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Wednesday 26 November 2014

How to make dried orange slice Christmas decorations

Down here in London it just keeps raining and raining and raining. We're getting really fed up with wet feet and muddy paws. So to keep our spirits up we're looking forward to December when we can get going and deck the halls with boughs of holly ... . 

Yesterday we had a go at making these little beauties:


In fact we made a whole big bunch of them. Here they are hanging on the stem of my desk lamp: 


They look great: simple, traditional and understated, with their little ribbons and rustic hemp string ties; all very shabby chic. 

If you'd like to make some for the Big Day, they're really easy to cobble together.

You'll need:

2 big oranges (should produce about 12 to 14 slices)
baking paper
hemp string
parcel ribbon

You really need to start the day before by slicing your oranges into straight slices that are about 1 cm thick.


Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Heat the oven to 50ยบ C, and place the tray of orange slices in the oven for several hours. The longer you can leave them in there for, the better will be the result. Mine spent the better part of the day drying out in the gentle heat, and then I switched the oven off left them in it to cool down gently overnight.

This was how they looked the following morning:


When I held them up the light they were lovely, and I thought happy thoughts about how pretty they'd look on my Chrimbo tree illuminated with sparkling fairy lights.


Now all you have to do is string a little bit of hemp string through each slice and you'll be half-way home. I threaded the hemp string through a darning needle. 


And then pierced a hole in the orange and drew the string through with the needle before cutting it to the length that I wanted.


Then I joined the two ends of the hemp string with a knot, and prettied it up with a piece of ribbon tied in a bow. And that's all there was to it.


In my photos I've shown them hanging from various knobs and knockers around the house, but the big plan is to put them on the Christmas tree once I get it installed ... which is going to be one day very, very soon. 



I've got a few slices left over that I could use in some festive pot pourri. They'd look great with some pine cones and a few pot pourri roses. 

All the best for now,

Bonny x

And if you liked the orange slice decorations, take a look at my cinnamon stick decorations too: Cinnamon Stick Christmas Tree Decorations

As shared on Creative Mondays

7 comments:

  1. I am totally going to make these. They are so sweet and festive. Even I can "bake" them! Thanks Bonny.

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    1. You made me chuckle: "even I can "bake" them". Good luck. Hope you love them when you're done. All the best, Bonny

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  2. I hear you! I can't believe we moved to a country where it rains 11 months per year. Ouch! I sure want to move to a warm sunny place next. ;) I do the same with oranges every Christmas. You are the first person I know (apart from my family/relatives) doing the same! :D I usually also add a clove or a star anise. We traditionally decorate for the Holidays on the 6th (St. Nicholas' Day) or the 8th (Immaculate Conception). What about you?

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    1. Hi Kia, yes it must be quite different up in Scotland to what you're used to back home in Italy. My Spanish family only ever come to visit us in the summer months when they have some chance of seeing the sun. What a lovely idea of adding cloves and star anise. They would look and smell lovely. Thank you, I shall save that idea for my next batch. I'm very badly disciplined on the Christmas decorations front. The odd little garland of twinkling lights, poinsettias - and, only this morning, a sweet little potted Christmas tree, will start sneaking into the house in mid to late November. Officially we don't start until St. Nicholas' Day, but I have a pagan need to embrace light and warmth in this cold, grey season. Stay dry and cosy, and thanks for stopping by, Bonny

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  3. This is lovely. I'm definitely going to be making this too. Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. Thank you, Vanessa. So glad you like them. All the best and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you too! Bonny

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  4. May try these - I love the scent of oranges !!

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