DIY squirrel made from natural material. Cool toy "squirrel"

Every year in all kindergartens and schools they ask to make products with their own hands. This is perhaps the most common puzzle for parents.

And you know, it's not even bad at all.

We have a lot of natural material, we need to add a little imagination.

Well, most importantly, you and your whole family will immerse yourself in the charming world of creativity.

Today, we will look at a natural resource - pine cones.

It is used not only in school crafts, but also for interior design, Hand-Made designers and others.

Below are photos and a detailed diagram of several crafts made from pine cones.

What crafts from pine cones can you make with your own hands?

Almost everyone can make a craft from real pine and spruce cones, the main thing is desire and a little imagination.

Using this amazing natural resource you can do:

• Decorative elements that will bring the stunning smell of the forest and a cozy atmosphere to your home.
• New Year's crafts: festive wreath, candlestick, Christmas tree, garland, New Year's ball and much more.
• Interesting crafts of funny animals with children.

Festive wreath

You can convey the New Year's mood to your guests right from the doorstep. To design the New Year's wreath we will use:

• Cardboard
• Spruce or pine branches
• Cones
• Satin ribbon
• Not real snow
• Dye
• Glue gun
• Decorations for decoration, optional.

Many materials are used to make the base.

For example: plastic, cardboard, branches, bending wire, and even newspapers.

We settled on cardboard; it is quite simple and convenient to work with.

On cardboard we cut out the diameter of the circle that we need. Next, we attach the branches and cones, forming a symmetrical circle.

After the cones are glued, we continue to decorate our wreath. Take a can of artificial snow and spray the edges of the cones.

If you couldn't find snow, you can paint the scales with white or silver paint.

We tie it with a satin ribbon, choose the color yourself.

Note!

For a more interesting and rich wreath, you can add additional decorative elements: red beads, acorns, nuts, flowers.

Use your imagination and you will succeed!

New Year's garland

A quick and easy craft to make.

Material you will need:

• bumps
• glue gun
• rope
• dye
• glitter

Step-by-step instructions for the craft:

• We prepare the cones in advance and paint them with paint. The paint can be chosen in different colors. Or make it in one color that matches your interior design. You can also use glitter to make the product more elegant.
• We take a rope and mark the distance between the cones.
• We leave 10-15 cm from the edges so that there is room to attach the garland.
• Using a glue gun, attach the pine cones to the rope. Glue along the entire length.
• We are waiting for the glue to dry. And Voila! The New Year's garland is ready.

Note!

For kids and schoolchildren it will be easy to make crafts from pine cones and plasticine of funny animals: Teddy Bear, Hedgehog, Squirrel, Owl, etc.

Mishutka

We will use:

• Cones of different types (pine, spruce, open, closed)
• Scissors
• Plasticine

Step-by-step instructions for making crafts:

Body. From the collected material, select an elongated pine cone. Apply glue to the connecting parts of the scales. We connect the parts so that the scales secure each other.

Paws. We choose 2 larger cones for the lower paws, and 2 smaller ones for the upper paws. Glue the parts to the body, pay attention to symmetry.

Head. We make the head from open pine cones. They perfectly convey the fluffiness of a bear's fur. We attach it to the base with glue.

Note!

Ears, eyes and nose. You can make it from plasticine, and the tip of the nose, for example, from black peppercorns.

If you want to surprise everyone around you, then you can make a big bear. You choose the size of the bear, the main thing is to collect the required number of cones.

You can make the base - the frame of Mishutka - from polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam or papier-mâché. An excellent solution for the stability of the product would be to attach something heavy to the bottom.

We cover the frame with pine cones, and make the ears and muzzle from plasticine or pom-poms.

Hedgehog

The simplest children's craft made from pine cones. To make it you need only two materials:

• Cones
• Plasticine

Step by step description:

Body. The cone itself is well suited for the base of the craft. If you look closely and rotate the scales correctly, they look like hedgehog needles.

Muzzle. Here we will need some plasticine. We make an oblong muzzle from it. And fix it on the craft.

Eyes, nose, paws, ears. We also use plasticine, only in a different color.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated, this craft from pine cones is suitable for kindergarten.

