Dried Citrus Wreath

Your front door is like a welcome mat for friends and family during this cozy time of year. A beautiful wreath not only looks great but also gives a hint of the warmth and comfort that awaits inside your home. I’ve always thought dried citrus wreaths were really pretty, but I figured making one would be too much work.

Turns out I was totally wrong! Drying oranges is super easy, and wreaths are just one of the cool ways to use these colorful slices. I’ll share more citrus projects soon, but let’s start with this fun wreath!

What You’ll Need

• 4-6 oranges
• A wreath form (you can find these at craft stores)
• Hot glue gun
• Ribbon (for decoration)
• Fresh rosemary (optional, but it smells great!)

Steps to Make Your Wreath

1. Preheat Your Oven: First things first, set your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 90-95 degrees Celsius).
2. Slice the Oranges: Carefully cut your oranges into thin slices. Try to make them as even as possible so they dry nicely.
3. Get Rid of Extra Moisture: Place the slices between some paper towels and press down hard to soak up as much moisture as you can.
4. Bake the Slices: Lay the orange slices directly on the oven rack and bake them at 200 degrees for about two hours. Make sure to flip them halfway through, so they dry evenly.
5. Let Them Cool: Once they’re done baking, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely.
6. Pick Your Best Slices: Look through your dried slices and set aside any that are too dark or curled up weirdly. Cut about five of these into halves.
7. Glue Halved Slices: Use your hot glue gun to attach the halved slices around the inner edge of your wreath form.
8. Arrange Larger Slices: Before gluing everything down, lay out the larger orange slices on top of the wreath to see how you want them arranged.
9. Secure Everything: Once you’re happy with how it looks, glue down the larger slices, making sure they cover the edges of the halved slices you glued earlier.
10. Add Your Favorite Slices: Choose your favorite orange slices for the top layer and glue them down in the center over the first layer.
11. Finish It Off: For a nice touch, you can add fresh rosemary for a lovely smell or simply tie a pretty ribbon around it for decoration.

Now, you have a beautiful dried citrus wreath that you can hang up inside or outside to welcome guests! It also makes a fantastic gift for someone who loves fall decorations. So, is your door looking inviting and cozy yet?