Making Potpourri - An easy craft idea for you to try at home. Dry Potpourri Recipe
Materials
Seeds
Flowers
Mint leaves
Basil Leaves
Spices
Essential oils - rose, jasmine, vanilla, lavender, orange blossom, patchouli
Fixatives - gum benzoin, orrisroot or tonka bean pieces, cedar wood chips, dried lemon peel, sandalwood chips,oak moss
Glass Bowl
Storage Jar
Gathering Flowers
Popular flowers to use in potpourri include zinnias, daisies, marigolds, roses, pansies and sunflowers. Although any flower can be used these dry particularly well and keep their colour. Pick the flowers after the dew has evaporated and spread them on newspaper in an airy place to dry. They should be ready in about a week.
Herbs
Some herbs to use include lavender, sage, thyme, rosemary and mint. You could also use their flowers. Tie bunches of herbs together and hang upside down to dry.
Spices
Popular spices include cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and star anise. They can be used whole or ground.
Method
Mix ground spices and fixative in a bowl then add about six drops of essential oil.
Mix dried flowers, whole spices and herbs in another bowl.
Add the contents of the second bowl to the first bowl and mix well to ensure the fixative and oil are distributed evenly.
Place the mixture in a glass storage jar, fasten the lid and place in the dark for about six weeks. For the first 10 days shake up the mixture to allow the scent to be absorbed by all the ingredients.
After six weeks the potpourri is ready for use. Place some into a shallow bowl or make a small parcel of potpourri in muslin, tied with a ribbon, and place in drawers or use as gifts.
