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French Country Cottage Style and a Fragrant, Dried Citrus Wreath

Follow along in an excerpted step-by-step how-to from Courtney Allison's book FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE CHRISTMAS.

Courtney Allison is a stylist, photographer, and author of the popular blog French Country Cottage. A tastemaker of French Country style in America, she has authored two previous books, French Country Cottage and French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings.

In her newest book, French Country Cottage Christmas (Gibbs Smith 2023), Courtney Allison helps the reader celebrate the season in cozy French Country Cottage style with luscious photography and a plethora of inspiration and ideas for trees in themes from baubles to flowers; décor indoors and outdoors; flowers, garlands, and wreaths; tables, dining, and entertaining; entryways, stairways, and every room of the house; outbuildings; pretty packages; and twinkle lights galore. Plus, she includes a little bit of Christmas magic from a snowy mountain cabin, a vintage travel trailer at the lake, and a Paris apartment with a balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

In the following excerpt from her book, Courtney shares a step-by-step process for making a dried citrus wreath. Oranges are a Christmas classic and make for wonderful and fragrant decorations. Her instructions include drying the oranges and assembling the wreath for a festive door ornament. Drying the oranges helps prevent pests and keeps the decoration lasting longer.

A green Christmas tree has white hydrangeas decorating it.

The look for this flower-filled Christmas tree in the greenhouse started with a green tree that has an open shape, allowing for an abundance of flowers to be tucked inside. An array of stems of fresh hydrangeas, roses, and clusters of snowberry and burgundy scabiosa are set in florist water vials. The tree is held in an old cement basket planter.

Blue and white china decorate a Christmas table.

Layers of vintage blue and white is a somewhat unexpected look for Christmas that encourages using what you love for your tables all year long.

HOW TO MAKE A DRIED CITRUS WREATH

Dried orange slices and whole oranges are beautiful for enjoying during the holidays. I use them to accent side tables and garlands and even for creating beautiful custom wreaths.

 

DRYING WHOLE ORANGES AND SLICES

Dried and scored oranges lay on a countertop.

PREPARING ORANGES

For whole oranges, work evenly around each orange, making 4 cuts from top to bottom about 1/4 inch deep. Do not fully cut through the oranges. Then make 4 more cuts between the first ones, so there are 8 sections.

For thin slices, cut through the fruit crosswise, about 1/4 inch widths.

DRYING WHOLE ORANGES AND SLICES

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice oranges thinly and lay them on the parchment paper in a single layer. Dehydrate in a 200 ° F oven for 3 to 4 hours, turning with a spatula every 30 to 45 minutes to prevent burning. Turn off the oven and let cool completely before removing.

FOR ORANGE POMANDERS WITH CLOVES

Using a zester or knife, slice any pattern or design you like on the peel of the fresh oranges. Insert whole cloves in the sliced areas and leave to air-dry or dry them in a food dehydrator. Set out in bowls or hang on the tree to scent your room.

STEP-BY-STEP DRIED CITRUS WREATH

Oranges and pine cones lay next to a twig wreath.

INGREDIENTS

Dried whole oranges and orange slices
Fresh-clipped Christmas greens, e.g., cedar or pine
Pine cones
Dried bay leaves
Velvet ribbon
Wire
Scissors
Hot glue gun and sticks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by adding the fresh greens to the vine wreath. Tuck in and then wire the pieces to the wreaths, or add with hot glue.

 

Green needles put in twig wreath.

 

2. Next, loop a piece of wire around each pine cone, allowing enough wire to tie it firmly to the wreath. Repeat all around the wreath, filling in areas with pine cones.

 

Wired is used to wrap pinecones on a Christmas wreath.

 

3. Wire dried whole oranges to the wreath in the same way as the pine cones. The number of oranges is up to you, depending on the size of your wreath.

 

Cinnamon is being add to the wreath.

 

4. Hot glue the slices to the wreath, filling in the areas around the pine cones and whole oranges. Then hot glue dried bay leaves or similar, tucking them into the spaces between that need filling in.

Keep adding until you are happy with the look of the wreath. It can be decorated simply or fully, depending on what you prefer.

 

A dried citrus wreath hangs on a french blue door.

 

5. Tie a velvet ribbon bow and leave the ends long. Place it wherever you’d like and wire or hot glue it to the wreath.

French Country Cottage Christmas book cover

By Courtney Allison

Excerpted from French Country Cottage Christmas (Gibbs Smith 2023)

Buy the book to get more ideas for a French Country style Christmas!

See more from Courtney Allison in an excerpt from her book, French Country Cottage and follow her on Instagram.

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