Experiment! Decorate your home with interesting design solutions that you have prepared yourself. Don’t forget about the children, they will also be interested in taking part in the creation of a small miracle.

Photos of crafts made from pine cones

Surely each of us already knows that in stores or supermarkets you can now see a strange vodka called “Belochka”. That vodka that the famous writer and satirist Mikhail Zadornov mentioned at one of his speeches. I will give you a photograph of that very vodka so that you can see what such a squirrel looks like. Under it the inscription reads: “I have arrived!”

Some elements on the label glow in the dark:

We took the idea for the work from her, but we just decided to make it so that it looked more harmless. I present to you a photo of the finished product:

This funny toy is designed against alcoholism and drunkenness.
I provide a list of everything we needed to make the squirrel:
1. Hood from an old leather fur coat;
2. Scissors, thread, needle;
3. Tweezers, cotton wool, beads, glue;
4. Paper for the model image.

Here is the toy model:

Having drawn the model of the head on both sides on a separate sheet of paper, cut out:

We divide each model into three parts with scissors, signing the sides of each of them so that they can be assembled correctly when sewing:

Here are the models of the body and legs:

Now we take the hood and carefully cut off the fur part from it, sewn on both sides:

We take paper samples of the head and pin them to the trimmed part of the hood:

Carefully cut them out, leaving areas along the edges for stitching:

We pin samples of the other side of the head:

Having sewn the samples together, we make eyes from beads:

We will make fur tassels on the upper tips of the ears, but before sewing on the fur, we will glue it so that it does not fall apart:

We sew the models together from the outside:

Now we make the back of the head and the back of the squirrel’s head, using only one piece of material for this:

This is what the finished head will look like:

There is a lot of wool on the inside of our material taken for cutting. This wool half filled the squirrel's head, and half the amount of cotton wool was needed.

By cutting out a piece of fabric of a suitable size, we form the lower part of the squirrel’s head:

Now let's get down to making the body. Having cut the sample into two parts, we cut out the constituent segments of the body from the fabric one by one:

Here are all the tissue segments that form the torso:

Now we compare the models that match each other and sew them together:

We combine both of these sides into one, we get the torso:

We make paws:

Sew the legs to the toy:

We make a sample on a piece of paper for the underside of the body, and then pin it to the fabric and cut it out, and then sew it to the toy. We do the same for the front legs.

Sew the finished front legs to the squirrel:

Now we take a small piece of fabric with fur and cut off a small part from it:

We form several fur patches from it and wrap one of them around the squirrel’s neck, and then sew its edges (i.e., without sewing it to the toy itself):

Now we cut off a piece of fur fabric that is suitable in size for our toy, and take a thick wire. These things are needed to make the tail:

We determine the required wire size by giving the wire the appropriate size for the tail. We insert the lower tip into the toy, bending it strongly down:

The previous seam in a fur piece of fabric should be ripped out and a new one should be made, and then placed on the wire, forming a tail:

We remove the excess protruding wire and sew the tail to the almost finished toy:

If desired, a thin layer of fluorescent paint (paint based on phosphorescent pigment that accumulates light energy when illuminated) can be applied on top of the squirrel’s beaded eyes. In the dark, these paints release the accumulated energy of light. After processing the eyes, the beads can be covered with transparent tape on top. Let's start making a platform for our toy. On this platform there will be an inscription: “I have arrived!”
We take three to four cardboard sheets, several sheets of colored paper, glue and scissors:

We cut out rectangular shapes from colored paper that match the size of the cardboard sheets for the six sides of the future platform and glue them together:

These are the sides:

Glue colored paper to the cardboard rectangles.

Therefore, after a walk in the pine forest, you can get a wonderful squirrel from cones. This craft is made in various ways. Some of them will be discussed here.

Selecting cones for making a squirrel is a simple process, but requires careful attention. It would seem that it couldn’t be simpler: walk through the forest, enjoy communication with nature and, in the meantime, collect materials for handicrafts.

However, it should be remembered that not all pine cones are equally suitable for creativity. Rotten and damaged ones, for example, are unlikely to produce anything good.

