Pine Cone Ornaments

On our little bathroom walks around the apartment complex Little Bear and I have been picking up pine cones.  They've just been catching my eye, I'm not used to seeing them so big and beautiful.  I decided they would make the perfect addition to my DIY Christmas tree.  I looked up a few ways to preserve them and decided on drying them in the oven.

I lined them up on a baking sheet, don't worry about covering your baking sheet.  I was nervous something would happen to it to ruin it but it came out perfect.
Bake them at 200 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let them cool for about ten minutes.  When they're done they come out with a bit of a shine from the sap seeping out of them.

I bought glitter paint, I was a bit nervous that it wouldn't come out very nice but I went with Martha Stewarts brand.  Can't go wrong with her, right?  I wouldn't suggest a generic brand for the glitter paint.  It mind end up needing way more coats than necessary.  The paint I used looked much better as it dried.  Anyway, I used a smaller paint brush and just went to town on the outside half of the little prickles.  By the time I finished the sixth and last pine cone the first one was ready for a second coat.

I finished them off with bows in either ribbon or twine and small loops on top.  I also added a few buttons to a couple of them so they fit with the tree theme.  The glitter looks a bit better in person but I didn't want it to be overwhelming, I think it will be the perfect effect with the lights reflecting off them.

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