I love decorating my home with things found in nature. I’m constantly stuffing things like pinecones, interesting sticks, rocks, leaves, and whatever else I find on my hikes and walks into my pockets for later use. I like knowing that the items I use to decorate come from nature and can eventually return to nature. When I saw these painted acorns going viral on the internet, I knew I needed to have hundreds of them immediately.
What are acorns?
Just about everyone knows what an acorn is, but in case you’re not familiar, acorns are the nuts produced by oak trees. Sometimes called oaknuts, these nuts contain a solitary seed inside. The acorn itself has a hard, sometimes leathery exterior. This exterior protects the seed inside from the fall from the tree and other potential dangers. Acorns can be made into an edible flour for humans and are eaten by numerous insects and animals as well.
Where to find acorns
Acorns are most commonly found under oak trees in the fall. As the summer draws to a close, the tree’s acorns harden and drop to the ground by the thousands. The best time to find acorns in the northern hemisphere is from mid to late September through October. Some climate zones may experience them ripening earlier or later. Local parks and forests are probably home to various oak trees. Hike around until you find one!
How to make painted acorns
So now we know what acorns are, where to find them, and when to find them. If it’s not fall, you may need to purchase acorns, but I’d suggest waiting until it’s the right season! If you’ve got your acorns all gathered up, it’s time to start painting them.
Here’s how to paint acorns:
- First, you need to expose your acorns to heat. Place them on a baking sheet in an oven set to 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 120 minutes (2 hours.)
- Once finished baking, allow them to thoroughly cool before handling.
- Choose a base acrylic paint for the acorns. Carefully paint two layers of acrylic paint onto the acorns.
- Use a very fine brush to add the details you want using different colored paints.
- Allow to dry.
- If any of the acorn caps have fallen off in the process of painting, you can use hot glue to stick them back on.
- Choose any number of designs! You can make little acorn jack-o-lanterns, acorn Christmas tree ornaments, acorn Easter “eggs,” the choices are endless!
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