One of the most awesome things about fall is the warm, comforting scents of the season. Pumpkin, oranges, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, lavender, and nutmeg – they all add their own distinctive aromas to the season. Now you can infuse your home with your favorite fall aromas by making your own fall-scented potpourri.
All you need is dried flowers, zest, cloves, cinnamon sticks, apples, pumpkins, other fall-scented plants and water. Try different combinations to see what makes your house smell best. You can also try these same ingredients and leave in dishes around your house to bring up those smells for your home.
You can dry flowers, fruit, and more at home yourself just using your oven or by hanging the arrangements upside down in a dry place. If you have a dehydrator, you can also use that. Or you can use an oven, parchment paper and a low temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours until the fruit or flowers are completely dried. Alternatively, you can buy already dried ingredients and spices, as well as oils to make everything smell even stronger.
Don’t be afraid to bring in things from the outside, or use things that you know normally smell good when you’re cooking it, like coffee. Ground coffee in the right potpourri can smell divine and bring just the right spirit to your fall décor ideas.
Lavender & Spice & Everything Nice
1 bunch dried lavender
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2 cups water
Add all ingredients to a small slow cooker on low with the lid on. Keep going all day by adding water as needed.
Put off the slow cooker, remove the fall-scented lavender and place in a bowl to fill the room with the warm, spicy scents of autumn.
Dried Apple Spice Potpourri
1 cup apple slices, dried
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1/4 tablespoon allspice berries
2 tablespoons Otis root powder
10 cinnamon sticks
10 small pinecones
Cinnamon essential oil
Combine into a jar big enough for the pinecones to fit, put the lid on tightly and shake.
Add several drops of cinnamon oil – add less if you like a more subtle aroma and more if you prefer a stronger aroma.
After a couple of weeks, remove the pinecones with tongs and allow to dry.
Put the dried, scented pinecone in a basket and leave on a dresser or bathroom counter to bring fall smells inside.
Orange Spice Potpourri
10 slices freshly dried oranges
1 bunch of pinecones
1/4 cup star anise
10 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup whole cloves
Bowl
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl using as much as you need to fill the bowl that you’re using to help impart the scent to the house. You can add whole oranges, flowers, rocks and other elements to the mix to make it look extra special for the fall.
Anything you think smells good in the fall can be used to help make a wonderful potpourri. From dried pumpkin, dried berries, to cloves and coffee, the only thing limiting you is your imagination. Use these ideas to get started.
