Here's a simple, sweet craft that's free to make and as eco-friendly as they come!  Avocado pit pendants are charming, personalized creations that are easy to create and surprisingly beautiful.

My friend Tiffany, who writes a parenting column for the Lincoln Examiner, showed me how to make these charming pieces of art.  My daughters were instantly hooked, and we spent quite some time carving pendants and chatting during a recent sweltering afternoon.

Here's all you have to do.

1.  Remove an avocado pit from the avocado and wash.  You can use it right away or put it aside till later.  It will stay soft enough to carve for about 2 weeks.

2.  Use a sharp knife (such as a craft knife or steak knife) to slice the pit.  It will be somewhat soft but be careful to protect your fingers.  You can either slice the pit in half or into slices about 1/4" thick.  Be sure an adult does this part, of course.

3.  Remove the papery outer lining, which should peel right off at this point.

4.  Use a pen knife or carving tool to carve a design into one side (or both) of the pendant.  You can carve words, pictures, symbols or just a general design.  If you like, you can also carve the pendant itself into a shape, such as a heart.

5.  Use an awl or other sharp tool to push a hole into the top for hanging.

6.  Attach a cord and wear!

As you wear the pendant, your natural oils will change the appearance of the pendant, giving it a glossy sort of wooden appearance.   (I'd include a photo of how lovely they look when finished, but unfortunately ours are on a windowsill in Nebraska at the moment, 5 hours from our Southern Minnesota home!)

According to this site, you can also add jewels -- just carve out an opening, insert the jewel, and the pit will shrink as it hardens in order to encapsulate the gem.

My whole family is now anxiously gobbling more avocados than usual, just to do more of this fun craft.  As healthy as avocados are, it's a win-win situation!