Potpourri: A Scent-sational Gift

Looking for a cheap and easy homemade Christmas gift?

You need not look any further than your fruit bowl for a burst of inspiration. Apples and oranges are great as a snack, or as part of a recipe, but what you might not realize is that they are also the perfect ingredients for a bag of homemade potpourri.

If you’ve seen the prices of store bought potpourri, you might think that the process of making potpourri is difficult and costly; however this just isn’t the case. Most blends of potpourri can be created using ingredients that you already have on hand, thus keeping the cost to a minimum.

The first step in making potpourri is to select your ingredients. As was mentioned previously, fruit is an excellent base for potpourri. Apples, oranges, lemons and grapefruits are all great options, and will dry nicely. To prepare your fruit for the potpourri, you will need to cut it into thin slices, taking care to keep the skin in tack.

Next, you will need to select your floral materials. Roses and lavender are among some of the most commonly used flowers since they are known for their natural fragrance, and ability to retain color.

For a personalized blend, feel free to experiment with flowers and leaves from your own garden. As you attempt to dry different varieties, you will learn what works best.

Once you have selected your ingredients, it’s time to start the drying process. Since there are several methods for drying, you should pick what works best for you, and your time frame.

Perhaps the quickest method for drying fruit is to heat them in the oven. Begin by preheating your oven to 200 degrees, and then arrange the fruit slices on a cookie sheet. If you have a cooling rack, you can arrange the slices on the cooling rack, and then place the rack on top of the cookie sheet. This will allow for even heating of the fruit, and prevent sticking.

Once the oven is heated, place the cookie sheet in the oven, and allow it to cook for several hours. The drying time will vary depending on the thickness of the slices. Just keep checking on the progress from time to time, and be sure to flip the slices half way through to prevent them from curling.

Leaves and flower petals can also be dried in the oven; however they will dry in a matter of minutes. To prevent burning, be sure to watch them the entire time.

Flowers can also be rubber banded into bundles, and hung upside to dry. A cool, dark environment is best suited to this method.

Once all of your ingredients are dry, it is time to add a fragrance.

While some flowers give off their own aroma, essential oils are typically used to give a long-lasting fragrance to potpourri.

You can find a wide selection of essential oils at craft stores. Often they are located with the soap and candle making supplies.

Once you have chosen a fragrance, you will need to incorporate all of your ingredients together in a glass bowl. (Using a glass container is very important, since certain essential oils are known to eat through plastic.)

Then add 6-12 drops of the essential oil, taking time to mix the potpourri between drops. After the final drop has been added, the potpourri will need to be stored in an airtight container for 4-6 weeks while the oils soak into the ingredients. For the best results, stir the ingredients every couple days.

Wrapping the potpourri couldn’t be easier. Simply fill a plastic sandwich bag with potpourri, and tie it with a piece of raffia. Your friends are guaranteed to love it!

Quick Tip: Want to make potpourri, but short on time? No problem. After you have added the oil, place the finished potpourri in a glass jar, and add a decorative label. Then when you give it to a friend, you can tell them when the potpourri will be ready for it’s smelling debut.

Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started:

 Erin M. Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a stay-at-home mom, freelance writer and artist who resides in Tennessee.