For 1 tieback:

Tie back curtains the natural way.

• 2 large pinecones
• Gloss varathan spray (available at hardware stores)
• Ice pick
• 2 screw eyes
• 24 inches of narrow gold wire-edged ribbon
• 1-1/2 yards of gold cord
• Hot-glue gun and hot-glue sticks
• Small pinecones, dried pods, leaves, or other natural small items

1. Spray the pinecones with varathan. Allow to dry.

2. Add screw eyes to pinecones. Use an ice pick to poke a hole in the top of each large pinecone. Insert a screw eye into the hole and twist into the pinecone to secure.

3. Attach pinecones to cord with ribbon. Slip a 12-inch piece of ribbon through the screw eye. Tie a knot at one end of the cord. Before tightening the knot, slip one end of the ribbon through the knot and tie the ribbon tightly around the knot, pulling the knot next to the screw eye. Repeat the process to attach the second pinecone to the other end of the cord.

4. Secure and embellish. Use hot glue to secure the knots to the top of the pinecones. Add other pinecones, leaves, pods, etc., to the top of the pinecones with hot glue. Curl ribbon as desired.

• Make smaller versions of these ties to use for package embellishments.
• You also can add miniature Christmas balls, holly sprigs, or jingle bells to the top of the large pinecones.