Step-Back Cupboard

My husband made this cupboard for me a couple of years ago and it sat in our garage for 2 1/2 years waiting for me to paint it............. he doesn't like that part of the crafting so it's all mine. Finally in August I took the time to paint it and we moved it into the dining room. Well the doors didn't fit so he had to cut them down a bit and I painted the edges then it sat and sat in the dining room for 4 more months without the bottom doors attached! Today he took the time to put them on and it is officially done! I'm so excited..... now I can start looking for or making some new things to display on it!

Also, I wanted to show you a close up of the wild rose hip branches I cut. I wasn't sure how well they would stay on the branches so I only clipped a hand full but they are holding up great! Sure wish I would have picked more............ they look so pretty!

Free Instructions for Dried Orange Ornaments

I just love the smell of my kitchen when I'm making these Dried Orange Ornies! My Christmas gift to you is the instructions for creating them!

First you want to pick the largest oranges you can find..... I like to use Navel Oranges. Just look at how much they shrink during the drying process.

Take about 3 slices off the navel end of the orange. After each slice, sit the orange on a flat surface checking for straight cuts. Some are really lope-sided when sitting so cut accordingly to help straighten it up. You will also be able to work with it during the drying process.

Scoop the pulp out of the orange by loosening up the edges with a thin tablespoon. Don't throw this out!!!! It is yummy...nothing like fresh squeezed orange juice ....................and you can also add powdered sugar, coconut and cherries to the pulp for a wonderful dessert! I think it's called Ambrosia....... a recipe I learned in Home Ec way back in my high school days!

After it is all cleaned out it will look like this! It doesn't need to be spotless!

Now you are ready to place the whole cloves around the top. You can use any pointy object to make the holes for the cloves..... an ice pick works great! Just poke your holes about 1/2 inch apart the whole way around the orange and then insert a whole clove into each hole.

Dry in a 200 degree oven by placing the orange, hole side down, directly on the oven rack. Check every 15 minutes or so. After the inside seems fairly dry flip it over and place on a cookie sheet. If it is not sitting straight try pushing it into shape. Sometimes the edges tend to turn in or out so keep adjusting them as needed. Drying times will vary but be prepared for an hour or two! Dry the slices on a piece of foil along side of the ornies or dry in a dyhydrator.

You can let your ornies air dry but I found they tend to lose the round shape.

After they are dry remove 2 cloves from opposite sides and insert a piece of rusted wire for a handle as pictured in the first picture. They look great on a tree or you can sit them around too! If you make some please let me know... I would love to see them! Enjoy and have a great Christmas!!!

Past and Present Treasures

Where did the time go?

WOW!!! I can't believe it is almost Christmas! Hope you are not as far behind on decorating as I am! My son and I just went and cut a tree today so it is now lying in the garage waiting for my husband to put it in the stand. As much as I hate to say it...... I see an artifical tree in the near future!

Anyway........ I would like to show you my favorite cupboard that my husband created this year for my shows and a quick and easy porch display.

My sister and I were on a road trip one day and came upon this yard sale which had some old wooden window screens standing up against a tree. Only expecting to purchase a couple to see what I could do with them turned out to be a van full of 16 screens! What a mess with specks of white paint all through my van until we got them loaded and unloaded. We laughed the whole way home wondering what my husband would say about this purchase! He wasn't real happy until I took the first 4 to a show and came home with none................ doubled my money with the sale of one! All I did was put a nice hook on the top and added a twig wreath with a wooden pineapple that I cut out and painted. This pie cupboard was made using one of the screens for the door............ I was hoping it wouldn't sell but of course it did!! I saved one screen so hopefully I can talk my husband into making me one!