An Apple Christmas Book and Project

After reading today's book, Apple Tree Christmas, I was determined to make a clove apple pomander for my table like the one made by the mother in the story.

Do you recall that a clove apple also played a bit role in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods during Christmas time?

“Aunt Eliza had brought Ma a large red apple stuck full of cloves. How good it smelled! And it would not spoil, for so many cloves would keep it sound and sweet.” 

– Little House in the Big Woods

Funny, because Trinka Hakes Noble's Apple Tree Christmas seemed like it could be a chapter out of one of the Little House books.

Apple Tree Christmas is sweet story about a girl named Katrina and her family's beloved apple tree.  The tree provides apples for Mama's pies and apple butter, and it's twisting vines give Katrina's sister, Josie a place to swing.  But most importantly for Katrina, it has a perfect branch on which she can sit upon as she sketches.

Just before Christmas, there is a bitter ice storm that the tree cannot withstand.  Devastated, Katrina doesn't know how she'll be able to continue her drawing with her cherished branch.  And even though the tree has supplied them with much needed firewood and apples they had picked for the tree and Mama's special clove apple, it just doesn't feel like Christmas!

You'll have to read the book to find out how her Papa saves the day...I absolutely loved the ending.  On to the PROJECT:

Making a clove apple is simple!  Easy enough for a child - get them set up at your kitchen table, turn on some Christmas music, and you might even finish addressing your Christmas cards!

Make sure you cover your work area with wax paper, to catch the juice...

Use a bamboo skewer, knitting needle, or the prongs of a fork (my choice, because it was fast) to create holes in the apple. Then push the whole cloves in one at a time, until the apple is covered.  You can make a clove design, or just cover the whole apple.  Tie or glue gun a ribbon around the stem and - voila - you've got a ornament or cute little pomander for your table.  The scent is heavenly!

Please try this fun little craf! I found it therapeutic in the midst of the holiday busy-ness, to just sit quietly and press the cloves into that juicy apple while listening to Christmas music. So easy, and such a pretty little addition to my kitchen table.

My Jane Austen December Giveaway ends tomorrow! Go here for details to enter for a chance to win one of my two giveaway books!