You should not discard cones with an irregular shape, for example, curved, too short, fused. On the contrary, such “freaks” can be very useful! Curved cones successfully turn into the back of the animal and its tail. Such material is ideally suited for work. In general, you should collect cones of different sizes and shapes. And how you can use them, your imagination will tell you.

Instructions for preparing natural materials for crafts

And even after returning home, the work of preparing the material is not always finished. Even, one might say, the most crucial moment is coming.

In order to subsequently make a successful squirrel from cones - a craft, the instructions for preparing natural material are as follows.

1. Sometimes an animal figurine is needed urgently and for a short time, for example, for an exhibition. Then you can simply choose the driest and cleanest buds and get to work.
2. If you want to preserve the composition in its original form for a long time, the material is pre-processed. Before work, the cones should be dipped into transparent mounting glue and then dried. Then they are not threatened by time and heat, from which the scales open and the craft becomes deformed. You can use warm water for this purpose.

Squirrel made of pine cone and velvet cardboard

The first very simple way is to make a squirrel from one cone. It is placed on a stand using plasticine with the thick end down.

Two parts are cut out of cardboard: a tail and a head with ears. Eyes are glued to the head. They can be bought ready-made in special craft stores or made from beads, buttons, or white paper. Teeth are also attached to the head - white rectangles.

The tail and head need to be glued to the bump. So it turned out to be a cool squirrel. Crafts made from cones can change their volume under the influence of heat. However, in this case, this fact will not spoil the thing.

Squirrel made from cones and plasticine

This is the second fairly simple option for making a figurine of a forest animal. Additionally, you will need orange plasticine to make a wonderful squirrel from cones - a craft made by the child with his own hands. A cardboard square is suitable as a stand.

To work with, you should choose a couple of curved cones. They will serve as the body and tail of the animal. They should be connected with curved sides using plasticine. If there is only one cone in stock, then the tail can be sculpted from plasticine. It will be a thick sausage with pointed ends, curved in an “S” shape.

For the head, you should sculpt an oval. At one end it is pointed - this will be the muzzle of a squirrel. The ears are made from the same material, making small tucks at the top of the head. A small black ball is attached to the tip of the spout. Eyes are also made in the form of balls. But you can use store-bought ones, with pupils rolling inside.

The lower legs are made in the form of two halves of an oval. Their cuts are attached to the stand, and a squirrel made of cones is installed on them. The craft will be considered completely finished when the front legs of the animal are attached from plasticine sausages. They need to be attached to the upper body.

Squirrel - craft made from pine cones and chenille wire

Today, stores sell special fleecy wire for manual labor. In another way it is also called chenille. You can make an excellent squirrel from cones if the animal's paws, tail and ears are made of fleecy wire.

It’s good if you can get special fluffy balls for your head. Then eyes and a nose made of beads or beads are glued onto it. Sometimes these parts are cut out of paper or cardboard. The use of small buttons is allowed.

Squirrel with a muzzle made of chenille wire

Some craft kits include round fuzzy balls. They make heads for animals. Otherwise, when it is impossible to get the workpiece, use the same chenille wire from which the animal’s paws are made.

First you need to roll out a “snail” circle for one eye. Then a loop is made from the wire, imitating a squirrel's nose. Then the master begins to work on the second eye. It is also made into a “snail”. Below, under the tip of the muzzle, you can fasten a short piece of white wire, bent in half. These will be the teeth of a rodent animal.

This will be a wonderful squirrel, the photo of which is presented here, made in just this way.

Master class “Squirrels from cones”

Sometimes they make a whole composition in which several animals are present. One animal will, for example, sit on its hind legs. And next to it will perch a squirrel made of cones, standing on all four limbs. The craft, a master class of which can be viewed here, will decorate a shelf or chest of drawers. You can give it as a gift to a loved one.

Since it is best to make a squirrel from cones using this material, you need to select the appropriate color. For each animal, you should also prepare fluff balls. The heads will be made from them. Small balls are molded from black plasticine - eyes, and larger parts - little noses. You can use ready-made “eyes” that are sold in craft stores.

