We absolutely adore rustic-style, upcycled Christmas crafts that are easy for just about anyone to create! Add a touch of handmade to your Christmas decor that’s as fun to make as it is to display. I love the idea of taking something as simple as a pistachio nutshell and making it into something special. If you’re looking for a fun activity this holiday season, this Christmas tree craft really does the trick! Turn your favorite healthy snack into an adorable Christmas craft that’s perfect for decorating your home!
Adorable Pistachio Shell Christmas Tree Craft
We’ve been scratching our heads trying to look for more screen-free activities for our family this year. Thankfully, this little easy to make craft gives us something fun to put out alongside each of our gingerbread houses. Not only do you get to spend some quality time with the kids, but you’ll also get some new decorations out of it! All you really need is a few basic craft supplies, a bowl of pistachios, and an appetite for some delicious snacks!
Consider how many you’d like to make ahead of time since these are so easy to make in batches! Once you’ve got your supplies prepped, you can make a few of these Christmas tree crafts to decorate for the holidays!
Can You Use Pistachio Shells for Crafts?
Pistachio shells are an excellent item to use for upcycled crafts! Their hard shell ensures your craft will stand up to basic wear. And, their texture gives them each a unique and rustic look that adds a natural element to your piece!
They’re also readily available if you’re as much of a snacker as I am! And you can find them at most grocery stores. And one more thing, they take really well to adhesives! Their rough shell is the perfect surface for bonding with other crafting materials you’ve got on hand.
If you’ve got a lot of shells left over from a family get-together or party, you’re ready to go! As pistachios are a food product, just remember to give them a quick wash. Since these often end up in people’s mouths, a brisk cleaning in hot soapy water is advisable! Also, be sure to remove any small pieces of pistachio nut that may be left behind. After drying, the shells retain their color and texture for the perfect unique crafting item!
What Else Can I Do With These?
The great thing about these pistachio shell Christmas tree crafts is that you can make them all your own! Personally, I love the idea of rooting around through my craft supplies to find little odds and ends that can make it stand out. Think of small pieces and items that might make for good miniature Christmas tree decorations!
This is also a great way for kids to add a personal touch to their craft. Use pipe cleaners for garland, small cotton balls for lights, or whatever else your imagination conjures up! The only limits are your imagination, and what you’ve got on hand. Half of the fun is upcycling, and repurposing some small pieces you can find around the house!
Another upside to using pistachio nutshells? They’re easy to paint! Since the shells are quite hard, they take well to most types of paint you’ve got lying around. Once you’ve assembled your pistachio shell Christmas tree, you can easily paint it to match your existing decor. Here’s some other ways to customize your pistachio shell tree craft:
- Use white craft paint to subtly brush the ends of the shells for a coat of snow
- Create different cone sizes for a set of Christmas trees
- Use glitter spray for an eye-catching dazzle
- Add a strand of fairy lights to give it a pleasant glow
- Glue a small piece of ribbon in a loop underneath the top row to hang on your life-size Christmas tree
How Do I Make These Crafts?
The beauty of this adorable Christmas craft is just how easy it is to make! With just a handful of craft supplies, you can make one of these small Christmas tree crafts in no time. While you can customize it to fit your decor and personality, spray paint is the easiest way to add color.
For a light snow effect for your pistachio tree, consider a white texture spray paint. It adds a subtle snow-like texture to your craft with a few lights passes. Craft spray glue is what’s going to help your sprinkled-on texture stick if you prefer. You can typically find this at your local hardware store!
Decorating with This Craft
On the other hand, if you’d like to keep things simple and cheap, you can make use of any white paint you’ve already got! Small, upcycled Christmas crafts like these are great because they’re cheap and easy to make on short notice.
Yet, the finished product is always something wonderful you can share with your family and friends! Create your own heartwarming piece of Christmas joy, and feel free to make it totally unique! Follow the photos below step-by-step for quick instructions on how to make your own!
Supplies Needed
How to Make Pistachio Shell Christmas Tree Craft
First, trace the bottom of a cone shape on a piece of paper as pictured below.
Next, carefully cut along the line you just traced.
Then, fold the piece from corner to corner, creating a cone shape. Staple where the two ends meet to create a 3D cone shape.
Next, you can start attaching the pistachio shells. add strips of glue to the cone, pressing one each at a time to the surface. Place the open side up, with the following row somewhat overlapping the one below it.
Place 3-4 pistachio shells at the very top to complete the gluing portion of this craft! Now you should have something that resembles a rustic-looking tree!
Finally, add your star and use spray glue to apply craft snow lightly over the entire surface of the tree!
More fun Christmas Crafts
The fun truly never ends when it comes to quirky Christmas crafts like these! Plan out your next project with some inspiration from some of our other ideas below. How will you decorate with all of your stunning DIY creations?
- DIY Miniature Pasta Christmas Tree Decoration
- Charming Rustic Twig Christmas Tree Ornaments
- Festive Paper Strip Mini Christmas Tree Decoration – With Video
- How to DIY a Miniature Christmas Tree Decoration {Video Tutorial}
- These Insanely Clever Christmas Tree Cupcakes will make You the Christmas Queen!
Pistachio Shell Christmas Tree Craft
This adorable craft takes upcycling to a whole new level! Make you pistachio shells apart of your holiday decor with this rustic Christmas tree craft!
Materials
Tools
Instructions
- Trace the outline of a flattened cone on a piece of paper.
- Fold the cut out piece from corner-to-corner to create a 3D cone shape.
- Staple the cone where the ends meet
- Begin gluing by placing a strip of glue a third of the way around the cone, and applying pistachios one by one.
- Glue the pistachios on their rounded end, all facing the same direction. When you start a new row, slightly overlap the row below it.
- Finish off by placing a star, snowflake or other Christmas motif you'd like! Spray the entire surface lightly with spray glue and sprinkle with fake snow.
- You should have yourself a small finished, rustic Christmas tree!
Notes
Hold the entire craft at an angle when sprinkling the fake snow to ensure it lands mostly on the narrow ends of the pistachios. This helps to create a 'snowed-on' look, and familiar winter theme to your tree!
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Final Product Gallery
Set up your adorable rustic Christmas tree to enjoy each and every year!
Combine this craft with other decorations in your collection, you'll be surprised how well it fits in!
This craft has a lovely, rustic farmhouse look to it that's hard to find in stores.
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