They do look a bit like stick pins. I found something somewhat similar back a few months ago growing on a bracket fungi. I finally found out that they were "Pin Lichens." Though I do not think that these are.
Your really finding some cool specimens in the middle of winter Ken. Great photos. . POP one of those spheres open!!
I really don't have anything that I can get a hold of them with Doug. They are really small and I would imagine the spores within the spheres are even more so.