Free Craft Project
Potpourri Ideas
All of these fragrant potpourri items - Rose Water, Moist Rose, Lavender Wand, Lavender Wreath, and Bouquet - are made with roses, herbs, and other florals that you can grow in your own garden.
Here is a list of herbs and flowers that commonly make up potpourri using the ideas below. If you don't already have your own "fragrance" garden, maybe you should start one!
- sweet violet
- roses
- sweet alyssum
- bergamot
- southernwood
- clove
- thyme
- rosemary
- rose geranium
- lily of the valley
- lavender
- anise hyssop
- sweet william
- sweet marjoram
- orange mint
- heliotrope
- lemon balm
Rose Water Potpouri
Use this to scent your bath water or as an after bath or shower splash.
Materials
1 quart distilled water
1/2 pint 70% proof alcohol (not isopropyl)
2 cups rose petals
1 tablespoon orris root, powdered
10 drops rose oil
1 gallon clear jar
blender
strainer
large bowl or container
small glass decorative containers
Instructions
Place 1 cup of the distilled water and the rose petals in a blender. Blend until fine. Pour into a 1 gallon jar and add remaining ingredients.
Cover tightly and set in the sun. Allow to steep for two weeks.
Strain into a clean blowl or container. Pour into small glass containers.
Moist Rose Potpourri
Use this fragrance as a room freshener. It will last for years and can be refreshed with rose oil and added to from each year's rose garden.
Materials
roses, petals, and leaves
ground cinnamon and cloves
non-iodized salt
rose oil
1/2 to 1 gallon glass jar or crock with lid
small decorative containers with lids
Instructions
Begin making your potpourri in early summer, continuing to add rose petals and leaves throughout the growing season.
In the glass jar or crock, layer 1 inch of rose petals, whole roses, and leaves; a sprinkling of cinnamon; a sprinkling of cloves; and a 1/4 inch of salt, in that order. Cover tightly.
Repeat layers throughout the summer, pressing the mixture down occassionally and keeping tightly covered.
At the end of the growing season, add a few drops of rose oil and mix well. Press down and cover for at least four weeks.
Place potpourri in smaller decorative covered containers. To enjoy the aroma, lift the lid for short periods of time and then replace.
Lavender Wand
Place the wand in a lingerie drawer or hang it in a closet to add a fresh scent and protect against moths.
Materials
15 lavender stems (cut when flowers are buds)
2 yards 1/2 inch ribbon
floral wire
scissors<
Instructions
Place stems with buds together and loosely wrap stems together with floral wire (just below the buds). Be careful not to wrap the stems too tightly.
Let set long enough for the stems to begin to wilt slightly and are pliable.
Carefully bend individual stems back and over the buds. Bring stem ends together, evenly forming a "cage" around the buds. Secure stems near ends with piece of floral wire.
Beginning at the top, weave ribbon in and out of stems and around the "wand". Continue down and wrap the ribbon around the stems. At the bottom of the stems, tie the ends of the ribbon in a knot. Cut ribbon.
Tie remaining ribbon in a multi-loop bow. Tie it onto the bottom of the wand, covering the knot of the wrapped ribbon.
To activate the scent, gently squeeze the top of the wand (where the buds are wrapped).
Fresh Lavender Wreath
Materials
24 lavender stems with or without flowers
1 handful of lavender flowers (fresh or dried) with 5-inch stems
3 rosebuds with 2-inch stems
2 yards 1/4 inch lavender ribbon
2 yards 3/4 inch white lace
floral wire
scissors
rubber band
Instructions
Arrange lavender stems (with or without flowers) in bunches approximately 1 inch in diameter. Begin with 2 bunches, overlap, and wrap with floral wire.
Continue to add bunches, wrapping with wire to make a garland approximately 24 inches long. Overlap ends to create a 6-inch diameter wreath and wrap ends with wire.
Place lavender flowers (with 5-inch stems) together and secure stems with a rubber band, approximately 2-1/2 inches from cut ends of stems.
Place lavender flower stems on wreath and place rosebud stems on top of lavender flower stems, covering the rubber band.
Wrap center of lavender ribbon tightly around wreath and stems, covering rubber band at knotting on top. Wrap center of lace arund the wreath and stems and knot it securely next to the ribbon knot.
With the lace and ribbon together, tie a bow on top of the stems.
Place wreath on a flat surface or hang to dry. (If hanging, check and adjust the shape while the wreath is drying.)
Potpourri Bouquet
Materials
6-inch cotton doily
fabric stiffener
dried flowers, leaves, herbs*
dried rosebuds
German statice
rose and/or lavender oil
1 yard 5/8 inch blue ribbon
floral wire
floral tape
hot glue gun
scissors
drinking glass or mug
eyedropper
*Suggested dried flowers, leaves, and herbs: annual statice, gold yarrow, lavender blossoms, blue salvia, bay leaf, lamb's ear, artemisia, silver king, boxwood, rosemary, southernwood, hysop, larkspur
Instructions
Soak doily in fabric stiffener and place on flat surface to dry.
Cut pieces of German statice with 6-inch stems and arrange in a bundle, approximately 5 inches in diameter. Wrap stems together with floral tape.
Insert wrapped stems through center of doily, using scissors to make or enlarge a hole if necessary. Pinch doily center tightly around stems and wrap center and stems with floral tape.
Place bouquet in a glass or mug to hold upright. Place a small amount of hot glue on ends of dried flowers, leaves, and herbs (but not the rosebuds) and insert them into statice.
Glue rosebud stems into bouquet last, arranging evenly.
Tie ribbon into a bow and secure center with floral wire, leaving a 3-inch tail of wire. Apply glue to end of wire and insert deeply into arrangement between the flowers and doily.
Use the eyedropper to drop scented oil onto statice in three or four places, being careful not to touch the flowers.