Oranges!

Okay! I'm back from our little no-power-for-thirty-six-or-so-hours break, due to an ice storm. I feel very lucky that our power was restored tonight, because some people are going to have to wait a week. Other people didn't lose power at all. Funny thing, ice.

Moving on!

Trena has sent me her first awesome crafty post, all about oranges. Here we go!

"Usually when you think of oranges and Christmas, it brings to mind something you might find in your stocking on Christmas Morning. I’d like to share two easy projects (both are great to do with your kids too) that use oranges as more than a stocking filler.

For the first project, we’re going to make a wonderful smelling pomander ball. I can remember making these with my mom when I was younger and the smell still reminds me of Christmas from when I was a little girl.

You will need:

*fairly large-ish firm oranges (or any other citrus fruit—you can even use apples if you would like)

*whole cloves (I highly recommend buying store brand because you can usually get a better price for more cloves than the name brand)

*ribbon (I used 5/8” on my example)

*permanent marker (optional)

*sharp pointy implement (like a small paring knife or ice pick, also totally optional)

Here is how to make your pomander:

1) Measure out some ribbon (enough to go around your fruit, top to bottom, with enough extra to make a loop to hang it with)

2) Knot ribbon (leaving ends long so you can make that hanging loop) close to orange, preferably at the top of the orange.

Now tie ends of ribbon together to make a loop.

3) (This step is optional, but it might be helpful if you want your design to be really exact or you’re doing this with small children.) Take your permanent marker and make dots on the orange in the pattern you want. These dots will give you a visual on where you will put your cloves. (Also optional—you can use your sharp pointy implement to just barely-DO NOT POKE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ORANGE-poke through the skin of the orange everywhere you put a dot to make it easier to push your cloves into the orange peel.)

4) Poke cloves, using the long pointy end, into your orange in the pattern you want.

5) You can keep it really simple or go a little more ornate—whatever you like!

6)

When you’re finished poking cloves in, you can then hang your pretty (and oh-so-good-smelling) pomander ball somewhere. Some people like to hang them in their tree, others in various places around the house. Regardless of where you put it, as the orange dries out, it will smell amazing (in a good way).

**Disclaimer: I would not put this somewhere moist as there is the possibility that it could grow fungus if not completely dried out—a dry place is best.**

The other idea I have for oranges is something I picked up from a swim team Christmas party from when I was much younger.

You’ll need:

*Ripe firm oranges

*Small paring knife

* Peppermint candy canes that have a hole in the middle of the candy cane (I can’t tell you a precise brand—I am pretty sure that most candy canes are made this way)

First, take your paring knife, barely inserting it into the orange (we just want to cut the peel, not the actual orange flesh) and carefully cut a small circle out of the peel.

Unwrap your candy cane from the tip of the hook part of the candy cane until just where it starts to straighten out:

Break off the hook part, leaving as much straight candy cane as possible.

Bite or snap off the other ‘sealed’ end (bottom) of the candy cane and then insert the candy cane into the hole you made in the orange.

Proceed to suck out the orange juice through the candy cane ‘straw’. I know it sounds like it probably wouldn’t taste good, but really it does taste good and is a different and fun way to enjoy oranges!"