Homemade Potpourri a natural aroma to perfume your home. Like dusted furniture, vacuumed floors, and tidy objects, the ambient air quality plays an integral part in the impression of cleanliness that a house creates. It’s no wonder then that indoor air fresheners are booming in the cleaning product market. Unfortunately, it is very wrong because a lot of harmful chemicals are part of their composition. For this reason, in particular, today, we will present a very original alternative to purify and perfume the air at home – the homemade Potpourri. Made with rose petals or other flowers or spices and citrus fruits to perfume the air with Christmas perfumes, Potpourri is also super easy to make yourself. Discover out how in the following words and creative drawing ideas for beginners.
How do dry flowers or citrus fruits for your rotten pots?
Okay, but before you put your money together, there’s a fair bit of work to be done. Therefore, you will have to start by drying the ingredients with which you will fill your containers. To dry citrus fruits or flowers, for example, you could choose between a few main options:
- Air drying: the cheapest method. She only asks to de-stalk the flowers (cut the citrus fruits into slices of about 3.4 mm) and then let them air dry. It’s up to you to choose between drying in the sun or the shade for several days. Just be positive to keep a house that is dry and warm enough to facilitate the dehydration process. For example, you could thread the citrus slices on a wire or place them on a rack.
- Oven drying: to make it faster, however, prefer the oven drying method. Here again, just skin your flowers / cut the citrus fruits into thin enough slices to set them in a baking expanse filled with baking paper. Leave to dehydrate in an oven preheated to 80-90º C, glancing frequently. Otherwise, you risk burning your citrus petals/slices. Usually, flower petals will need less time to dry. Let cool before composing your rotten pots.
- Drying in a dehydrator: Another process that is relatively quick and at the same time saves you the risk of burning your petals or fruit. To use it, however, you must have a dehydrator. Then all you have to complete is know the instructions that usually come with the device.
How to make a potpourri with rose petals?
Ingredients and tools needed:
- A dozen roses
- A reasonably large plate
- Cardboard or newspaper
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried lavender
- rose essential oil or rose water
- Glass jar or another airtight container
How to do:
- Start by stripping the roses and then place the picked petals on a plate lined with cardboard or newspaper, which will help them dry. To air dry, place in a warm, dry place for two to three days.
- Once the edges of the petals are wavy, enclose them in the airtight container. To seal in the aroma of the flowers, consider using a perfume fixer. Then add cinnamon and dried lavender and finish with 4 to 5 drops of essential oil and rosewater for a more pleasant olfactory experience. Close the container and shake. Drop-in a hot, dry area for 24 hours and then shake again.
- Open the jar to embalm the atmosphere. To further intensify the aroma, add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and lavender and a few drops of water or rose oil. Again cover and shake and then leave for 24 hours up to a week, remembering to continue shaking every other day.
Potpourri bag with flowers and citrus fruits
Ingredients and tools needed for Potpourri:
- Fresh tiny blooming rosebuds
- Blood orange
- Mandarin
- Eucalyptus branches
- Mixture of essential oils (rose, orange, and eucalyptus in this specific case)
- Spray bottle
- Sharp knife
- Scissors
- Baking sheet
Materials and tools needed for the pouches:
- Muslin bags
- Acrylic paint
- Wooden stamps
- Cards, labels for first names
- Favorite pen
To make the Potpourri:
- Preheat the oven to 90º C.
- Cut the flower stems near the buds.
- Cut the citrus fruits into skinny slices of about a few mm.
- Spread the buttons and citrus slices on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
- Add a dozen drops of essential oils to the spray bottle filled with water and spray the potpourri premix.
- Bake at 90º C for a few hours to dry the flowers and fruits without burning them. Usually, roses would dry within 1 hour and oranges after 2-3 hours. Then leave to cool well.
- Pick the leaves from the eucalyptus branches.
- Combine citrus fruits, leaves, and petals in a bowl and spray additional water with essential oils.
To assemble and decorate the bags:
- Make the bags of the patterned stamp to decorate their exterior.
- Write the name of the gift recipient on a tag to tie with a string/ribbon to the bag.
- Fill the bag with the pot to rot, tie and offer. As you wish, decorate with a mini pompom with fringe.
Homemade Potpourri on a stove – three recipes to create a Christmas atmosphere
1 / Potpourri with Christmas spices
Ingredients needed:
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of whole cloves
- 3-4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 3-4 star anise
- 3 teaspoons of nutmeg
- 3 teaspoons allspice
2 / Potpourri with citrus fruits
Ingredients needed:
- 2 cups of water
- 1 lemon cut into slices (about half a centimeter thick)
- 1 orange cut into slices (about half a centimeter thick)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon of whole cloves
3 / Potpourri with cranberries and rosemary
Ingredients needed:
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of frozen cranberries
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of juniper berries
How to do:
- Merge all the elements in a vessel.
- Simmer over low heat, glancing occasionally.
- Water evaporated. Add more water to prolong the process.
