Our friend Kristy is the newest addition to the Freytag’s customer service team. And as it turns out, she is another DIY aficionado (she came to the right place). With Thanksgiving and the holidays right around the corner, we asked Kristy for her advice on what would be an easy, trendy but tasteful, hand-made Thanksgiving or holiday hostess gift. Her response was her go-to DIY holiday gift; Sugar and Spice Potpourri. This super easy recipe also includes her quick drying technique that will come in handy when you’re in a hurry. No need to wait days or weeks for flowers to dry!

Here are Kristy’s directions.

You will Need:

• Fresh whole flowers & petals (Any kind of flower will work, but fall colors work really well with this recipe. Kristy used red rose petals, whole golden spider mums, whole white spray daisies, and whole thistle.)
• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper
• Scissors
• Essential oils (woody, citrus or spice scents)
• Spray bottle
• Fresh Oranges (the sugar)
• Cinnamon Sticks (the spice)
• Rosemary Sprigs
• Additional Whole spices like cloves, star allspice, etc., (optional)
• Apple slices (optional)
• Pine cones, lotus pods (optional)
• Clear cellophane or mason jar and raffia for gift-wrap

Get creative with essential oils. Don’t be afraid to blend complimentary scents.

Directions:

1. Gather up your oranges, whole spices and fresh flowers for drying. Mix up whole flowers and individual petals for an interesting texture. Preheat your oven to 200˚F.

2. Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper. Slice citrus thinly. Keep whole circles, cut slices in half (Kristy mixed it up for texture) and place in a single layer on the tray leaving room for your flowers.

3. Snip the flower heads from the stems and place them on the tray.  Remove individual petals from the flowers not planned to keep whole and place in a single layer on the parchment paper alongside the citrus slices.

Let a hurricane candle display your potpourri. A hostess gift in a hostess gift!

4. Tuck your whole spices throughout the tray for flowers and citrus slices.

5. Add 10 to 15 drops of the essential oil to one tablespoon of water in a small spray bottle, and spritz the potpourri ingredients. (Kristy made a blend of Clove and Pine Needle from Now Essential Oils to create a special holiday aroma).

6. Place the tray of potpourri into the oven.

Cute mason jar with holiday burlap and fresh flowers bow.

7. Dry in the oven for two hours to three hours, or until the flowers are brittle but not burnt. Remove from oven and spray with your essential oil & water mixture.

8. Allow to cool to room temperature, carefully toss the potpourri like a salad.

9. Place the potpourri into your gift wrap of choice.  Kristy decorated her hostess gift with a rosemary sprig and a cinnamon stick. You can also include a small spray bottle of your special oil/water mixture in the gift so your hostess can refresh her potpourri with your custom holiday fragrance.

Easy-peasy: Celo wrap tied with raffia, a sprig of Rosemary and a cinnamon stick.

Kristy and her four-legged nephew, Yogi