Cloved Apple Ornaments

Living in apple country means that we always have a few dozen apples laying around this time of year. They come in handy for all sorts of holiday decorations. At our house anything goes, from a simple bowl of apples on the counter to these cute cloved ornaments. I especially love cloved fruit because they bring a special old time elegance to the holiday decorations.

What you will need:
 ~ small apples
 ~ whole cloves
 ~ ribbon
 ~ hot glue
 ~ scissors
 ~ paper towel
 ~ ornament hook

You will be surprised how many cloves you will use if you fill your apple like I did. Just be gentile as you put in the cloves. The little flower end likes to break off. Also, you will want to work over a towel to catch all the dripping apple juice.

Instructions:
 ~ Start with a small, clean, crisp apple and insert cloves covering the entire apple. I inserted mine in a spiral pattern around the apple, starting from the top, but you can do it however you like. This step takes the longest.
 ~  Lay out a piece of ribbon long enough to go around the apple and place your apple upside down on it. Glue the ends together so that the seam is on the bottom of the apple.
 ~ Lay out more ribbon, making sure they cross the apple in different places and glue them all securely at the bottom of the apple. Make sure to cut the ribbon ends so they don't stick out and clean up glue strings as you go.
 ~ Turn your apple over and add the ornament hook. I simply ran the hook under the ribbon diagonally.
 ~ If you have wide ribbon, cut leaves and glue them at the top of your apple.
 ~ Make a ribbon bow by wrapping ribbon around your fingers a few times and then, using another piece of ribbon, tie a knot in the middle. Glue this on top. When the glue is dried, separate the pieces of the bow.

All done! Where are you going to put your ornament?

On your tree or perhaps in a centerpiece?