Dried Orange Wreath With Natural Decorations

Discover a simple crafting project a dried orange wreath with natural decorations. In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll share easy DIY ideas to enhance your orange wreath and citrus garlands. When it comes to holiday decor, one of my favorite ways to add charm to the seasons is by adding natural elements and making an easy project the  perfect choice  for our home. The good news this DIY Christmas wreath is a great activity for the whole family during the cozy months, with a roaring fire, hot cocoa, and music. The best part this is an eco-friendly way to get a  head start  on your holiday decorating.

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Inspiring My Readers

A Cozy Holiday: A Dried Orange Wreath  with Natural Decorations

My goal is to inspire my readers by sharing simple crafts with little extra cost and home decorating ideas that will prepare your home for the holidays. The holidays are the best way to bring loved ones together and it’s the time to make inexpensive Christmas craft pieces that welcome them into your home.

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing a great way to make a dried orange wreath, an easy project for your home during the cooler months, holiday season, fall, and next Christmas! This wreath is a great addition to your fall and Christmas decorating but is the perfect homemade gift. Imagine decorating your front door or coffee table with this farmhouse wreath, and a battery-operated candle. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season.

Natural Decor: A Wreath with Oranges, Cinnamon and Acorns

This craft is one of my favorite ways to incorporate nature into our Christmas decorating. It embraces everything magical during this time of year, dry oranges, cinnamon sticks, gilded walnuts, and star anise. What makes this easy project even more special, are the preserved acorns I’ve collected for years. Adding all these to this finished wreath is the best way to add charm to any Christmas decoration.

Why Do We Decorate With Oranges?

Hanging dry navel oranges at Christmas is a tradition of both historical and symbolic significance. Here are a few reasons how this developed:

• Historical association:  In the past, fresh fruits, including oranges, were a luxury and not readily available throughout the year. During the holiday season, when fresh produce was scarce, oranges became a special treat and were often given as gifts. Hanging citrus slices for Christmas decorating was a way to showcase these prized fruits and add a touch of indulgence.
• Decorative appeal:  Citrus slices, when dried, almost appear as stained glass with their see-through color and texture. They are a beautiful addition as a Christmas decoration hanging from the Christmas tree with a piece of burlap or ribbon.  Add these to evergreen branches and make beautiful garlands.  Add thin slices to a eucalyptus wreath with a piece of floral wire, fishing line, or glue. They add a touch of nature for the holidays.  
• Traditional symbolism:  Some believe the circular shape of the blood oranges or navel oranges represents eternity or the cycle of life. Additionally, the orange color is reminiscent of the sun and warmth, bringing joy and optimism.

How Long Do Dried Oranges Last?

How Long Will Your Oranges Shine? Unveiling Lifespan Secrets

Dry orange slices generally last about two or three years. Meaning they’ll look their best for the first couple of years, and start to turn increasingly darker.  However, this doesn’t mean the darker orange slice is bad or unusable! 

Do Dried Citrus Slices Attract Bugs?

Craft With Confidence: No Bugs In Your Dried Oranges

NO!   Bugs are attracted to the juice in citrus. So, as long as your dried orange slices are completely dry and excess moisture is removed they will not attract bugs.  Thank goodness for this fact.  What would we do without dried oranges in our homes, especially during the fall and winter?  

Is The Drying Process Difficult?

Drying Oranges Like A Pro: Is The Drying Process As Simple As It Sounds?

I’m excited to share just how easy it is to dry oranges. At Cloches & Lavender, we strive to provide our readers with answers and solutions. 

Editor’s Tip: The best oranges to dry are navel oranges and blood oranges. These are known for their round shape and size. Store them in a brown bag or an airtight container.

I’m excited to share with you just how easy it is to dry oranges. At Cloches & Lavender, we strive to provide our readers with extensive answers and solutions.

Supplies List:

• Paper towel
• Parchment paper
• Wire rack or cooling rack
• Sharp knife
• A baking tray or a large baking sheet

Drying Oranges

Perfect Orange Slices: Best Way to Prepare for Christmas Decorating

The perfect way to dry oranges is a low temperature oven. Slice oranges with a sharp knife into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices and dab them with paper towels This is the best way to remove excess moisture from fresh orange slices. Flip slice oranges and dab with a paper towel. Removing the1/4 inch thick slices of excess moisture on both sides with a paper towel before drying is a great way to ensure the slices dry evenly and thoroughly. 

Next, arrange the slices in a single layer on an oven-safe wire rack or cooling rack for a flat surface over a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray, large baking sheet, or cookie sheet. Place them in a low temperature oven. Adding parchment paper to the baking sheet is optional, I don’t find it necessary.

