Crafting with natural materials
Pinecones make great bodies for all sorts of creatures, including Easter Bunnies!
Just add some Jacaranda pod ears and feet using a low-melt glue gun.
Glue on an acorn nose, and acorn cap eyes (I’ve added little plastic eyes inside), and some twigs for the whiskers. Done!
Large gumnuts are found on a variety of Eucalypts, and are fantastic for crafting. These little nature craft Christmas Angels have large gumnuts for their bodies, and bow-tie pasta wings. The Angel on the left has a sheoak head and gumnut cap hat, while the one on the right has an acorn head and acorn cap hat. Alternatively, you could use wooden beads for the heads. Little plastic eyes finish them off, and the pieces are glued together using a low-melt glue gun. If you’d like to hang them, glue a loop of string on the back.
Making a Christmas reindeer out of seedpods and sticks is really fun and easy. This little one has a large gumnut (Eucalypt seedpod) for it’s body, and a sheoak pod for it’s head. Small sticks make perfect legs and antlers, and it’s all glued together with a low-melt glue gun. Small plastic eyes and a gumnut cap nose, painted red, finishes this little nature craft Rudolf off!
A run of cold nights has brought out some brilliant autumn colour in my garden. My Japanese maple is looking spectacular, and the different shades inspired this pretty spiral. This type of nature craft, when laid out on the ground is sometimes called Land Art. It’s easy, satisfying, free and fun to do with kids!
Paper plates with the middle cut out make a perfect base for a wreath. And they’re cheap & easy if you’re working with a whole class of young kids. Head outside so the kids can collect some natural materials. I’ve glued on gum leaves, gum blossom and gumnuts to give it a very Aussie touch, but just use whatever plants are available. A very simple yet effective nature craft activity!
“Gumnut Babies” originated in the creative mind of iconic English-Australian author & illustrator May Gibbs. “Snugglepot and Cuddlepie” are her most famous characters.
These are my version, made using large gumnuts for the bodies, sheoak pods for the heads, and fresh gum blossom for the hats. The little one on the left has a gumnut cap with wattle glued around it.
I’ve added little plastic eyes, and put them together using a handy dandy low melt glue gun. Easy!
Coral Gum (Eucalyptus torquata) is a native of Western Australia and used as a hardy street tree in dry climates. Look on the ground under them when in blossom and you’ll find hundreds of dainty little flower caps.
Collect some caps, dry them out for a couple of days, then snap or cut off the tips. Thread them like beads to create a Coral Gum bracelet or necklace. This is a lovely mindful nature craft activity for kids, which adults enjoy it too!
More information on seedpod jewelry is on page 30 of my book Nature Crafts for Aussie Kids.