Acorn stick dolls for planters, Digi Mart USA News: Come fall, many yards are covered in acorns. Those fallen acorns can be turned into decorations that dress up your plants while giving the twigs in your yard a second use.
Acorn caps and small sticks play an equal role in this nature-based craft. Because the caps become the hats for the stick dolls, choose twigs that are no wider than the caps and select sticks that still have fresh bark so they do not shed.
Acorn choice matters too: valley oak acorns have a more substantial cap than pin oak acorns, which gives you more cap to decorate.
You will need a whittling kit, such as a Cor Cordium Wood Whittling Kit. A handsaw, branch cutters, a glue gun and a clear outdoor sealant will also be useful.
Twigs of different heights work well, especially if you are making a little family of dolls.
Trim one end of each twig flat so the caps fit better, using a handsaw if the end is jagged from snapping the branch. Carve the opposite end into a point to make a stake, always carving away from yourself.
Peel the bark off a section near the top of the twig to expose an inch or two of white wood, then draw or paint a face on it. Remove the caps from the acorns, paint them a color such as red or yellow, and glue them onto the heads of the dolls.
Once the paint dries, coat each doll with clear outdoor sealant to help it hold up in damp soil, then plant them in your planters.
The dolls are charming as they are, but you can add embellishments. FKEYTO Wiggle Googly Eyes can replace painted eyes for a playful look, and felt coats or yarn wrapped around the stick bodies can dress them up for even more charm.
