Stitch by Stitch | Blog by Coral & Tusk

Is it even really Christmas without a little crafting? Create your own dried citrus garland with our decor DIY. We created these delightful garlands for our holiday photoshoot and wanted to share how you could make one too! Read on to create your own garland.

Clockwise: Little Women (2019), a snapshot of our Christmas tree, Fanny and Alexander, a final image from our photoshoot.

For our holiday photoshoot we were inspired by the nostalgic Christmas celebrations as seen in Little Women and Fanny and Alexander. We wanted to create a warm, cozy scene that appeared out of storybook. To achieve this we had to add authentic handmade elements, store bought would not do! Handmade citrus garlands were the perfect addition to our holiday collection and the finishing touch to our photoshoot.

DIY Dried Citrus Garland

For this project you will need ORANGES! You can use any type of orange really, but larger kinds do function better. Look for navel, cara cara, and blood oranges (for color variation) at your local grocery store. It’s best if they are ripe, firm, and seedless.

You will also need:

A baking tray line with parchment paper

A need with string or thread.

STEP 1:

Heat oven to 200 degrees.

Slice your citrus into thin even slices about 1/4".

Pat some of the moisture out with paper towels and let them dry out on a the same towel for 30 minutes or so.

STEP 2:

After drying for a half hour, place the orange slices single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and place on the top rack. Try to leave a little space between the oranges, the closer the orange slices are to each other the more likely they will burn.

Bake for 4-6 hours (depending on the size of your orange slices) until completely dry. Flip the slices every 45 min or so to help them stay flat and dry evenly.

If some are drying out faster those can be removed. Keep an eye on them more towards the end, once they get closer to being fully dried out check every 15 to 30 minutes depending on how closely placed the slices are.

STEP 3:

Let them cool completely at room temperature and store in airtight container or ziplock bag. If properly stored they can last up to two years!

STEP 4:

Once the slices are cooled, you can poke holes into the dried orange slices with a sewing needle and thread to string together as garland or to create individual ornaments.

Have fun with it!

Get creative by stringing the slices together with fun yarn or red baker’s twine. If you want a more subtle look, a light color thread or even fishing wire works. We also added star anise to our garland to add a shift in scale and texture, and a wonderful holiday scent.

While you do your Christmas crafting, we have a little playlist for you! We compiled a few winter and Christmas songs that feature at least one animal in the lyrics. Enjoy the HOWLidays with this playlist!

Fall Photoshoot in the Upstate Stone House

When looking for the perfect interior to shoot our fall and particularly Thanksgiving collection, we came across the Upstate Stone House in Catskill, NY. Interior designer Adam J. Clark renovated and restored this 1760's stone house (complete with historical marker!) to an inviting and antique filled escape.

All photos by Will Ellis

The Upstate Stone House was originally built by a French Lieutenant over 260 years ago. Adam stepped up as the steward of this house a couple of years ago, using his interior design background he was able to lovingly restore this historic home in Catskill, NY.

"Texture, warmth, comfort, nostalgia and that perfect amount of lived in and loved feel. This space has taken on many forms and I’m sure it’ll continue to evolve over the years." - Adam

The beautiful dining room includes a long table, perfect for our Autumn Blossoms 91" table runner. The fireplace and exposed beams paired with black chairs and iron chandelier make a gorgeous backdrop for a Thanksgiving meal.

"When designing the layout of the house, I had one thing in mind; hosting. I wanted the space to feel welcoming, warm, cozy and nostalgic. Gatherings of friends and family are my favorite so I wanted the space to reflect that. Big tables for everyone to sit around, comfy sofa’s and intimate corners." - Adam.

We especially loved shooting in the kitchen of the Upstate Stone House. " This was never on the list of things to do when undertaking the restoration of the home. It was a fine working kitchen. Sure enough, once the idea gets in my mind there’s no turning back." says Adam. "The goal was to achieve a cozy tavern feel with just the right amount of elegance and femininity."

In the photo above you can see the gorgeous original wood beams that Adam restored. "It was a challenge to say the least, but what fun is this process without a few here and there! The ultimate goal was to get rid of the lead paint without getting rid of the integrity of the hand hewn remanence of their history. " says Adam

"Reusing reclaimed and salvaged material is so important for me." - Adam

The beautiful vintage pieces he's acquired throughout the house, the distressed wood cabinets, side tables, oxidized mirrors and art create depth and add a warmth unique to his 1700's home.