Painted Acorns: Seeds of Vision

    


     November usually begins with the falling of leaves and acorns to the ground. For those of us living in the American South, the falling of leaves and acorns is usually quickly followed by the mowing up of those leaves and acorns. The squirrels barely get a chance to take a bite. So what do you do with the acorns you're going to mow up in a few days? Repurpose them, of course! You could do this in a lot of ways. You could turn them into a garland. You could pick them up and put them in a squirrel or bird feeder. Or you could turn them into coffee table art. The internet is ablaze with beautifully painted acorns. 

    Many people paint intricate designs on them. In contrast, some people simply paint them bird's egg blue. Whatever you decide to do with them, they can brighten your day. I have a simple gold leaf plate that they now adorn. The dish was made by Betty, but I have seen many similar ones. You may have a squirrel plate or another kind of fall plate. What better to put on your plate than some colorful seeds.

    This project can also entertain the kiddos for hours as they gather and paint the acorns in bright hues. Parental help is only needed if the caps fall off and need hot glue. A word of caution, though, glosses will not stay on these acorns. In fact, gloss strips the paint right off them. If you desire to create a shiny acorn, mix your acrylic base color with a metallic hue. For example, if you want to make a glossy green, paint your acorn green, then cover it lightly with gold. Metallic shades seem to stay just fine. Display them alone on your plate and/or scatter them all over a tray. The possibilities are endless.

    Most importantly, the acorn is a seed. Seeds appear in scripture. The tiny mustard seed in Matthew 13:31-32 stands out from the rest. It is the tiny seed that grows and grows. It accomplishes its purpose by becoming the giant tree that the birds roost in. Such are our visions if they are from God. They start out small. God asks us to take little steps in faith, magnifying their effect in his kingdom. Little things become big things when we plant seeds with faith in God. Painted acorns remind us that God chose us to do big things for his kingdom.


    Blessings in Christ,

    Jane Shoemaker


   



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