I Didn't Want to Leave You in Herbal Limbo!

I was hopeful that my Herb Companion post would be up on their website to give you the recipe for these Mini Potpourri Wreaths from Marge Clark.  I used a mini bundt pan the other day and I think it turned out good as well.   Above is those individual Jello molds from bridge club days.  My Herbal Companion, Bonnie says she picks them up at Thrift Stores.  Mine are my mom's.  There are lots of different styles and designs.  Here is the one above decorated with some wired ribbon.  Don't you love ribbon that's wired?

Maybe a bit too much, but you get the idea.  I think I have to cut that one side off a bit!   I found packages of Norfolk Lavender potpourri at my local T.J.Maxx store several years ago and I've been holding on to them.  OK, they got misplaced!   Well, I could see them.  I just forgot what I wanted to use them for!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  One package made two wreaths and that was about one cup in each mold.  The wreaths in the photo above are from a package containing both rose petals and lavender with a bit of fragrance.

Mini Potpourri Wreaths

For one 2-1/2” to 3” wreath, you’ll need:

1 to 1-1/4 cups potpourri (the prettier the potpourri, the prettier the wreath!)

(I found that the rose petals and the lavender flowers were about 1 cup to fill the mold.)

1 tablespoon white glue (such as Elmer’s)

1 tablespoon water

1 2-1/2” to 3” ring mold

Latex gloves

Measuring spoons and cups

Plastic spoon for mixing

A knife for removing wreath from mold

2 or 3 cup empty cottage cheese container for mixing

Doughnut cutter with handle removed or a mini bundt pan or a doughnut pan or individual jello molds

Nonstick vegetable spray or margarine for greasing mold

Essential oils

Ribbon or other dried flowers for decoration

1.   Grease the mold with margarine (Marge calls it oleo.) or cooking spray (Very important.  Don't skip this step.).

2.   Use a cottage cheese container (or some other disposable container) and mix the water and white glue together to make a thin paste.

3.   Add the potpourri and stir well to coat the leaves and petals with the thin glue mixture.

4.   Pack mixture into the prepared mold and tamp it down with your fingertips (This is where the gloves may be necessary.) Don’t worry about seeing the glue because it will dry clear.

5.   Drizzle the glue left in the container over the potpourri mixture in the mold.

6.   Let mold set for about 6 hours or overnight. (I left mine dry overnight.)  Run a table knife around the outside of the mold and gently ease wreath from mold.

7.   Let dry for several days, turning occasionally to dry evenly on both sides.  Decorate with additional dried flowers or herbs and ribbons.

8.   Because the glue mixture coats the potpourri, the wreath may lose its fragrance.  After the wreath is thoroughly dry, add a drop or 2 of essential oil (your choice) to each wreath.

9.   To store, wrap each wreath in plastic wrap or in a small plastic bag and keep out of direct light until ready to use at holiday time.

When you get ready to put them away for the season, rewrap them in plastic or place them in a resealable bag and put them in a covered box away from heat and light.

This is the attempt from the mini bundt mold pan.  It was just rose petals coated with the glue mixture and pressed into the mold.  It has some fragrance, but I may add some essential oil to liven it up!  Marge Clark has a mini spice wreath recipe as well and I'm going to work on some of those this weekend.  Hopefully, I can share that with you later this weekend.

The cold has reached us and it is starting to feel wintery!  Hope you are having a great day decorating with your family.  I'm going to get back to my work table and work on those spice wreaths.  Talk to you later.