Peppermint Candy Potpourri

Peppermint Candy Potpourri

Pretty and Pink, Romantic, Shabby Chic, and a Country Charmer all in one!

Ingredients:

4 cups dried whole peppermint leaves

3 cups dried pink rosebuds and petals

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers

red and white peony petals, dried--optional

1 Tablespoon cloves

1 Tablespoon cinnamon chips

2 Tablespoons orris root

20 drops rose essential oil 

10 drops peppermint essential oil

5 drops sweet orange essential oil

1 Tablespoon gum benzoin

Instructions:

1.  Add the oils to the ingredients listed above and stir thoroughly.

2.  Then add the gum benzoin and re-stir.  This prevents the oils from making a gummed up mess of the benzoin powder.

3.  Store in an airtight container for about four weeks.

4.  Shake occasionally to blend aromas.

Dried whole peonies are so lovely to me!  I think they look like antique fabric or paper pompoms.  When I lived in Iowa and could actually grow these beautiful flowers, I used to always hang them to dry and they were always my favorite just because of their wonderful dried form.  They were also so much fun to crush when I needed a lot of extra petals to bulk up a potpourri.  One good squeeze and their exterior petals would open up and release hundreds of papery petals from inside that would shower down into the bowl of whatever I was making.  Ah, memories . . .

This potpourri is a definite must for Valentine's Day decor as it is so pink and so fragrant!  Make a batch and place a bowl of it in your bedroom with one or two whole peonies on top.  You will love the fragrance and the cozy romantic look of it.  It is a perfect touch to a country or shabby chic room, maybe even a little French!  

Whatever your style, this heady blend will be a love affair for your senses!

Sources:

Shaudys, Phyllis. The Pleasure of Herbs. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1986. Print.

or

Shaudys, Phyllis V. Herbal Treasures. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1990. Print.

Photo Credits:  

Dried Mint Leaves:  Photo Credit:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/search?tag=npofitness-20&ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=searchbar&adId=searchbar&linkCode=w42&keywords=Dried+Mint+Leaves

Dried Pink Rosebuds and Petals:  Photo Credit:  http://weddbook.com/media/2514281/pink-rose-buds-and-petals-in-bulk-rose-petal-tea-wedding-decorations-roses-dried-roses-by-the-pound

Dried Hibiscus Flowers:  Photo Credit:  https://www.ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/bulk-dried-fruits/hibiscus-flower/dried-hibiscus-flower

Dried Peony Petals:  Photo Credit:  https://www.etsy.com/market/dried_peonies

Cloves:  Photo Credit:  http://balconygardenweb.com/how-to-grow-cloves-cultivation-and-growing-cloves/

Cinnamon Chips:  Photo Credit:  http://www.iherb.com/frontier-natural-products-organic-cut-cinnamon-chips-1-4-1-2-16-oz-453-g/31193

Orris Root:  Photo Credit:  http://www.herbco.com/p-1344-orris-root-peeled-cs.aspx

Gum Benzoin Powder:  Photo Credit:  https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Moonlight-Herbs-Benzoin-Powder/dp/B005CDIQ6K

Dried Peonies Whole:  Photo Credit:  http://5thandstate.blogspot.com/2014/05/peonies-in-july-or-forever.html