I love Autumn and I love Christmas – especial DIY Christmas Ornaments! And I love that the two come together… Today I have our “Christmas Elf Babies” – some from Australia and some from our local park. I know we still in October, but I collected some gumnuts from Australia MONTHS ago and recently my son found some mini pine cones in our local park. And I knew a craft I had to make. Some of you may have seen the gumnut octopuses and although I made those in honour of my Australian friends… I did want today’s craft to be for everyone. So you get to choose: Christmas Ornamental Elf Babies made from gumnuts or pine cones!
These lovely Ornaments is also included in our practical, easy to download and print out Christmas Ornament Book. Each craft is shared on one page – making the perfect worksheet print outs. Lovely to have them all in one place too!
Only $7.99
Get yours today and keep it forever!
Pine Cone Elves – Materials:
- A wooden bead,
- a gumnut/ mini pine cone,
- felt scraps,
- ribbon scraps,
- hot glue gun or wood glue,
- brush & paint
(affiliate links added)
If you are using wood glue.. there is a certain amount of “sitting there and holding the bits until dries” to do.. that is what is so amazing about hot glue guns – everything sets so quickly!
Pine Cone Elves – How To:
1) Cut a triangle of felt and a felt flower (easiest way, is to cut a circle, then nip it 8 times & round the “nipped parts into petals”)
2) Cut a length of ribbon, a little hole in the two pieces of felt – in triangle – cut the hole close ish to the long side of the trianle, in the circle, cut it at the centre. Thread and tie a knot. Then using a hot glue gun, glue the triangle on, the bead to the flower the flower to the gum nut. Add a little extra glue to help the petals face down a little. Add a ribbon around the centre of the gumnut.
3) Paint on eyes and mouth. Don’t use a pen, as the ink will run into the grain of the wooden bead. A biro MAY work.. test first!
4) Make lots of elf babies. These are our Australian elf babies.
5) For the pine cone elf babies, do exactly the same, just use a mini pine cone. I flatened it a bit frist to help the bead nestle nicely.
It was my first go with the hot glue gun.. so you can see the glue a little.. but all in all I am in love with my new babies!
Here is last year’s Christmas Felt Ornament if you fancy more ideas:
Want MORE Christmas Ornament ideas?! Check out:
emma says
October 21, 2011 at 5:49 amLove all the gumnuts that are creeping in! Fantastic!
Emma says
October 21, 2011 at 6:08 amLove it, they are truly fabulous, I’m definitely going to try these with all the for cones I’ve collected this autumn.
Red Ted Art says
October 21, 2011 at 6:31 amWe love gumnuts too 🙂 and we have SO many pine cones in our house…..
Emma @MummyMummyMum says
October 21, 2011 at 7:42 amThey are beautiful!! You are so clever Maggy! 🙂
Red Ted Art says
October 21, 2011 at 8:01 amOh you are sweet Emma.. they are very simple to make……
Carolina J. says
October 21, 2011 at 9:08 amThey do look simple to make and aren’t they just charming? 🙂
Esther says
October 21, 2011 at 1:23 pmWow! They look so wonderful! Perfect to hang on the Christmas tree
fi (Childcare is Fun!) says
October 21, 2011 at 5:13 pmLove them!
Judy says
October 21, 2011 at 9:07 pmThose are so precious!
Annie says
October 22, 2011 at 2:26 pmAh! These are very cute indeed! Looks like a What?Wednesday idea to me… right I’m off to find pinecones!
Thank you for inspiring me yet again!!!!
Red Ted Art says
October 22, 2011 at 4:38 pmYou know… I was thinking the same Annie….
northernmum says
October 22, 2011 at 9:03 pmall these comments saying simple!
I look at them and think never in a million years, followed by, how much shall I offer the lovely Maggie to make them for me because I really want some!!!
Jane x
Tanya says
October 23, 2011 at 6:32 amThey are so cute!
Thank you very much for the tutorial.:)
Fran says
October 23, 2011 at 1:08 pmThese are adorable, thank you! Might have to sneak a few on the Christmas Tree too.
p.s glue gun love 😀
Red Ted Art says
October 24, 2011 at 10:41 amAaah lovely and yes, we love glue guns!!!
Trish@MomOnTimeout says
October 24, 2011 at 2:52 pmThese are so adorable. They would make great present toppers and would look adorable hanging off a bag too. I’d love for you to share these at my linky party if you have a chance. http://www.momontimeout.com/2011/10/taking-timeout-thursday-link-party-no-1.html
Red Ted Art says
October 24, 2011 at 4:31 pmDone!
creativejewishmom/sara says
October 24, 2011 at 9:24 pmThese are just adorable! Wish we had some gum nuts around here! thanks so much for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!
Trish@MomOnTimeout says
October 26, 2011 at 1:21 amMaking me wish for some gum nuts 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing at Taking A Timeout Thursday!
– Trish @ Mom On Timeout
ChrisTea And Cakes says
October 28, 2011 at 2:59 pmSuper cute!
mummiafelice says
November 3, 2011 at 11:38 amThese are amazing! Love them!! Thank you for linking up!
Liz@VioletPosy says
November 7, 2011 at 2:54 pmThey are gorgeous!! Can I use them as a Thrifty Christmas guest post? x
Red Ted Art says
November 7, 2011 at 2:59 pmOoh yes please!
Jaimee says
December 12, 2011 at 7:56 pmThese are DARLING! I’m linking to these in a Christmas Elf Crafts post in my Christmas Book Countdown series.
Red Ted Art says
December 13, 2011 at 1:50 pmAaah thank you!!
Denna says
September 20, 2012 at 1:04 pmJust love these, so cute!! Do you have any idea where I can get gumnuts in the UK?
Red Ted Art says
September 20, 2012 at 2:10 pmArgh, I confess, no you can’t get them here.. partly why I made the small “pinecone” versions ones too. I totally agree that the gumnut ones are 100% cute. I brought the gumnuts back from a holiday! Sorry!
Rae says
November 23, 2012 at 11:29 amHi there,
Please could you email me about an online magazine feature that I would like you to be part of. We think this project is absolutely wonderful!
Many thanks!
Rae x
Red Ted Art says
November 23, 2012 at 6:20 pmHave emailed!
plasterer bristol says
December 5, 2016 at 3:04 pmVey cute, i like and I’m sure my daughter will like them too.