Learn how to paint acorns – they make the perfect budget fall craft! Pick your favorite colors for your painted acorns, then display.

Skills Required: None. Even if you’ve never crafted before, you’re going to enjoy painting acorns. All you need is a paintbrush and paint; it’s quite simple!

Pretty Painted Acorns for a Fall Display

If you are wondering what I think about in my spare time, then let me give you a clue. Painted acorns. And I’m going to teach you how to paint acorns today.

I recently filmed some Mod Podge videos, and outside the studio door were some enormously wonderful acorns. Like a good Mod Podger, instead of thinking about them as squirrel food, I thought about what I could do with them that would be crafty and fun.

Paint them, of course.

I present to you my fall acorn display. I got the color palette from a post I did another blog . . . . then I sealed my nuts with Mod Podge. Now stop laughing and read the instructions. This is so easy, you won’t believe it. It’s also budget crafting at its finest!

(check out our fall crafts for adults and Dollar Tree fall crafts for more good ideas)

Painting Acorns

Gather These Supplies

  • Acorns – preferably on the large side; otherwise you will be painting for two centuries
  • FolkArt Acrylic Paint – Calypso Sky, Maple Syrup, Titanium White
  • Paintbrush
  • Satin Mod Podge
Painting acorns with white craft paint

I’m going to tell you that the basecoating step is up to you, but I chose to paint my acorns white first so that the color would really pop. It took awhile, but it’s a pretty mindless task and perfect for when the kids are napping and you are trying to catch a little boob tube.

White painted acorns

A little further in the nut basecoating . . . switched brushes to a larger size for more coverage. Allow to dry.

Painting the base of acorns with aqua craft paint

Time for the blue base! I have to tell you that while I was painting these, a little beastie (worm) crawled out of an acorn to see what I was doing to his house. If you see a hole, there might be a beastie in there. Just keep that in mind.

Painting the tops of acorns with brown paint

Time for the brown tops.

Sealing acorns with Mod Podge Satin

Seal these puppies up with a little Mod Podge, then display in a glass container. Aren’t they cool? Pin them here:

Pretty Painted Acorns for a Fall Display

Are you ready to paint – and maybe teach others how to paint acorns as well? The acorn painting task is perfect for misbehaving husbands or children who haven’t gotten good grades so far this year.

I have to admit though, I really enjoyed this fall decor project and spent $0 on it – I already had all of the supplies. You could also use this for a fun Thanksgiving craft. Nature makes the best craft surfaces, don’t you think?

Pretty Painted Acorns for a Fall Display
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5 from 1 vote

Painted Acorns

Painting acorns is easy! Learn how to do it to make a simple fall display in the colors of your choice.
Prep Time30 minutes
Active Time3 hours
Bake Time2 hours
Total Time5 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 48 acorns
Cost: $1

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

  • Collect as many acorns as you would like; the larger the better. Wash them and let dry. Bake in a 200 degree oven for a few hours to kill any bugs inside.
  • Choose your base color. Paint the bases of all the acorns, one side at a time, using the paintbrush. Set aside on a covered work surface and let dry.
  • Flip the acorns over and repeat. You may need two coats of paint depending on the color you chose. Let dry.
  • Paint the tops of the acorns; again, you may need a second coat. Let dry.
  • Seal all acorns with Satin Mod Podge and let dry. Add to a vase to display.

Video

Notes

My project was free – I already had the glass vase. If you need to get a glass vase, I recommend Dollar Tree.

Now that you know how to paint acorns, I’m going to share another article that I’m guessing you’ll want to reference in re: the beasties – how to dry acorns for craft projects.

How to Dry Acorns for Fall

And I’d also love for you to visit some other acorn crafts. Because who can get enough nuts? This is also part of a collection of cute things to paint, so go check that out too.

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57 Comments

  1. Well, can you guess that I’m all about the acorn??? >>>theWoolAcorn? Anyway, your acorns are adorable… I love the color.

    The worms are weevils and they are inside the acorn… they burrow their way out. So if you see a hole, the worm has left the premises. That’s better than no hole because no hole means he just hasn’t come out yet. I think you can freeze the acorns to kill the worms but I haven’t tried it.

