With Christmas just a short week away, we’re taking the dive into all of our favorite holiday traditions, like arranging our neatly wrapped gifts under the tree, mixing up some cozy cocktails, and taking part in some festive DIYs with our loved ones. Believe it or not, we’ve just recently been introduced to the fun holiday DIY we’re sharing today, but that’s not the case for many. (In fact, Gray’s husband Jeff has been making these orange pomanders every Christmas for years!)
Basically, this DIY couldn’t be easier (it’s perfect for kids to join in, too!) and we love the way it fills our homes with the most inviting scents of the season. After all, there’s nothing like taking a step over the threshold to someone’s home and taking in the aroma of warm spices and nostalgic holiday scents, right? That being said, we couldn’t resist putting our own little GM twist on this traditional DIY… When we saw these oranges we were immediately reminded of so many of the orange umbrellas Gray has shot over the years, so we ran with idea and we weren’t disappointed. Keep scrolling to see how we made our orange umbrella clove pomanders, and try them out for yourself this holiday seas
Supplies You’ll Need:
fresh oranges (if your oranges are too soft, it will be difficult for the cloves to break the skin)
whole cloves
decorative bowl or vase
sprigs of rosemary (for extra garnish)
Note: We love the way these look displayed in a neutral serving bowl (get our exact bamboo trim bowl by Juliska here) or a large clear vase like this one.
The How-To:
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Starting from the center of your orange on either end, simply push the sharp ends of your cloves into the orange peel, creating your pattern as you go.
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Arrange neatly in your chosen bowl or vase and let the cozy aroma fill your home. Easy as that!
BUT, here are some tips to make it even easier…
Tip 1 : If you have sensitive hands or skin, it might be a good idea to wear a pair of thin gloves so your fingers don’t get sore after repeating the process on each orange. (The cloves can get sharp, so make sure you use a pair of gloves that you don’t mind potentially getting snagged!)
Tip 2 : To create the ideal umbrella shape, we recommend starting with a pentagon pattern, and following your shape from there as you add additional “rings” to your umbrella stripes. But of course, there’s no right or wrong way to do it, so get creative!
Tip 3 : If you’re wondering where exactly to put them when you’re done, we love these pomanders displayed in an entryway, sitting room, kitchen or bathroom, so guests get the welcoming aroma in the most visited rooms in the house.
Have you ever tried making orange clove pomanders?
If you haven’t, now is the time to start! And if this has already been a long time holiday tradition for you, then we hope this little twist makes it feel brand new.
To shop all the orange umbrellas these pomanders were inspired by, click here, here and here.
Xx Team GM
Photos: Jessi Burrone for GrayMalin.com