The good news it only takes about 4-6 hours to make dried oranges. Flip them halfway during the process. The rotation  guarantees  that the top of the orange slices dry evenly, resulting in oranges making a beautiful orange slice garland or orange ornaments hanging on the tree.

To dry oranges, use your oven and follow a low-and-slow method. Slice oranges with a sharp knife into approximately 1/4-inch slices and dab them with a paper towel. Flip the citrus slices and dab them with a paper towel. This thickness is a great way to ensure the citrus slices dry evenly and thoroughly. 

Editor’s Tip: Transform Your Home with Timeless Elegance — Natural Christmas Decor  

• Drying Process:  Be sure to read about how to dry orange slices and how dried oranges are an eco-friendly way to decorate our home or front door.
• Heat Oven:  Heat oven at a low temperature to cut with a sharp knife 1/4 inch thick slices. Place on parchment paper in a single layer on a wire rack on a cookie sheet to dry orange slices. This is the perfect way to decorate without extra cost and the best way to add other touches of nature such as pine cones on a Christmas tree, a eucalyptus wreath, a DIY dried orange garland, or a front door.
• Best Oranges To Dry:  The best for the drying process, are the navel orange and blood oranges.
• An Easy Project:  Learn the best part about drying oranges whole and dry fresh orange slices. Learn a perfect way to make a DIY dried orange garland to add to the top of the door frame or mantle, and an orange slice wreath. The good news, it’s so much fun and a great activity for the whole family to make memories. We share how to use a clear fishing line or jute and other elements for this inexpensive Christmas craft. It can be hung on top of the door frame, or mantle, or made long enough to hang on the tree.

Rustic Dry Orange Decoration for Festive Family Fun

Using this drying process, dried citrus can be used for natural Christmas decor throughout winter. For Christmas decorating, make dehydrated oranges to add to an orange slice garland, with cinnamon, and anise star. This is a pretty and rustic DIY dried orange garland.

Add them to a eucalyptus wreath, and fresh greenery to make beautiful garlands.  Add a piece of floral wire through the small holes in the center of the thin slices and twist each end of the florist wire to secure. This would be so much fun and an inexpensive Christmas craft. This is a great activity to do with the whole family.

Editor’s Tip: Make orange ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree. Add twine, jute, or ribbon through the small holes in the center.  This is a perfect way to add small pine cones, anise stars, and evergreen branches.

Rustic Charm: Natural Christmas Wreath with Oranges and Grapevine

Incorporating dried oranges and 1/4 inch thick slices of orange into the entire wreath adds a bit of nature for the cooler weather and holiday decor. It brings together elegant rustic elements, a combination that is one of my favorite ways to add natural Christmas decor to our home.

Using a grapevine base is the perfect choice for this wreath project. The grapevine base adds a touch of  organic beauty  complements the look of this simple DIY Christmas wreath and adds to the other natural elements.  

Other Wreath Base Options:

• straw
• wire wreath frame wrapped with burlap
• foam wreath form 
• eucalyptus wreath

Set the hot glue gun on a low setting when using a foam wreath form. The glue will break down the Styrofoam.

I especially like the texture a grapevine round adds to this DIY Christmas wreath.

Supplies: Dried Orange Wreath with Natural Decorations

• 18″³ wreath blank of your choice
• dried oranges navel oranges work best
• walnuts in the shell
• paint
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• cinnamon sticks
• acorns
• star Anise
• paint brush
• floral wire (optional)
• glue pot (optional)

Gather Your Materials Paint Nuts

Step 1: Painting the Walnuts  Adds Sparkle to the Entire Wreath

Start gilding walnuts using champagne craft paint. It’s best to make this orange slice wreath on a flat surface.

Build the Wreath With the Dry Orange Slices

Step 2: Glue the Dried Slices to the Base

First step use a hot glue set on low temperature and add sliced oranges in smaller sections on top of the wreath. 

Another great way to attach dried citrus is to use a clear fishing line or a piece of florist wire. Make sure to pull the fishing line tight to keep each orange slice tight and flat,

Editor’s Tip: When using a glue gun keep children and pets away to avoid burns.

Glue Pot  

Step 3: The Glue Pot: Attaching Oranges to a Nature Inspired Wreath

Typically, I would utilize my glue gun to attach the oranges for this DIY Christmas wreath. However, I recently decided to experiment with a  new product  offered by Surebonder, and I must say, I am impressed. This product has exceeded my expectations and I bought a larger size last year. It provides a secure and reliable hold, allowing me to incorporate the pieced onto this orange slice wreath.

Start Adding  Pieces to the  Wreath

Step 4: Adding Nature to Orange Slices

The paint of the walnuts and cinnamon is a beautiful addition to the oranges and adds another natural element and texture to the entire wreath.

