Look What I Made: Potpourri

So recently, I came into an abundance of wonderfully smelling flowers in vases that were starting to enter into the decay stage.  Rather than let them go to waste or try to hang them upside down to dry them out (my cats would have had a field day with that!), I decided to use my dehydrator and make some potpourri.  It was a pretty easy process and makes for a wonderful olfactory delight in the apartment.

So here's how I did it:
Flowers:  Step 1:  Bring the flowers together and find a container to put the pedals in.
Step 1:  Bring the flowers together and find a container to put the pedals in.

Flower pedals: Step 2:  Remove pedals from stems and place in bowl. Do your best to mix them up with all the other pedals.
Step 2:  Remove pedals from stems and place in bowl. Do your best to mix them up with all the other pedals.

Pedals in the dehydrator.  Step 3:  Spread out the pedals on the dehydrator trays. Fill the tray so that there's ample overlap.
Step 3:  Spread out the pedals on the dehydrator trays. Fill the tray so that there's ample overlap.

Dehydrated pedals. Step 4:  Run the dehydrator (temperature and times may vary, but continue until pedals are crunchy).
Step 4:  Run the dehydrator (temperature and times may vary, but continue until pedals are crunchy).

Bagged dehydrated pedals. Step 5:  Place the mix in an air-tight contain--preferably one in which you can press out any extra air.
Step 5:  Place the mix in an air-tight contain--preferably one in which you can press out any extra air.

Aroma lamp.  Step 6:  Find an aroma lamp that works well for you. (It can be run by tea lights or light bulbs)
Step 6:  Find an aroma lamp that works well for you. (It can be run by tea lights or light bulbs)

Aroma lamp with pedals. Step 7:  Place dried flowers in the cap. Add a non-scented oil (or even water) and enjoy the delightful smells.
Step 7:  Place dried flowers in the cap. Add a non-scented oil (or even water) and enjoy the delightful smells.

Pretty simple, quick to do, cheap, and a great way to upcycle flowers and keep their usage going long after they've hit their peak.  Enjoy and let me know if you've tried it!


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By Any Other Nerd Blog by Lance Eaton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

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