The thermostat may not reflect it where I live just yet, but tomorrow is officially the first day of fall. And though I likely won't touch a sweater until November, I'm still finding ways to make it feel like autumn with scented candles, apple picking, and leaf peeping.
And, of course, crafting. Nothing evokes cozy autumnal feelings like sitting down with my nieces and a basket of freshly gathered pinecones, paints, and pipe cleaners, and letting our imaginations run wild.
I like crafting with pinecones because they tend to be a little easier to handle than acorns, which require some dexterity to paint or glue, and they're harder to rip or destroy than leaves, which makes them great for even the littlest kids. Here are some ideas we'll be trying out this season.
Candy corns just scream fall to me. So I was so happy to find this DIY tutorial for Candy Corn Pine Cones from Who Needs a Cape? Because these color-blocked classics always made better decorations than food, anyway. (No they don't. Who are we kidding?)
Since my nieces have been planning their Halloween costumes since, oh, April, so I think they'll be happy to start some easy, spooky crafts like this awesome Pine Cone Spider from Fireflies and Mudpies. Love those multiple creepy eyes. Can't make it to an orchard this year? Make your own apples right at home. These Pinecone Apples from Non Toy Gifts keep it simple with gobs of red paint, and the end result is just perfection. A dozen of these would make a really great centerpiece for the dinner table.Related: 12 fun, easy fall nature crafts for preschoolers: Let the season begin!
Whoo would turn down a chance to test out this DIY Pinecone Owl tutorial we found at Whimsy Love? Getting the owl eyes to look this good may take some more advanced scissor skills, so this one may be better for older elementary-aged kids. Love that kids can go a little crazy adding whatever features they want -- like bows or bowties, or even rain boots. Just looking at these artsy DIY Ombre Pinecones makes me so happy. This one will take more patience and a steady hand than any of the other crafts here. But I think the fun, trendy look of these stylish pinecones will be a big hit with the older kid crowd who thought they were so over fall crafts. I might be getting a little ahead of myself here, but how cute are these Felt and Pinecone Turkeys from Lia Griffith? You can even swap out the brown felt feathers for some brighter fall colors, and these little guys will fit right in with all your other seasonal decorations. I'm predicting they'll be so fun to make, kids will forget it's only September.
