Nature-inspired crafts are perfect if you’re looking to simplify your decor or bring more outdoors in this holiday season!
These DIY’s are super easy to make, environmentally friendly, and best of all inexpensive. Plus they give a dreamy + earthy look to your space! Each of these ideas are hard to mess up, so you don’t have to be “creative” to make something special either 🙂
Making natural decor is a fun tradition to have year after year, and a great way to spend time outside or something to do in your quiet time. You can also invite others to go foraging and make a whole day of it… gather your “supplies”, then head home for hot cocoa, festive music and DIY crafts!
These decorations aren’t only for Christmas—make them now and leave them up through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even into the New Year. That means less time decorating and more time enjoying the holidays!
ALL Images © The Beacon Road
1. DRIED ORANGES
What you’ll need:
- 3-5 oranges
- Cutting board + knife
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Skewer
- Twine
How to make:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees
- Cut oranges into ¼ inch slices (use paper towel to dab off any excess moisture)
- Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Bake for 4 hours, flipping the slices over at 1 hour intervals
- After slices have cooled completely, use a skewer to poke 2 holes at the top of each slice (a chopstick or large knitting needle also works)
- Roughly measure where you want to hang the garland, then cut twine several inches longer than that
- Thread twine through each orange (spacing them out for a minimal look or close together for a more trendy boho look)
- Tie loops at each end of the twine for easy hanging
Notes
- If you have extra slices, simply tie a small piece of twine through a single hole to make matching ornaments
- Store carefully in a brown paper bag for 1-2 additional years, or discard after the holidays are over to make fresh each year
- Enjoy subtle wafts of citrus and festive color throughout the season! (These work great for Autumn and Halloween too)
2. SNOW DUSTED PINECONES
What you’ll need:
- Pinecones
- White paint
- Paintbrush
- Optional: metal ornament hangers/wire
How to make:
- Before it gets too cold (or snowy!) outside, gather some small to medium size pinecones from your neighborhood or a nearby park. Look for ones that have more space between layers at the top, and with sturdy scales, so it’s easier to twist wire around it without them breaking.
As a lighthearted practice of gratitude, thank the tree (and ultimately God our Creator!) for providing you with it’s shed pinecones. This might seem weird at first, or uncomfortable if in a group, but even a silent expression of thanks makes the whole crafting process more joyful! If you recreate these each year, returning to the same tree also makes for a special tradition 🙂
- Inspect pinecones for any bugs, shake off excess dirt, and remove loose scales.
- Quickly swipe a paint covered brush back and forth across the edges of each pinecone. Coat the edge of each scale completely, then go back with a lighter layer of paint to fade the ends in toward the center.
- Once paint is completely dry, wrap metal ornament hangers (or any thin wire) around the uppermost tier of scales. Gently twist the wire to secure, and create a loop or hook to hang it with.
Notes
- If you don’t have wire or don’t want these to be ornaments, simply style the pinecones in a bowl or on a tray with greenery for super easy wintry decor!
3. UPCYCLED ACORNS
What you’ll need:
- Style 1
- Acorns (whole or separated)
- Paint brush
- Paint of choice
- Hot glue gun
- Style 2
- Acorn caps
- Felt balls (1.5–2cm, depending on size of acorn caps)
- Hot glue gun
- Optional: sewing needle + thread
How to make:
- While you’re out looking for pinecones, gather some acorns too! Depending what you find, you can use separated acorns or ones with the caps still attached. And if the squirrels already beat you to them, gather some empty acorns caps for an equally cute craft!
- Style 1
- Use a damp paper towel to wipe off excess dirt from acorns—the nut, cap, and even inside the cap (if separated). If a layer of dirt is left on the acorns, the paint and glue won’t stick properly, so do not skip this step!
- Once everything is clean, paint each acorn a color of your choice. These look best with softer tones that compliment one another or neutral metallics for a more elegant look!
- Once the paint is dry, glue any separated ones back together with a generous spiral of glue inside the cap
- Let dry completely before styling in a dish, festive terrarium, or scatter throughout a holiday tablescape
- Style 2
- After the caps are cleaned of any dirt, glue onto colored felt balls and let dry completely.
- You can style these the same way as the previous method, OR…
- Using a sewing needle and thread, string the acorns together for festive garland. Wrap around a tree, hang from bookshelves, or drape over a mantle for a cozy woodland aesthetic
4. POPCORN BERRY GARLAND
What you’ll need:
- Thread
- Sewing needle
- Plain popcorn
- Raw cranberries
How to make:
- Using a sewing needle with thread, string popcorn pieces one at a time through the fluffiest part. (Only move several pieces of popcorn along the thread at a time. Since it’s so delicate, moving too many at a time will be prone to break.)
- Continue until the garland reaches desired length. Two 0.65oz snack bags makes approximately a 3ft strand.
- If you plan to wrap this garland around a tree, tie a simple knot at each end to secure. If you want to hang it elsewhere or from hooks, make sure there’s enough room at each end to tie a loop for easy hanging and removal.
- Using the same method, string raw cranberries onto thread with a sewing needle. I found it easiest to thread cranberries sideways (perpendicular to the core)
- You can also combine popcorn with berries on the same strand, typically 3 popcorn + 1 berry, or keep them separate. Whichever style works best for you!
Notes
- Fresh cranberries will last roughly 1 week, so you may want to PIN THIS POST and come back later to make berry garland closer to the holidays!
- I used Skinny Pop brand of popcorn, which is very lightly salted with coconut oil. If you don’t mind having minimal crumbs or oil, then it’s the easiest and cheapest way to go.
- You can also use a pot on the stove or air popper with plain kernels. Cook times will vary by brand, so follow manufacturer instructions for 3-4 cups popped popcorn.
≫ If you make any of these crafts, be sure to tag @thebeaconroad on Instagram so it can be shared with fellow makers! Happy creating🌲❄️
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All images © The Beacon Road
