a hart felt advent 2013 (week one and a little before)

how to make dried orangeaments

i am smitten with the stained glass effect of our dried orange slice ornaments (aka orangements).  this is the first year i have attempted this project and the results did not disappoint.  i am continually drawn to natural christmas decorations and love finding new ways to bring handmade beauty into our home.

slice your oranges thinly and arrange on a baking sheet.  bake a few hours in a low temp oven (150-200 degrees), turning occasionally.  our first batch burned when left in too long.  it is a learning experience, right?

on a side note, i took the unbaked round ends of each orange and have been simmering them with cinnamon sticks and cloves.  this casita smells delicious!

it is pretty simple to add the string.  after cutting 5-6 inches of thread, i poked it through the dried fruit, under the hardened peel, and then back a few millimeters over.  a couple of knots later and voila!

i would like to make some with twine and perhaps some ornate ribbons too.  but this year i am keeping things visually calm to counterbalance the craziness of these past 6 months.

the subtle orange aroma + the gorgeous orange among the greens = a happy orange-loving me
i have yet to finish hanging them all over the tree - stay tuned for that photo update soon.

but i also like the idea of stringing some together for a mini orangeament garland.  they look particularly pretty hung in a window with that winter light streaming through.

tell me, what natural winter decor do you like to incorporate at home?  
this last week, i have also been working on assembling simple green wreaths from tree cuttings and cranberry-popcorn garlands.  last year we made cinnamon-applesauce dough ornaments (which i can't find since the move!).  any new ideas for the harts to try?  or anything you want me to share with y'all?

how to eat breakfast on a snow day

yes, we had a snow day today in chambana.  even though it would be more accurately called an ice day.  both west and north of here had a true snowpocalypse, but we did get maybe 6 inches.  and that is on top of a sheet of ice several inches thick.  pretty dang slick out there.  the university even cancelled classes (only the third time in history).  jesse and his 4 wheel drive jeep actually made the one mile commute to work for a half day.  but not until we had gobbled up a yummy snowman breakfast.  blueberry pancakes garnished with chocolate chips, carrots, sausage and marshmallows.  inspired by these.  and for the hecklers out there (namely my family) - the carrots were the first bits to get eaten!

tomorrow we will be making this.  the snow is already waiting in the freezer.

how about you?  are you snowed in?  or did you avoid this latest storm?

and are you enjoying the gifts from the heart series?  so much goodness still to come!