Making: Christmas Potpourri

Potpourri is easy to make.

You can use about any natural dried materials and essential oils to create a beautiful and fragrant mix.

Here is what I used:
Fresh balsam sprigs
Fresh Juniper Sprigs with berries
Pine cones
sweet gum pods
small oak leaves
1 cup dried rose petals
1 cup dried lavender
1/4 cup bay leaves
1/2 whole cloves
cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup dried mint
1/2 cup dried rosemary
1 cup dried chamomile flowers
1/2 cup dried lemon grass
cardamon pods
star anise
3 lemons sliced and dried
3 limes sliced and dried
essential oils:
10 drops each
rosewood
Fir Needle
Sweet orange
cinnamon leaf
cassia
Bay
Juniper Berries


Combine all dry ingredients in a large ceramic bowl or a large brown grocery sack. In a glass jar, combine the essential oils. Stir the two together and place in a container. Stir occasionally for the next few days to weeks. Place in a dish and arrange the more attractive ingredients on top such as the cinnamon sticks, pine cones, and the greenery.


How to dry the citrus slices:

I first dried the lemon and lime slices in the microwave first and then finished drying them in a low oven for a couple of hours.

Microwave drying:

1. Slice the lemon and limes into 1/4 inch slices

2. Line glass pie plates with at least 4 layers of paper towels.

3. place citrus slices in an even layer on top of the paper towels and then cover them with 4 more layers of paper towels.

4. Microwave at 50 percent power for 3 minutes. Turn fruit over and place on dry areas of paper towels. Cover with dry paper towels and microwave again at 50 percent power for 3 minutes. Repeat this process 1 more time for a total of 9 minutes of microwave drying.

I then finished drying the fruit in a low oven 200 for a couple of hours on baking sheets. Turning the fruit a few times.