Pinecone Crafts

Here are some crafty ideas for using pinecones in your Christmas decorating. All of these are from http://www.marthastewart.com. There are instructions for making them if you're that crafty kind of person.

Norway Spruce Pine Cone Wreath

Pinecone Penguins

Love these little penguins!

Pinecone Turkey

This is used as a place-card companion.

Pinecone Mouse

So cute and so clever!

Pinecone Cardinal

Love these!

Gilded Pinecones

Bleached Pinecones Basket

These are just a few ideas and there are more on her website, picture frames, place-cards, rosette garlands, etc. Wonderful ideas from Martha. 

Gingerbread Houses

This is one of 26 beautiful Gingerbread Houses you can view in a photo gallery at Martha Stewart's Website. I can't imagine the time that goes into making one! Very creative!

The harder German-style Gingerbread is often used to build gingerbread houses similar to the "witch's house" encountered by Hansel and Gretel. These houses, covered with a variety of candies and icing, are popular Christmas decorations, often built by children with the help of their parents.
Since 1991, the people of Bergen, Norway, have built a city of gingerbread houses each year before Christmas. Named Pepperkakebyen (Norwegian for "gingerbread city"), it is claimed to be the world's largest such city. It's free for every child under the age of 12 to make their own house with the help of their parents. In 2009, the people of Bergen were shocked when the gingerbread city was destroyed in an act of vandalism.
Another type of model-making with gingerbread uses a boiled dough that can be molded like clay to form inedible statuettes or other decorations. Medieval bakers used carved boards to create elaborate designs.
A significant form of popular art in Europe, major centers of gingerbread mold carvings included Lyon, Nürnberg, Pest, Prague, Pardubice, Pulsnitz, Ulm, and Toruń. Gingerbread molds often displayed the "news", showing carved portraits of new kings, emperors, and queens, for example. Substantial mold collections are held at the Ethnographic Museum in Toruń, Poland and the Bread Museum in Ulm, Germany.

http://www.bhg.com,  Victorian Gingerbread House

http://www.bhg.com, Noah's Gingerbread Ark

You can read more about the different varieties and the history of gingerbread at Wikipedia. You can also see a video on building a gingerbread house HERE. Read about the largest gingerbread city in Bergen, Norway HERE.

Paper-Doily Wreath & More From Martha Stewart

A delicate-looking wreath that creates the magical effect of candles flickering in the snow is easy to make and surprisingly sturdy. Wreath frames are strung with twinkling lights that are nestled in frothy, doilylike paper bouquet holders known as "Biedermeiermanschetten."

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Paper-Doily Wreath - Martha Stewart Crafts

With their motion frozen in clear glass glitter, coniferous trees and reindeer encircle hurricane lamps lighted from within by tall, rose-hued candles. Here, the candleholders are elevated on glass cake stands, then faux snow is dusted around them.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Glittered Candleholders - Martha Stewart Crafts

Transform old magazines into glittered tabletop trees with this easy -- as well as kid-friendly -- step-by-step process.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Easy Christmas Crafts, Homemade Gifts, Gift-Wrapping Ideas - Martha Stewart

Magazine Christmas Trees

Create cute snowman greeting cards or gift tags with extra buttons and a bit of thread.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Easy Christmas Crafts, Homemade Gifts, Gift-Wrapping Ideas - Martha Stewart

Button Snowman Cards

Rickrack -- wavy cotton trim -- is easily manipulated into seasonal symbols. Glue rickrack designs to blank cards, and use them as holiday greetings.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Easy Christmas Crafts, Homemade Gifts, Gift-Wrapping Ideas - Martha Stewart

Rickrack Cards

Enjoy being creative!