine cones to the twine and you’re happy with how your finished glittered pine cone garland looks, hang it up to be enjoyed. Happy crafting!