Would you like to use pine cones you find in nature, as decor in your home? I used to be afraid to bring them inside because of bugs and possible mold! Not anymore, today I’ll show you how to preserve pine cones for indoor use!
Are you curious why I’m interested in preserving pine cones to use indoors?
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It’s because I have three plastic tubs full of pine cones I collected from three weeping white pine trees we had in Kentucky!
Rich thought I was crazy for bringing them to Florida!
Mainly because I kept saying I was going to make something out of them, but never did!
So imagine his surprise when I announced I was going to use them in my Christmas decor!
How I used the first pine cones I preserved
I think he was relieved last Fall when I cleaned and dried my first batch and used them in my Christmas decor.
It gave him hope that one day, all those pine cones won’t be taking up precious space in our garage!
So, I thought it would be appropriate for us to celebrate Christmas in July!
Ready or not, here are a few pictures of last year’s Christmas decor for you to see!
On a Christmas tree
in a winter arrangement
Nestled in a basket
as an accent
Accessories in a DIY craft project
If you’d like to know how I created my own Christmas Village with pine cone accessories, click here!
I can’t wait to preserve more pinecones this year because I have some amazing crafts I want to make!
But before I start a new DIY project, I want to show you how to preserve pine cones so you can gather some for projects too!
steps to protect pine cones for indoor use
Gather
Gather materials needed for the project
- pine cones
- two large buckets
- water
- vinegar
- measuring cup
- plastic/newspaper
- parchment paper
- baking sheets
CLEAN
Remove debris (pine needles, dirt, twigs) from the pine cones.
I realized once I picked up the first one that I should wear gloves because pine cones are sticky!
BATH
You need to bathe the pine cones to kill any tiny bugs living inside and remove dirt!
Fill bucket ½ full of water
Add 1 cup of vinegar.
Place the pine cones inside the bucket.
To submerge all the pine cones, place an extra bucket on top of the first one and press down.
Soak for 30 minutes.
remove pinecones
Remove the pine cones from the water and lay them on a piece of plastic.
Notice how the pine cones close up!
Here’s a picture of a dry pine cone next to a wet one!
Isn’t that amazing! It’s the pinecone’s way of protecting itself in nature!
Let excess water drip off of the pine cones.
Bake the pine cones to finish killing any bugs that survived the bath.
This step also melts the sap that is stuck on them!
BAKE
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet!
Arrange pine cones in a single layer, do not let them hang over the edge because the sap will drip in your oven.
Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until they open up, checking them every thirty minutes!
Let them cool, and now they are ready to use inside your house!
It’s that simple friends!
another method to preserve pine cones
A few weeks ago, my blogger friend, Missy from Sonata Home Design, posted an article on how to bleach pine cones!
Her method will preserve the pine cones and make them a lighter color in one step!
They turned out to be a beautiful color so check them out!
I pinned her article so I can try bleaching my pine cones someday!
I have at least two craft projects planned for my pine cones!
One for Fall and one for Christmas!
I hope you enjoyed seeing a little bit of Christmas in July!
Are you ready to go outside and hunt for pinecones?
What would you make with three tubs full of pine cones?
Let me know in the comments below!
Blessings, Donna and Rich
DIY Pinecone Inspiration
Here are some projects I have made using the pine cones I preserved:
- Beautiful and Simple Pinecone Flower Wreath
- How to Make a Gorgeous Pinecone Wreath
- Create DIY Pinecone Flower Christmas Trees
- Nature-Inspired Pinecone Christmas Ornaments
pin it for later
No time to clean and preserve pine cones right now, that’s alright! Pin this post now to use at a later date!
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**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
I love this tutorial for preserving pinecone for decor! Perfect for Christmas in July! Pinned, and I’m happy to be featuring you tomorrow at Tuesday Turn About!
I’m so glad you liked it, Julie! It’s such a pleasure to be featured on Tuesday Turn About! I hope you have a wonderful week! Blessings, Donna
Oh this information is going to come in so handy! Of course! Why didn’t I think of baking the pine cones! Thank you for sharing this idea with me. Definitely putting it to use.
Anna, I’m so glad this post was helpful to you! I think pine cones are beautiful and can’t wait to start crafting with them! You’ll have to let me know when you try this! Thanks, Donna
I am blessed to have several different kinds of pine cones in our yard. I am making a sensory garden for my students in VBS. We are studying plants and animals that were given to our ancestors in The Garden of Eden. I plan to preserve a small bag for each one of the students to keep and I will add some fragrant pure essential oils for a decorative bowl.
That sounds wonderful! You are fortunate to have different kinds of pine trees! I only had one type but am looking forward to crafting with them! Blessings, Donna
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I want to paint the pinecones. I baked 1/2 of them, and they opened up. Is there a way to prep them without them opening up? We are making pinecone flowers so the closed look will be bettter.
Hi Carrie! Pinecones open and close based on weather, so I don’t think you can use this preservation method without them opening up. Good luck with your project!