Recently, I sliced and dried red pear and orange slices for simple holiday decorations. Soon after, I realized that the dried fruit would look pretty in a bowl of potpourri, too. It is so simple to make, y’all! Therefore, I decided to share how to make a potpourri mix with y’all.
Making potpourri is fairly easy and a great way to add a seasonal scent into a room. Plus, it is an inexpensive, eco-friendly gift idea for friends and family. Simply, place in sachets or jars and tie with ribbon.
Spritz. Store. Enjoy.
How to Make a Potpourri Mix
Potpourri is a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant materials displayed in a decorative bowl or basket. There are many different kinds. Therefore, you can choose from this list of suggested materials what goes into your potpourri. First, choose any greenery, spices, or herbs for natural scent. Then, add color with dried flowers and fruit. Woody materials are absorbent and will hold the scent well. Lastly, extra oils will elevate the scent.
What You Need:
Dried greenery – pine, eucalyptus, bay leaves
Dried fruit – sliced citrus, apples, pears
Dried spices or herbs- cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise
Dried flowers – rose buds or petals, lavender
Woody filler – pinecones, nutmeg, driftwood, sola wood flowers
Essential oils in spray bottle or oil based room spray
Airtight container or gallon ziplock bag
How to Dry Oranges
You can find more ways to use dried oranges and tips to drying fruit on my friend Susie’s blog. For example, click here to read “How to Dry Oranges” or this blog post for beautiful Natural Gift Wrap Ideas.
1. Preheat oven to 170°F.Â
2. Cut oranges into 1/8 inch slices.Â
3. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a baker’s mat. Then, pat orange slices with a paper towel to dry. Next, lay them on the cookie sheet in a single layer.Â
4. Bake for approximately 4-6 hours or until dry. To ensure the slices dry evenly and not curl, turn them over every hour. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool before using.
The rose buds are dried from Valentine’s Day years ago.
Essential Oils
You can use a combination of your favorite essential oil scents like citrus or cypress. I purchase essential oils from Doterra, because I know that they are pure and high quality. In addition, I love the Krumpet’s home sprays for the holidays. Find them, here. My favorite scents are the cinnamon, ‘Christmas’ (sweet berry) and shiplap (woodsy).
When working with oils, be aware that some may stain or can be irritable to skin and eyes. Therefore, it is a good idea to wear gloves when handling materials directly covered in oil. However, I wash my hands thoroughly after this project. In addition, I do not spray directly on my wood table or use containers that are used for food.
What You Do:
Gather your materials and spread them out on newspaper or in a flat bowl. Spritz your materials with 15+ sprays of your choice of essential oil.
Wait a few minutes to dry, and store mixture in an airtight container. For example, a lidded jar or ziplock bag works great. Leave this to ‘marinate’ for 48 hours.
Then, pour mixture into a decorative basket or bowl to enjoy for weeks. Once scent begins to dissipate, simply respray.
You can use my code CUTER10 for 10% off everything in the shop, From: Susie.For instance, I display my potpourri in this vintage bread basket that Susie and I found in Round Top, Texas.
If you enjoyed this learning how to make a potpourri mix, save this to your Pinterest board for ‘Things to Make.’ Happy crafting, y’all!
Fall is one of my favorite seasons to decorate in my home. Probably, because I am drawn towards neutral colored decor which really allows the textures to take precedence. For example, cozy cable-knit throw blankets and woven rattan, cane and wicker accents add a beautiful detail to any space. I like to keep things more simple and natural, before the entourage of glitter and flocking knocks at the door for Christmas.
Here are a few ways that you can add fall decor into your home.
Place a seasonal wreath on the front door.
Use traditional Fall accents like pumpkins, pinecones, acorns, dried corn, or gourds.
Replace greenery in vases with leafy, textured and floral Fall stems.
Decorate with natural materials like wooden bowls or rattan baskets.
Replace candles and hand soaps with Fall scents like cedar wood or pumpkin spice.
Add Fall themed pillows on sofas, sitting chairs or entryway benches.
Swap out lightweight throw blankets for chunkier knit textures or cozier fleece, sherpa, or wool.
Dress up the dining table with neutral decor and invite family and friends to share a meal.
Add warm, metallic finishes like gold, brass or copper.
Style a few seasonal vignettes with trays or glass cloches.
One of my favorite home decor shops, From: Susie, has a beautiful selection of handmade & vintage wood bowls and baskets. You can use code “CUTER10′ for 10% off anything in the shop. For example, I love this glass cloche with rattan base. It’s perfect for holding holiday treats or accentuating seasonal accents in your Fall decor.
Integrate natural elements and neutral colors into your home.
One of my favorite things to style seasonally is trays. This set of handmade lantern style trays, From: Susie, is perfect for creating seasonal vignettes with Fall decorations. From a centerpiece on the dining room table to coffee table decor, these trays are so versatile and great to have in your decor toolbox. Here are a few ideas to style them!
Style a centerpiece with pumpkins and faux florals picks or leafy stems.
Place a Fall scented candle on a riser with a vase of seasonal stems and an interesting object.
Tuck faux Fall foliage into the tray with candlesticks and small art.
Fill a wooden bowl with pinecones, acorns or mini pumpkins.
Shop lantern style trays at From: Susie and know you are supporting a female owned small business!
Thank you for stopping by the blog today, as I hop between sharing Christmas and Fall decor. Even though my house is just as confused as I am, it’s my favorite time of year. Either way, do what brings you joy.
If you are looking to make your own Fall craft, these DIY Acorns are simple to do. The key is to build a few layers of paint in different shades of brown to create a realistic texture. So, if you can apply paint and hot glue, you can create these acorns that look beautiful in a wooden bowl.
How to Make this Fall Craft
What you Need:Â
This Fall craft is a great way to reuse plastic Easter eggs with just a few craft supplies you probably already own. Reusing old items means less waste and less chance of impulse buys. Therefore, you are saving money, and the planet!
plastic or foam Easter eggs
wooden skewers
styrofoam block or cardboard box
white primer spray paint
3 shades of brown acrylic paintÂ
jute stringÂ
scissorsÂ
paint brushÂ
hot glue and glue gun
1 inch cut twigsÂ
What you Do:
First, pierce styrofoam or plastic eggs into wooden skewers. Then, push skewers into a styrofoam block or cardboard box to hold in place. These plastic Easter eggs already had a hole on the shorter half.
Spray paint eggs with a white primer in a well ventilated area. This ensures that acrylic paint will adhere better to a painted surface and cover any brightly colored eggs. Then, allow to dry.
Next, paint eggs a warm brown color with acrylic paint. Dry completely.Â
Then, ‘dry brush’ thin layers of one or two lighter shades of brown paint to create texture onto the eggs.  To dry brush, dab an old paintbrush into a small amount of paint, then dab off excess paint onto paper, before applying quick short strokes to the surface of the egg. Dry between each layer of paint. Remove from skewers once dry.Â
Cut 6-8 feet of jute and coil into a tight circle about the size of a dime. Next, hot glue the jute onto the rounder, shorter half of the egg covering the original hole.Â
Lastly, clip a few real twigs from a tree branch and hot glue in the center of the jute wrapped egg.Â
More Fall Craft and Styling Inspiration
This is a simple, yet beautiful Fall craft that I initially shared in my bestie Susie’s magazine,Homemade and home decor blog. She has an online shop featuring handmade, artisan, and vintage finds for the home. Use code CUTER10 for 10% off anything in her shop, From: Susie! Consequently, it’s a great way to support a female owned small business while buying American made products with sustainable materials.