Now that everyone understands how to make a squirrel from cones, you can create a composition. To do this, plasticine mushrooms are used, and trees are built from twigs. Or you can even build a wonderful house for the squirrels, making them out of “logs” - broken twigs.

Squirrel-pyramid of cones

More experienced craftsmen make the animal by composing its body from several cones. The figurine is assembled like a pyramid: at the bottom there is a round wide part, then a longer and narrower one is installed. The third is attached to the smallest round bump - the head. The result is a squirrel made from cones that looks more like a real living animal. The craft is performed step by step in this sequence.

1. They decorate the head, onto which the eyes and nose are glued.
2. Ears are made from scales of another cone or from maple seeds - “wind flies”.
3. A bump imitating the lower part of the body is placed on a plasticine slide. It, as mentioned above, is wide and short, almost round.
4. The front legs are attached to the second cone. They can be sculpted from clay or plasticine. Some craftsmen make these limbs from the scales of another cone. But chenille wire would also be appropriate here.
5. The upper part is attached to the lower base of the body. This cone is narrower and longer. It is installed with the thick end down.
6. The finished head is attached horizontally to the second cone.
7. The tail is installed last. For it you need the largest cone and, if possible, well opened.

   You can use half a cone for the tail, which needs to be cut lengthwise. Having given the “tail” the desired bend, it is fixed with adhesive mass.

   In order for the craft to be more durable, the adhesion of the parts in it can be done not with plasticine, but with pieces of rigid metal wire. First, holes should be drilled at the joints into which the rods should be driven. If, in addition, the recesses are filled with glue in advance, the parts will be connected very firmly.

The squirrel is an amazing animal. Perhaps one of the few rodents that evokes sympathy and not fear (unlike mice). A real squirrel has a long fluffy tail, dark brown or gray fur with a light belly. The habitat of these wild animals is all corners of the planet with the exception of Australia and the polar ice. By the way, squirrel is a source of valuable fur.

The fire jumper is a frequent character in children's cartoons and drawings. Today we propose to make a “Red Squirrel” craft from natural materials.

For a creative activity you will definitely need:

Chestnuts
- plasticine
- acorn caps
- small feathers
- twigs, leaves and chestnut peels.

First, select a medium-sized chestnut for the squirrel’s head. We sculpt the nose, ears and neck from orange plasticine. We decorate the nose with a brown ball, and complement the ears with white plasticine. Don't forget about the design of the animal's eyes.

First we attach the nose. This is what we got.

Now we demonstrate the finished muzzle. By the way, the squirrel is a smart but trusting animal. In the harsh winter months, when food is hidden under a thick layer of snow, the rodent will quickly realize that it needs to go to people. It is there, on the outskirts of populated areas, that you can find a bird feeder and feast on seeds, bread crumbs and nuts all winter.

The squirrel is easy to tame. If she takes food from a person’s hands once, it means she will definitely return to feast on more.

We continue to work on the craft. For the body, choose a chestnut larger than the head. Let's sculpt the baby squirrel's front paws from orange plasticine. They are presented in the form of tubes with flat circles. This is how we showed that our animal has palms. The rodent chews peanuts and other hard food, holding it with tenacious fingers.

Having attached the left paw, we rolled two plasticine balls and placed them in the lower part of the body. Attach wide acorn caps to the balls. These are the lower limbs of a squirrel. The body of the craft made from natural materials is almost ready.

Let's see if the squirrel can sit on its own? Yes, it is quite.

The tail is an undeniable advantage and decoration of a rodent. How to make a fluffy tail for an animal? We suggest using small bird feathers, or rather down. If there is no such goodness in the house, then the tail will be made of plasticine.

Using PVA, we glued two feathers together, overlapping them.


Using a ball of plasticine, attach the miracle tail to the body. We will also make the belly of the craft from feathers.


The little squirrel turns out to be very cute.

And here is the long tail.

We use dried autumn leaves as decoration for crafts. Let's imagine a thin branch in the form of a tree. Cover the cardboard base with a carpet of colorful plants. The craft is ready. You can invite friends to visit, admire children's creative work.