Reuse pistachio shells in many productive and practical crafts and other home DIYs with these uses for pistachio shells.
What is So Special About the Pistachio Shell?
Pistachio shells are unique in terms of characteristics, be it their color or their texture. The empty ones look extremely arty when used in handmade jewelry and other crafts. When smashed and processed into powder, the pistachio shell granules look similar to natural marble granules with a soft texture. Those powdery shells are considered a versatile bio-based ingredient that is mostly used by cosmetic formulators. However, let’s discuss and learn about the below-mentioned uses for pistachio shells.
Uses For Pistachio Shells
1. Jewelry
One of the most popular ways to reuse those shells is to make shell jewelry. From necklaces to bracelets, you can paint them in vibrant colors and then coat them with polyurethane for some shine. Use a jeweler’s drill bit and a strong thread or mono-filament string to thread them together and shape them as per your choice to create a jewelry piece. For instance, make a pretty necklace by referring to the video above.
2. 3-D Paintings
When you have a knack for DIY crafts, it’s easier to make beautiful things using unused pistachio shells. All you need is some glue and paint to stick and color the shells on anything and everything you want to make pretty. Collect some small branches and decorate those with these shells. Paint them with bright colors, and you will have your very own pistachio nut trees to brighten up a corner of your home or add to your festive decoration.Â
3. Mosaics
You can create mosaics with these dry fruit shells as well. From mosaic wall art to fruit baskets, you can create beautiful home decor with these shells. All you need is a design or concept to start with. Stick the leftover pistachio shells to the design, and witness it turn into some marvelous art piece.
4. Garden or houseplants Base
Want to decorate your garden and greens? The easiest way to do that is to line the bottom of houseplants with pistachio shells. Make sure you wash them in case they are salted because salt hinders the growth of plants. Once they are dry and ready to be used, toss in a few shells to cover the drainage hole in the bottom of your houseplant. They preserve the potting soil and prevent it from washing out with the water. Also, make sure you change them every year or two as they decompose with time.
5. Succulent Art
If painted and placed right, pistachio shells can look like beautiful succulents! So, create your succulent wall or a succulent plant in a cup with this brilliant craft idea. Bonus, you won’t need to take care of these plants at all! Have a look at the video for the DIY tutorial.
6. Compost
If you are storing pistachio shells in bulk, let them decompose and turn into compost. This needs a long wait and an apt amount of moisture, though. As moisture breaks down the binding cellulose component in them. You can speed up the process by mixing them with other compost piles. But you have to be patient at least for eight-to-twelve months.
7. Mulch
Put a sufficient amount of pistachio shells on the surface of the plants to retain moisture and improve fertility. These shells will act as a mulch for the plant. To prepare the shells, soak them in water overnight and place them on the surface the following day.
8. Fire Starter
Considering the texture of the shells and the fact that the dry fruit shell has oil content, they can be used as effective firestarters. They are also a great fire starter because of the oil content and the air space in the shell, that is, the endocarp split.
9. Christmas Ornaments
If you are a fan of handmade ornaments, pistachio shells can help you create beautiful Christmas ornaments. In addition to being an add-on for your tree, it can also be a fun, festive activity for the kids to create their own decorations. Make a Christmas tree ornament with the help of the video above.
10. Wreaths
Another festive craft idea, use pistachio shells to create themed wreaths for Christmas or Halloween. You can also create beautiful seasonal wreaths for fall, summer, spring, winter, and monsoons, as constant door decor for your home.Â
11. Candle Holders
Pistachio shells can be brought together to create beautiful-looking blooming candle holders. You can easily paint them to look more elegant or vibrant. Here’s how you can convert pistachio shells into candle votives.
12. Deter Animals
If cats dig around your potted plants or in your garden, you can deter them by putting some pistachio shells around the plants. This will cover the dirt and won’t let cats dig in the soil.
13. DIY Heart
Paint the pistachio shells in red color and shape them as a heart to create a 3-D DIY heart. You can create multiple hearts and other ornaments for a perfect Valentine’s Day decoration or a date night. Find a similar idea here.
14. Brooch
If you like to keep it minimal and elegant, this DIY brooch pin is the right choice for you. You only need two pistachio shells and some other supplies to get doing this easy craft.
So, start eating pistachios and collecting the shells for your next craft project!
