Craft a grapevine wreath using dried apples

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Dried Fruit Wreath

dried apple project instructions - oven method

Our dried fruit wreath will not only add country charm to your home, but the aroma from the dried apples and oranges will create a welcoming scent for your holiday guests.

Materials for Dried Fruit:

One or two apples
One or two oranges
Lemon juice
Salt
Cookie sheet
Paper towels
Sharp knife
Oven
Optional: cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg

Materials for Wreath:

Heart shaped grapevine wreath
Spanish moss
Dried apple and orange slices
Artificial fall colored berries
Raffia
Hot glue gun and glue sticks

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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