I have to admit I’m a sucker for those artificially scented potpourri bunches you find in home decor and craft shops. They provide me with such instant gratification of that warm, cozy feeling this time of year brings. The downside.. they can be overpoweringly scented, last a few weeks at best and are pricey! The few arrangements I have around the house I’m positive I’ve had for years now and are just collecting dust.
We like to go on little nature walks with the kids and every time we seem to go, we come home with a bucket of little treasures. Mostly just rocks as you would have seen in my last post Oh Hey Autumn.. but occasionally things like pinecones, leaves, twigs, rocks, and petals make it in there, you know anything and everything they can cram into that bucket!
So of course this ever growing collection got me thinking of different crafts we could do and ways we could use some of E’s findings. Scouring the internet for ideas, I shake my head wondering why I haven’t thought to do this sooner! Ohh the smells in preparation were heavenly!! I’ve listed below some items you could use, but certainly feel free to use as many or as few as you’d like. Most of the items I’ve listed you will find in your craft or grocery stores. My first attempt, I kept things basic and used some fresh oranges that I dried, cinnamon sticks and some pinecones.
Supplies:
- Fresh Fruit (Oranges, Limes, Lemons, Apples)
- Flower petals
- Whole Shelled Nuts
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Pinecones
- Your favourite tree or herb clippings
- Juniper Berries
- Whole Cloves
- Decorative bowl or jar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 200 degree Celsius.
- Thinly slice oranges.
- Lay them out flat on some paper towel to absorb any excess juice.
- Place orange slices on a baking sheet or wire rack, evenly spaced and bake for 2-3 hours. Flip every 30-40 minutes to ensure they dry thoroughly.
- The oranges will darken and become firm. Once dried, allow them to cool completely.
- Place oranges along with any additional decorative items into a bowl or jar and arrange as you see fit!
Note: Any extras store in an air tight container for future use.
These make such a simple, yet festive decoration for your home during this time of year. Trust me, the smell from the oranges baking is enough of a reason to give this a try!! These would even be great as a last minute gift! Arrange them in a cute mason jar with some ribbon and you’re all set!
Soo tell me, what are some of your guilty pleasures this time of year!? Any good finds I need to know about.. feel free to leave them in the comments for me 😉
Happy Crafting!
Andreana xo
the best kind of busy 