DIY Dried Orange Garland
This DIY dried orange garland is an incredibly easy way to add budget friendly decor around the house, particularly around the holiday season!
DIY
Dehydrated Orange Garland
Hi it’s me. Cramming in the last bit of DIY stuff I can before I log off for a week and catch y’all in the new year.
But I promise this is really easy and the good news is that you can use this decor for so much, not just around the holiday season!
If you need help with the easiest project ever, make sure that you check out my post about how to dehydrate oranges!
- How Long Do You Dehydrate Oranges?
- How to Make a DIY Dried Orange Garland
- How Many Oranges Make an Orange Garland?
- How Long Will This Dried Orange Garland Last?
- What To Do With Leftover Dried Orange Slices
- Ways To Customize Your Dried Orange Garland
- What Else Can I Do With Dried Oranges?
- Can You Store a Dried Orange Garland?
How Long Do You Dehydrate Oranges?
If you’re looking for the TL;DR version of how to dehydrate oranges, you will essentially need to set aside a day to get the oranges dehydrated and ready to rock and roll before you make your garland.
How to Make a DIY Dried Orange Garland
Supplies
- Dried oranges (learn how to dehydrate oranges with this tutorial)
- Twine
- Toothpick or some other tiny, stabby object like a paperclip or wooden skewer
Steps
Taking your dehydrated oranges, poke a toothpick through the fleshy part of the orange.
You want to do this as close to the peel as you can so that way you won’t have a giant hole in your orange.
This is personal preference, but I like to take the toothpick and stick it through the other direction in the same hole so you can easily get your twine through the hole.
Thread your twine through the garland.
I have seen some tutorials that hot glue the oranges to the twine or that tie knots on either side of the orange so it doesn’t move, but I actually wanted to be able to adjust my oranges so I didn’t want to do this.
To each their own.
If you will be using yours on a Christmas tree, now is when you’ll add it to your tree.
Adjust the placement of your oranges as you go. Ta da! It really is that simple.
How Many Oranges Make an Orange Garland?
This is the age old answer everyone hates, but it depends. It really does depend on both where your dried orange garland is going to go and how close you want your oranges to be.
For our Christmas tree this year, I wanted them to be fairly spaced out and lay naturally on the branches.
For our 7 and a half foot tree, I used 6 oranges and quite honestly could have easily done 2 more.
How Long Will This Dried Orange Garland Last?
As long as you’ve stored it properly, your dried orange garland can last you upwards of 2 years!
If I’m you, I’m planning on remaking your dried orange garland every other Christmas.
What To Do With Leftover Dried Orange Slices
There are tons of ways to use any leftover orange slices! Here are some creative ideas that might spark something:
- Add them to a tablescape
- Stick them in glass hocking jars and use them as decor on open shelving in your kitchen
- Use a dried orange slice for cocktails or garnish for your favorite drink
- Add them to a potpourri mix
- If you’re a baker, add them around a cake like this one from Ruffled Blog
Ways To Customize Your Dried Orange Garland
You can add things to your garland that make it more customized or fitting for whatever decor you’re using it for.
Some of my favorite ways to jazz this baby up would be:
- Dehydrated apples
- Cranberries
- Cinnamon sticks
- Pinecones
- Fake snow
- Blood oranges for a color variation
What Else Can I Do With Dried Oranges?
One year for neighbor and teacher gifts, I created a stove top potpourri in a mason jar and it was a huge hit!
You could create a dried version of this by creating a smaller jar of dry potpourri using dried orange slices sprinkled with brown sugar or cinnamon.
Another option would be to simply make a dried orange garland and gift that so someone doesn’t have to go through the time or effort to make it themselves.
Can You Store a Dried Orange Garland?
Yes!
This DIY dried orange garland is easy to make and will last for up to 2 years!
If you’re looking for a creative way to decorate your home, consider making you a couple of these bad boys and use them around your house. These would also transition well into winter decor if you missed the window on Christmas this year!
