Pomanders

Mark the orange into quarters with the marking pen. Leave 1/4” on either side of the lines without studs. Stud the orange with cloves. Use the florist pins to attach the star anise. Leave the distance of a clove head between the studs as the orange will shrink as it dries. Poke a cinnamon stick through the center of the orange and bury the whole mess in powdered orris root. Put it away for about six weeks.

The orange should be dry and hard by now. Gently brush off the orris root powder mixed with a little powdered cinnamon. Don’t discard the orris root mixture. It smells great and you can use it over again. At this point, you can cover the pomander with lace, tulle or gauze, or just leave it the way it is. Put the ribbon along the lines, holding it in place with the decorative pins. Lease one end of ribbon long and loop the end for hanging. My favorite use for the pomander is as a car deodorizer. Just hang it from the rear view mirror. It sure beats those nasty plastic chemical trees!