Ok, this may sound odd, but I have many fond memories of being a child and sitting with my family snacking on nuts. Whereas other families may have gone for chips or popcorn, we would gather in the family room to watch tv with a bag of nuts with the shells still on. Anything from hazelnuts to walnuts to roasted chestnuts, you name it…we were a nutty family. Using a nut cracker (a.k.a. one of those hand-held vice-grips), my dad would break open the shell and we (Jane and I) would pick away at the delicious nuts inside.
So, many years later, I want to continue this tradition with my own family. As I learned from the healthy snacking page at Nuts.com, nuts are packed full of nutrients and other health benefits; so what better quick and easy snack to give them. And in my case, they are getting healthy snacks but also a tradition that has been in the family for generations.
Not only do hazelnuts contribute significant amounts of protein, fiber, iron, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, C, and E, folate and many other essential nutrients, they are also great for crafting! Using a bag of leftover hazelnuts, I decided to make some fun and easy home decor.
What You’ll Need to Make your Own Decorative Hazelnut Ornament:
- 5″ Styrofoam Balls
- Glue Gun with glue sticks
- Hazelnuts with the shell on
You can use any other variety of nuts with shells, or even acorns for this project. In the past, I used walnuts but made sure to glue them onto a larger sized styrofoam ball.
To begin, apply a pea-sized dab of hot glue to the styrofoam ball and gently press one hazelnut in place at a time. Hold the hazelnut for a few seconds before moving on to the next one. Continue working your way around the styrofoam ball until it is completely covered with the nuts.
The rule of 3 applies here when decorating with these balls. It’s best to make an uneven number of balls, for example 3 ,5, 7, etc. and group them together for an impressive display. You can make different sizes for a really interesting effect. I must admit though, whenever my dad comes over I have to watch those balls carefully as I’m afraid they may just disappear one day.
Although we originally made them for Christmas decorating, they are beautiful and rustic home décor pieces year-round! You’ll find them popping up in our Instagram photos every now and then!
Do you have any nutty family traditions?