My good friend Lucia texted me and asked if I would put up a tutorial for my orange slice Christmas tree ornaments. I know what you're thinking--"Dani, you're telling me that your ornaments are so legendary that people beg you to post tutorials so that they can recreate your awesomeness in ornament form?"
The answer to that most profound question, dear reader, is yes. Yes they do.
They are incredibly simple to make, take almost no preparation, and can store easily for use year after year.
(In other words, if you somehow manage to botch this simplest of DIY ornaments, maybe you should just take it as a sign to stop crafting and DIY's all together. There are only so many crafts you can fail at before you realize it's just not for you. Just saying.)
Anyway, it all starts with an orange.
1. Your orange should look like this:
You'll notice it's round, and looks like an orange, and is fairly orange-y. So far so good.
This next part is a little tricky, but don't worry--after some practice, your skills will continue to improve.
2. Slice your orange into ¼" sections.
I know, I know...slicing things can be hard.
3. Next: place your orange slices on a baking sheet.
And preheat your oven to 225°F.
I know, I know...so complicated, so many steps, difficult instructions, etc etc--but hang in there! You can do this! We are almost done!
5. Put the orange slices on the middle rack in your oven, then sit and watch them for 2-3 hours.
Okay, okay, fine--you don't HAVE to watch them the whole time.
But you should at least check on them every hour and flip them over.
Once they're about dry through and through, you can take them out and let them cool. They should be dry, not sticky, when they're cooled off. If they're sticky, they need a little bit more time in the oven.
6. Attach your hanger of choice, and voila!
Presto Change-o! You have a Christmas tree ornament ready to be enjoyed for generations to come!!*
They dazzle up any old tree with their stained-glass-look-a-like beauty. You will have the best tree in town! People will come from miles around to marvel at your tree! Pretty soon, you will be charging admission and selling hot cocoa on the side! You'll turn it into a lucrative business and make a BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!!!
(I expect you to send me a cut of the earnings, if this does in fact happen to you.)
Now, go forth, make ornaments, and be merry!
*Not that your grandkids will want your crusty old orange slices anyway, but you know. Just in case.