Orange Pomanders

I LOVE the look of the clove studded oranges I always see at Christmas.  They are just beautiful.  They can be displayed just about anywhere bowls, hanging, or nestled in greenery.  Not to mention the wonderful citrus and clove scent they give off.  Aren't they gorgeous?

You all know how I am.  I just have to try something if I see it and like it.  After talking with some prim friends on Facebook I decided to give it a whirl.  My son was selling oranges and grapefruit for school this year so I bought a half a box.  I have oranges coming out my ears!  So, I figured if it didn't work what was I out.  I couple oranges??? No big deal.  Some of the people I talked with told me they always had problem with the oranges molding and going bad before they had a chance to dry out.  I took that into account read a bunch of tutorials online and decided to give it a try.

I had to use a flash on it as it is much darker and brown.  I actually LOVE it!!!  I do have to say that as of today the entire thing is finally hard.  I started drying this thing before Christmas.  I did not hang it like most articles I have read.  I'm assuming if you did that it would stay orange and not turn brown.  I sped up the drying process by, get this, putting it on top of a lamp shade and turning it every so often to dry it out.  From what I read the cloves act like a conduit for the liquid to evaporate out of as it is drying.  I think I'm going to try another one just hanging to see how it dries.

Next I've always seen the "split" looking dried out oranges and decided to give that a try too.  I found this picture here.  I must give credit where credit is due.  LOVE!!!!!

Of course I had to try one too.  The one difference is I didn't use cloves with this.  I am also letting this one dry naturally although at first I put it on my lamp to dry but took it off.  The light left brown marks on it almost like it scorched the skin.  Oh well,  live and learn.  I also must not have scored it deep enough as you can see.  I'm thinking instead of using oranges clementines might work better seeing as how they are much smaller.  Less drying time.  It might also work to put them in the oven though I'm sure they will have to be in there quite a long time. 

I have a few oranges left so I may make a few more and try different methods.  I will probably leave these out year round because I like them so much.  Have you had luck making these?  I'd love to hear your tips and findings. :-)