Y’all I’m not entirely sure why it has taken me so long to make these adorable orange slice ornaments but here we are! I finally did it and now I am looking for every little reason to dehydrate some oranges! I am obsessed with the old fashioned, natural homey feel that these little slices add to my Christmas tree and I am certain you will love them just as much.
Not to mention they check all of my Christmas DIY boxes…simple, beautiful and resourceful!
Do you ever get on a “kick” Like if you learn a new technique or find something you absolutely love then you wear it out because you are constantly going back to it?.…guilty! I must warn you, these little orange slice ornaments might just be that new thing.
Here is what you’re gonna need.
Supplies
- Large naval oranges
- Sharp knife
- Oven and/or food dehydrator
- Cutting board
- Wood beads
- Jute twine
- Pencil or something to poke a small hole
- Hot Glue and embellishments (optional)
Step 1
Begin by slicing your naval oranges into thin slices. Try to get them as thin and even as possible since this will help with the drying time.
Step 2
Arrange your slices on a cookie sheet. Try not to overlap your slices if possible. Overlapping will slow down the drying time.
My orange slices came out perfect after 2 hours at 275 degree Fahrenheit in the oven and overnight in the food dehydrator. The oven time does most of the work but I feel like the dehydrator took all the last little bits of juice which is important especially if you plan to decorate with them. No one wants a rotten slice of fruit hanging from the tree right?
Once you are satisfied with the dryness of the slices, you are ready to craft some unique ornaments!
To create these simple orange slice ornaments I started by poking a hole near the top rind. A pencil or a phillips screw driver will do the trick.…nothing crazy here, it’s pretty self explanatory.
The rest of the process is really quite simple. Threading some jute twine through the poked hole and finishing with natural wood beads is my preferred method of orange slice ornament making but there are other ways to make these little slices your own.
Like adding a touch of greenery for instance. I had a little spruce pick in my craft stash I was able to use bits from to add a little more interest to these slices. I can’t wait to try my hand at a live garland with a few oranges mingled in with it as well!
These are so pretty! I’d love to try them, just worried that my dog will eat them off the tree as she has done in the past with the cinnamon applesauce ornaments my daughter made in preschool! LOL! Where do you find the rusty bells and what nots?
Comments are closed.