This year I got really sick of all the plastic decorations in the stores. It felt so artificial and wasteful. Overwhelmingly bothered by it I decided to try something more natural version of DIY decorating. It did take a commitment of my time but I definitely saved money and my conscious.
If you’re feeling crafty and want to add a more natural touch to your decorations this year I recommend avoiding the plastic stuff and creating something with real supplies. This DIY decorating project included oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruits. Put your own spin on things with apples or pears.
everything you will need
fruit
an oven
string
step one – preheat the oven
preheat your oven to 200F
step two – slice the fruit
slice your fruit roughly 1/4 inch thick. Don’t be too critical here, really you can slice them however thick you want but the thicker they are, the longer they will take to dry out.
step three – put the fruits on a tray
a layer of parchment paper would probably be best here but I didn’t have any so I either put the fruit directly on the tray or used some foil. Results pretty much came out the same.
do a single layer so that the slices don’t overlap.
step four – in the oven for 3-5 hours
around the three hour mark start checking your fruit babies often. Some of my smaller slices like the lemons and limes were done much faster than the oranges and grapefruits.
check for doneness by touching the slices. If they are still wet or sticky then they need more time. You will get better at noticing when all the liquid has been dried out. Be patient and don’t get too upset if you burn a few. I actually liked how some of them looked when they got really dark.
step five – assembly
in comes your creative freedom. I used twine for my string but any string or ribbon would work. With my fruit slices I made both ornaments and garland. I also stuck some on a wreath to make it more festive.
For the ornaments: poke a small hole in the top of the fruit slice so you can thread the twine through. I poked through the meat of the slice not the rind. No special tool required here, I literally used a random nail I found around the house.
I love the classic and simple look of just the twine and the fruit slice but you have the freedom to add whatever you’d like. I used red beads on gold wire to add the look of cranberries. And some ribbon for a more festive touch.
For the garland: use one hole at the top and a very long piece of your string. Putting the slices on this way will create a more dangly look that does require adjusting to make them evenly spaced. Alternatively you can poke a hole on two sides of the slice and fish the twine through twice so the slice is more sturdy with less movement.
step six – preservation
without any type of coating I have read that these fruit slices will only last for 2-3 years. A fate I had to accept.
I tried to add a layer of varnish to the slices but I HATED how it came out. I think I must have bought the wrong type of varnish because although it went on clear, a lot of areas dried white. Luckily I was able to peel the unwanted varnish off but it was tedious and time consuming.
If you do want to go down the route of preserving these beautiful slices for a long time I have seen many people post about resin and clear varnish. Do some research and if you figure it out let me know!
different uses
this DIY decorating project can be used in many ways.
I run the Secret Santa gift exchange at my job and gave these out to everyone with their selected person that they had to buy a gift for.
I made garland and wrapped the slices around my tree which added a stunning, natural feel. When the sunlight hits them they look like stained glass and I almost tear up at their beauty.
I used a hot glue gun to add some to a cheap wreath I bought. With the addition of a big ribbon bow I felt like it was similar to ones I saw in the store for $50+.
You can even put some in a cute jar and gift them to someone who likes to garnish their drinks.
Once you realize how easy these are to make you might be making them all the time. I am writing this post in December so right now I am Christmas focused but you can use this DIY decorating prject any time of year. They would also make for beautiful pops of color in the spring or summer. I even have a friend that coats them with some resin and makes earrings out of them.
It felt good to ditch some of the plastic this year and stick with more natural materials in my house. Post some pictures of your DIY decorating in the comments so I can see how they came out!
Dehydrated Fruit – DIY Decorating
supplies
- citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit)
- something to poke a hole through the fruit (I used a nail)
- string (twine, ribbon, etc)
- optional: beads threaded on gold wire, extra ribbon for decorating
steps – drying out the fruit
- preheat oven to 200F
- slice fruits about 1/4 inch thick
- places fruits on baking sheets or aluminum foil. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper if you have it. I didn’t use this and mine came out fine.
- bake fruit slices for 3-5 hours. Smaller slices will be done faster than the big ones. Carefully touch the slice to see if it’s dry. If it’s still wet or sticky leave it in the oven for longer. Check the fruits frequently once it’s been a few hours. All of them will not be done at the same time!
steps – assembly
- carefully poke a hole in the top of the fruit with something sharp
- thread the twine or ribbon through the hole
- create a loop and tie a knot so that they can be hung
- add any extra decorations that you want
If you’re doing some holiday shopping check out my other post that includes 10 Amazing Gift Ideas for Someone Who Does Yoga.