    As you can see on my blog, I only work with the acorn caps. I leave the nuts for the squirrels. We have a deal… they leave the cap, I leave the nut. And if they’re not cooperative, I threaten to get a cat.

    xx
    Terri

  2. I’m not sure, on one hand i think it’s a bit weird to paint acorns blue of any other bright color. On the other hand, i am so going to do this! 😉

  3. We love these! Jo would have added some glitter to the tops of them but Jo has a problem with wanting to glitter everything. Chica thinks she has spent far too much time on Crafty Chica’s web site.

  4. Totally cool! Love the color, love the idea. The worm comment reminded me of when I was a kid and gathered a bag of acorns to play with. Brought the bag into my room that evening and tossed it on the floor for another day. Overnight the worms hiding inside crawled out. Next morning my floor was covered with worms. I’m wondering if popping the acorns in the freezer might kill them off. If you put acorns in the oven, even at a low temp, they dry out and shrink; no fun. I wonder if the MP will simply seal the little guys inside for good? Can’t get over the color – I love it!

  5. Hi there! I just wanted to say a little ‘hello!’ as I am a long time-podger, first time reader.

    Love the acorns!

    Onward!
    e.b.

  6. Woo Wee got grands coming over today. Guess we will podge some acorns. Might leave the tops natural.
    QMM

  7. Wg=hat a windersul idea. And for the psychedelick minded why not use many different colors. I wish I had thought of this Sat. as we were at a park with many trees abd fallen acorns were everywhere.

  8. those are SO cool! I love the blue! Did you mod podge the little beastie inside the acorn? hahaha eeeew!

  9. Love the blue color, I’d never think of that, and sure wish the squirrels would leave a few good ones for me rather then trying to dig up the good ones they bury. They aren’t to happy if you do that. 🙂

    Lori m

  10. what a great idea! If you bake the acorns in the oven on 250 for about an hour it will dry out any moisture inside (may cause mold or mildew) the acorn and kill any beasties ; ) and they will last for years and years and slow the rotting process.

  11. “Beasties”? “BEASTIES”?? Bahahaha I just about died when I read that sentence. It’s like an extra surprise. Ya know, more bang for your buck.

    “Beasties”. It’s not even 5:30 yet this morning and I already know this was the best part of my day.

    Darling project, BTW! Just get faster and you can maybe get the “beasties” to color-coordinate.xx

  12. How adorable…..love this idea….I have chestnuts in my yard….wonder what they would look like…..hummm….thank you for sharing…..

  13. This is a great idea! I love the color blue you used….it’s a great accent color. I featured this in my blog today, by the way!

  14. I have a HUGE oak tree in my yard. I am seeing red, yellow, and orange with glitter in my home. They will go great with my fall leaf serving platters!

  15. This is gorgeous! I love the color you chose! I am featuring this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com

  16. I just saw a bunch of acorns when I was on a walk the other day and I knew there was something cool I could do with them! Love the colors! These would match my house perfectly. Thanks for the cute idea.

  17. I absolutely love these and went out on a mission to collect my own acorns. Although the tops are holding the color perfectly, I can’t seem to get the paint (FolkArt) to stick to the actual acorn part. Ideas, anyone?

  18. Hi AshMW! I’m not sure what the deal is, but I bet spray painting them with white primer will help! Then the color should stick 😀

  19. Super cute idea! I showed this t my daughter this morning at her busstop. She loved the idea, but wanting them in orange! Then she added pressure asking if I can make it into a lamp!? Will try & figure that out but if not, will a vase do-yes! Can’t wait to get started. Now if I can only find some acorns!

  20. If you bake them in the oven for about 20 mins then you don’t have to worry about the little ‘worms’ coming out. i baked some last year when i was using some for a wreath i made for thanksgiving. I am now going to have my son go outside with me and pick some up in the yard to do this.

  21. I love this idea, although, insects/weevils generally live in acorns!!! I’m wondering if they can be boiled or baked in the oven to rid them of these insects…

  22. 5 stars
    During walks this fall, I collected acorns. I googled preserving acorns and ran across this site. I love the information,(especially about the bugs) and I am excited to see what I can do with them.

5 from 1 vote

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