HOMEMADE POTPORRI (photo will be posted soon)
During the holidays we are frequently invited to spur -of -the- moment dinners at friends homes. Not wanting to show up empty handed, we usually stop at the store and get a dessert. This is a lovely gift you can make many of in advance and keep on hand just for these occasions. Making them just before Thanksgiving assures they will be ready at a moments notice. Just grab and go. These warming scents also warm the hearts of the people you give them to. Who doesn’t love a homemade gift?
You will need:
Star anise
Apples
A few oranges
Cinnamon sticks
Cloves
Vanilla beans cut open and air dried
Old fabric pieces that you have no use for
Raffia
Card stock
Hole puncher
Sharp scissors or pinking shears
Recycled wide mouth jars or mason jars
Glue stick (optional)
Piece of chalk or pencil
Directions:
1.Take oranges and apples and slice extremely thin.
2. Place them single layered with sides not touching, into a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven on a cookie sheet for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. (be sure to check every half hour or so as you do not want them to burn).
3. Once completely dried, open a few vanilla beans and allow the oranges apples and vanilla bean to dry overnight in air.
4. The next day add Cinnamon sticks, cloves, and anise stars to the dried mixture.
5.Take a few pieces of each item and place in a glass jar.
6. Using your glass jar lid as a guide, trace the lid with chalk.
7. Cut your fabric a quarter inch larger than the lid all the way around.
8. Take a slightly dampened napkin or paper towel and ease the chalk mark. If you have used pencil to trace your lid, be sure it is face down on the lid.
9. Place lid on jar and center your fabric on lid. If you have difficulty keeping fabric centered you can run a glue stick over the lid and prevent fabric from sliding.
10. Cut length of Raffia long enough to tie into a bow.
11. Handwrite or type directions for use onto card stock that you have punched a hole in.
12. Place raffia through hole on card stock and tie into a nice bow.
DIRECTIONS: Simmer in 2 quarts of water or leave in jar with lid off to give a lovely holiday scent to your home.
NOTE: You can print labels to stick on face of jar writing message of your choice. ie: from Jeanette’s kitchen, Holiday Scents , Made with love from our home to yours, etc.
VARIATIONS: You can tie jingle bells on raffia or hot glue a poinsettia or pine cone to the top. Be creative. Have fun!
Jeanette's Easy Creations 