Make a Christmas Wreath with homemade dried Orange Slices
Make your own natural wreath with this simple DIY Christmas craft project. We used foraged materials from the garden, pine tree twigs left-over from the Christmas tree, and homemade dried orange slices. Bring out the mulled wine, pop on some Christmas tunes and enjoy making this natural yuletide decoration!
Materials
Twigs
Oranges
Natural Twine
Evergreen Foliage
How to Make homemade Dried Oranges
Instructions
1. Slice the oranges into 1 cm thick slices.
2. Place the orange slices on steel wire rack grill, so that air can circulate around the oranges and hopefully prevent them from sticking and burning
3. Pop the orange slices in the oven on a low heat setting (100 - 120°C) for around three hours.
4. Keep checking the oranges at regular intervals, turning the slices over and making sure they are not burning.
5. When the orange slices feel dry and have a nice colour, take them out of the oven and leave them on the metal rack to cool down.
Make the rustic twig wreath base
1. Get 2-3 bendy tree twigs - Use more twigs if you want a thicker wreath. Willow twigs are perfect as they are very flexible and easy to shape.
2. Twist the twigs around each other and start forming a circle.
3. Fasten the twisted twigs together with the twine. Keep adjusting the twigs with the twine until they are secure. Don’t worry if the wreath is not perfectly round - just go with the rustic natural look!
Assemble the natural Christmas wreath
Get creative! Arrange and attach the dried oranges and foliage to the twigs wreath base, using the natural twine. A few ideas for inspiration:
Semi-Covered - Leave bits of the twigs wreath visible and cover only the bottom part of the wreath with foliage and oranges
Oranges All Around - Arrange the oranges around the whole twig wreath, before adding some green foliage.
Asymmetrical Style - Arrange the orange and foliage on one side for a contemporary look.
Green All Around - Start with covering the whole twig wreath with evergreen foliage, then add some oranges on top.
Tip: Use any leftover dried orange slices, with the twine, to make an orange garland decoration.