Next, glue the walnuts nestling them beside the dried oranges.

Carefully glue the cinnamon next to the dried orange slices and add another beautiful aroma to this wreath  as well as more texture to the  Christmas decoration.

The fragrance of the cinnamon sticks fills the wreath with a warm and inviting fragrance that complements its charming appeal. Furthermore, the contrast of the dried orange slices and the rough, textured surface of the cinnamon sticks adds depth and interest to the wreath, making it a centerpiece for the holidays.

Editor’s Tip: Use caution when applying hot glue. Keep children and pets away from the wires and hot glue gun to avoid injury and burns. 

Anise Stars

Step 5: Elevate the Entire Wreath with Rustic Charm Star Anise Magic  

Adding anise stars adds a beautiful woodsy smell with its design to the dried orange slices on the wreath for holiday decor through winter.

Dry Brushed Acorns  

Step 6: Finishing the Seasonal Wreath: Glue the Acorns

The next step, enhancing the acorns with the same paint used on the walnuts is a great way to add an elegant touch to these pieces of nature. Use a dry brush technique. I’ve shared a detailed tutorial for this simple  process.

Not only is this technique quick, but it’s also incredibly easy to apply. The key is to use a small amount of paint on your brush. Dip only the tip of the brush into the paint and then wipe off any excess on a paper towel before applying it to the acorns.

Lightly brush over the surface of the acorns. This technique allows the natural look of the acorns to shine through while adding a touch of color. It’s a way to maintain the organic look of the acorns and incorporate them alongside the dry navel orange slices on the wreath.

Add Ribbon And Hang

Step 7: Hang the Finished Wreath

When adding this to natural Christmas decor, don’t forget to add a ribbon of your choice to the top of the wreath. Think outside the box, instead of using a traditional red ribbon, or a piece of gray buffalo check ribbon, consider using lace as an option that contrasts with the rustic nature of the Farmhouse wreath. The delicate and intricate patterns create a charming look when paired with the other elements of this wreath. Attach the ribbon to the top of the wreath, allowing it to hang from the top of the door frame. Now, find the perfect spot in your home to display this inexpensive Christmas craft and let its natural beauty shine throughout the holidays into the winter months.

Packing the Wreath  

Step 8: Preserving Perfection: Storing Your Rustic Natural  Wreath With Ease

The good news is that this Christmas decoration will last for two seasons allowing it to be used next Christmas, making this an eco-friendly way and a reason to craft dry orange Christmas decorations.  Store the wreath in a cool and dry place in your home. You can lay it on a flat surface or hang it from a shelf in a basement, attic, or closet whichever works best. By taking proper care of this farmhouse wreath during the off-season, you can look forward to bringing it out again next Christmas and continue to enjoy its timeless beauty.

Collecting Acorns

Collect Acorns From The Yard

The acorns used for this easy project are gathered from the yard. When working with real acorns collected from nature, it is important to clean and bake them before including them in crafts.

In the mentioned blog post, I provide a detailed guide on the process of saving, cleaning, and preserving real acorns, guaranteeing their longevity for years to come. My collection of acorns is over 20 years old and still retains its original beauty. Additionally, I share creative ways to decorate our home with these tiny natural treasures alongside dehydrated fruit.

Reasons to Make this Easy Project!

1. Create Your Natural Wonderland: Embrace the season by crafting an orange slice wreath with pine cones and cinnamon. Follow our easy steps to add a touch of rustic charm to your home decor. Share your creations with us and inspire others to add the beauty of nature to their homes.
2. Explore Endless Possibilities: Dive into the world of DIY holiday decor and oranges. Discover how to make an orange slice garland, ornaments, and more. Experiment with combinations of natural elements like cinnamon sticks, walnuts, and star anise. Unleash your creativity and make this holiday special.
3. Spread the Joy: Consider making dried orange wreaths or ornaments as handmade gifts for family members. Make this beautiful addition and let this holiday season be a celebration of creativity and togetherness.

I hope this inspires you to try a dried orange wreath with natural decorations, a DIY dried orange garland, or orange ornaments for the holiday season and winter. I would love to know if you will make beautiful garlands, or gilding nuts for the  cooler seasons. So grab a sharp knife, and wire rack, slice oranges, remove excess moisture, and lay in a single layer, on a baking sheet. Add them to a low temperature oven and make dried slices to make beautiful garlands to add to your home. Share your favorite ways to add these to your decor  @clochesandlavenderchristmasdecor  so we can see and share your projects. Remember to make one project at a time as I do.  

PLEASE SHARE THIS ON: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST. Thank you for sharing this project. I help Cloches & Lavender grow and bring more fun ideas. I look forward to sharing more ideas soon!

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