To Dry Oranges:

• Slice oranges so they are approximately 1/4" thick.
• Use paper towels to absorb as much of the juice from the slices as you can without misshaping or tearing them.
• Place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer
• Bake at 150^o to 175^o for approximately 6 hours with the door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape.

To Dry Apples:

• Slice apples so they are approximately 1/4" thick.
• Soak apple slices in a mixture of two cups lemon juice and three tablespoons salt for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the mixture and pat dry with paper towels.
• Spread apple slices on a cookie sheet and bake at least 6 hours at 150^o to 175^o with the oven door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape.
• Once apple slices start to curl, flip them over.
• Optional: Mix 2 TBSP cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp nutmeg together and sprinkle on one side of the apples before baking.
• Note: The apple slices may seem thick, but as they dry out they will shrink.

To Assemble the Wreath:

• Make a bow using anywhere from three to eight strands of 30" long raffia.
• Lay dried apples and oranges along with Spanish moss, artificial berries and the raffia bow on the grapevine wreath.
• Rearrange until you get an arrangement you are happy with then glue in place using hot glue gun.
• If desired, you could collect little acorns and add them to your wreath.
• To make a hook for hanging your wreath, cut a piece of wire approximately 4" long and attach it to the back of your wreath by threading the wire through either a piece of wire that is holding the wreath together or a couple pieces of the grapevine.  Twist the wire hanger to keep it in place.  A twist tie or pipecleaner can also be used as the hanger if you do not have wire handy.

Hints:

• When arranging the dried fruit on your wreath, place the cinnamon side of the apples face down as they are less attractive.
• When choosing apples to dry, choose a variety that is not to juicy such as Granny Smiths.

Printable instructions

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