Orange Pomander

A pomander is a mixture of wonderful-smelling things, usually packaged in a ball. Hung in a clothes closet or tucked into a drawer, it can transform musty places into fragrant spaces. The lucky recipient of this orange pomander can walk around for the rest of the year smelling like a spice cake.

In order to have this gift ready for the holidays, make it during Thanksgiving vacation. (The finished product has to dry out for 3-4 weeks.)

Materials:

• 1 orange
• a couple of boxes of dried cloves; a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice (about 1/4 cup in total)
• 2 sheets of tissue paper
• a plastic food-storage bag

Before you launch into the project...

• Cover your work surface with newspaper and secure it with masking tape. At clean-up time, you can scrunch up the mess and toss it in the trash.
• Protect your clothes with an oversized T-shirt or apron.

Directions:

1. Stick cloves into orange, pushing down so they're well anchored. Make a decorative pattern or stud the entire surface.
2. Put the mixture of spices in the plastic bag and gently shake the clove-studded orange. Make sure the spices get into each nook and cranny.
3. Wrap the orange in tissue paper and put in warm, dry place for 3-4 weeks. When it's totally dried out, it's ready to do its thing.

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