Christmas is just around the corner! Well, kind of! We can't be the only ones who start planning Christmas months in advance.  This craft will help you make unique, beautiful Christmas ornaments.

Ornament Materials

Round fruits of your choice- Apples, oranges, grapefruit, etc.

Ribbons

Directions

Sort your fruit and select only the pieces that are perfectly ripe. You don't want to use unripe fruit, because it's not brightly colored. Ensure the fruit you choose does not have bruises or rough spots.

Fill a pot with water and set it on the stove to boil. You'll need to blanch the fruit in a hot water bath to help it keep its color, which is essential if you plan to use it for decorative purposes.

Lower the fruit into the hot water bath and blanch it for five minutes. Then, remove the fruit and place it directly into an ice bath -- this locks in the fruit’s bright colors.

Dry the fruit with paper towels. You can then dry the fruit one of two ways: in the oven or in the sunlight. Put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the fruit on the sheet evenly, so the pieces don't overlap.

Put the fruit in the oven and bake it at 145 degrees Fahrenheit for four to five hours. If you have chosen to dry the fruit in the sunlight, leave it in the sun for two to four days until the fruit has completely dried. Bring the fruit inside at night if you choose to use this method.

Create a hole large enough to fit ribbon through.  String the ribbon through the hole and tie with a ribbon.

Enjoy!

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Idea from: Creativebug

More info about Fruit Trees: http://www.plantogram.com

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