DIY The Cutest Pine Cone Turkeys To Give Your Thanksgiving Table A Pop Of Charm

No Thanksgiving decor is complete without folksy faux turkeys. With a little bit of trimming, some clay appendages, and glue, pine cones can be morphed into turkeys. Turned on their sides, the pine cones' open scales mimic fluffed-out turkey feathers. Mold some clawed, brown feet and an elongated red head from clay and attach them with glue for the cutest handmade turkey crafts you've ever seen. Follow the instructions below for a duo or trio of turkeys that will create Thanksgiving table decor your guests will be grateful for.

For this DIY, you'll need two to three small or medium-sized pine cones or one long one that you can cut in half or into thirds. Choose pine cones that are open, meaning that their scales are no longer lying flat against the cone. Also set aside a pair of heavy-duty scissors, a hot glue gun, and some modeling clay. You can opt for polymer in both red and light-brown or air-dry clay that you'll paint once it's cured.

Polymer clay comes in a wide array of colors, but it releases toxic fumes when baked. If that's a deal breaker for you, go with air-dry clay. This type of clay also comes in a range of colors and is usually sold in sets, but if you don't want leftover clay, use plain air-dry clay that you can then paint red and brown once the pieces are dry.

Prep your clay pieces first so they'll dry while you're preparing the pine cones. For each turkey, roll out two legs and two feet with three claws each from the brown clay. Join all of the pieces for each foot before baking. For each head, roll out a piece of red clay that's a long S with a wider base and a small pointed "head" at the tip. Dry them according to your product's instructions.

In order to keep these guys around for more than one Thanksgiving, clean and preserve your pine cones first. With a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol, spot-clean the cones. Mix 1 gallon of hot water with 1 cup of white vinegar — of all the kinds of vinegar, this one's ideal for cleaning. Soak them in the mixture for 45 minutes. Rinse them and cut about an inch off the tip of each cone; cutting them while they're wet can make it easier. For a large pine cone, also cut it in half or into thirds, depending on its length.

Once all the components are dry, hot glue the base of the head to the center of a cut end of the pine cone. To test where you should glue on the legs, set the pine cone on its side with the head facing up. Glue each leg in a spot under a scale in a way that it will hold the pine cone in a standing position. Give your completed pine cone turkeys a protective coating with a clear acrylic spray. Once they're dry, your pine cone turkeys will elevate your Thanksgiving table decor.