Giddy-Up Friday: Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Apple

This weeks Giddy-Up Friday is all because Edible Wednesday got me thinking about oranges. It's the perfect color for the fall season and it's the perfect smell, cleansing and invigorating. Paired with cloves as in Russian Tea, it's a whole new experience. This would actually be called a Pomander, but I am not adding all the extra spices or oil for preserving.

My girls have a special bookcase in the craft room for their "works" (the Montessori word for activities). One of the works uses styrofoam balls, ball top pins and flower sequins. As soon as they were "old" enough, they were allowed to take the balls, 'thread' a few flower sequins on the pin, and poke the pin into the ball. Once the ball was totally covered with sequins, it becomes a beautiful ornament or decoration.

Making a pomander would be the step before using pins. It can help develop a child's fine motor skills and dexterity. I imagine allowing my girls to do this project once again the day before Thanksgiving, so we might have some beautiful table decorations.

Supplies Needed:
Oranges and Whole Cloves. Tooth picks will help break open the skin of the orange so the cloves don't break.

Directions:
After laying down a work space, give your child a toothpick with one end blunt to avoid injuries. Poke a small hole in the orange and insert whole clove. Be gentle with the flower of the clove, it will break easily under pressure. Continue the process to have as many cloves in the orange as you'd like. Really the only thing to decide, is pattern or no pattern! To use as table decorations, add a ribbon to the top and use a pin to hold the ribbon in place. To use for seating arrangements, make name cards, glue to a toothpick and insert toothpick into the top of the orange.

This won't be just for kids - it's too much fun and it smells amazing! I'm not sure how long these will last. Beware of fruit flies for those of you in warmer climates still. (I heard Apple Cider Vinegar in a small dish helps rid of those pesky things).

As your child becomes more comfortable with this activity, allow them to try making sequin covered styrofoam balls. Have fun! And have a great weekend! See you on Busy Monday. k