How to Make Gilded Walnut Christmas Ornaments

With little time and effort, you can turn a simple walnut into beautiful Christmas ornaments. This project is a fun activity for kids at Christmas time. They can give the ornaments as gifts or keep them and hang them on the tree at home.

Red, burgundy, or green ribbons look particularly striking against the metallic background.

These nuts are not edible due to the spray paint, glue, and pins.

To make 12 ornaments, gather these supplies:

• Glue gun and glue sticks (optional)

  
  

  You don’t need to use a glue gun. Just make sure to buy a heavy-bodied, clear glue that dries fairly quickly.

  
  



• Newspaper

  
  



• 12 whole walnuts in the shell

  
  



• Gold or silver spray paint

  
  



• 6 yards thin ribbon (1/8-inch to 1/4-inch width), cut into 18-inch lengths

  
  



• 12 straight pins

  
  

After you gather your supplies, follow these steps:

1. Set out the newspaper in a well-ventilated area. Lay out the walnuts so that they don’t touch one another. Spray the nuts, following the spray paint manufactuer’s instructions, rotating as they dry so that all the surfaces are covered. Let the nuts dry completely.

   
   

   You can make these ornaments without the spray paint. Just let the natural beauty of the nuts shine through.

   
   



2. Place a drop of glue on the center bottom of a walnut’s shell. Affix the center point of a length of ribbon over the glue so that the ribbon can be pulled up along the seam of the nut. Insert a straight pin through the ribbon, into the nut right through the glue.

   
   

   Using the small gap between the shell halves allows you to do this easily.

   
   

   Some walnuts are so tightly built that you may not be able to insert the pin. Look for walnuts that have a visible seam.

   
   



3. After the glue dries, bring the ribbon up around the nut and tie a tight knot at the top of the nut. Place a drop of glue under the knot, if desired. Let dry. Tie a bow, using the ends of the ribbon, to create a large loop about the size of a bracelet between the nut and the bow. Use the loop to hang the ornament. Repeat with the remaining nuts.

   
   

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