I’ve been obsessed with sugared fruit in holiday decor for years, and now I’m showing you how to make your own!
Every year at Christmas, I buy home decor magazines to see all of the gorgeous homes decorated for the holidays.
There is so much inspiration in those pages!
It seems like every year I see at least one home that is using sugared fruit in their holiday decor, and I’m always drawn to the look.
This year I decided that I would try and make my own faux sugared fruit for the holidays.
I ordered faux lemons and pears because I wanted to stay with a certain color scheme, but you could use any faux fruit that you like.
You’re only limited by your imagination!
For the “sugar”, I used Epsom Salts in a medium grain.
It gives me the look I want without using something shiny like glitter, and the result is very much like sugar coated fruit!
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Here’s what you’ll need to make your own faux sugared fruit:
- Faux Fruit (I chose lemons and pears)
- Mod Podge
- Epsom Salt (Medium Grain)
- Brush
- Clear Coat Spray
This is such an easy project and takes very little time to complete!
My fruit is made of hard foam, so I was able to use snippets of an old wire coat hanger and toothpicks stuck into the bottom of the fruit to hold onto while I worked with each piece. With a small brush, I coated the entire piece with a thick coating of Mod Podge.
I poured a substantial amount of Epsom Salt (I used medium grain) into a baking dish and holding the fruit over the top, and using a spoon, I scooped up the Epsom Salt and poured it over the fruit, making sure to coat it completely.
After I gently shook off any excess, I removed the wire and placed them on a tray to dry.
You could also use the wire to stick them upright into a piece of foam, however, they won’t stick to a glass tray if you use one. Let them dry completely overnight, and then give them a coat of the clear coat spray to seal them.
And, that’s it! You now have sugared fruit!
These sugared fruits are great in a bowl on your table as well as on a swag or wreath.
My faux sugared pears and lemons are so pretty piled on top of eucalyptus inside an old urn.
I also added them to the garland over our fireplace.
You can see the rest of this room decorated for Christmas HERE.
You can find faux sugared fruit in many stores but they can get very pricey, so why not make your own to get exactly what you want?
Sugared fruit is gorgeous added to your Christmas decor, but it would also be fabulous to make some for Valentine’s Day (Strawberries), Easter (peaches, plums and grapes), and Thanksgiving (different colored pears and apples)!
I see faux fruit all the time at thrift stores, estates sales, and flea markets.
I usually pass them by, but now I’ll give them a second look, and maybe stash away a few to “sugar” for upcoming holidays!
I didn’t sugar enough pears and lemons to go on our tree, but now I wish I had. Decorating a Christmas tree with sugared pears and lemons would be so pretty! I may have to buy more and create a fruit tree!
To see our living room decorated for Christmas using this faux sugared fruit, click HERE!
I hope you enjoyed this easy DIY project!
Cheers, Cindy
Beautiful!!!!
What kind of sealant do you use on these please?
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
Stephanie, we used Krylon Clear Acrylic Spray!
Hey there, I know salt collects moisture from the air… any effects from that? Should they be sprayed with sealer?
Hi Claire! Yes, spraying with a clear sealer would be an option, however I didn’t spray mine. I store them in a plastic storage bin and this will be the 3rd Christmas that I’ve used them. So far, they look as great as they did the first year.
So attractive! Does the salt stay put, or start to fall off over time? Thanks.
Some of it will naturally fall off over time. I’ve reused them for a couple of Christmas’ and they still look fabulous!
I love this!
Can you enlighten me on storage of these gems? Did humidity affect the Epsom salt?
I’ve stored them in a plastic bin in a dry cool interior closet and they have been just fine.
Hey Cindy!!!! This is just beautiful❣️❣️❣️ I hope that you are doing well. Was so nice to see some of your Christmas decor……… it’s always so lovely! Take care, sweet friend❤️
Merry Christmas, Adele!
I love this post. Thank you for a great method and no ants! Merry Christmas and your urns and decor look wonderful.
Thank you so much, Linda! Merry Christmas!
Beautiful! Another benefit of the clever way you’ve done it, is that the one year I made real sugared fruit, the Southern humidity and BUGS ruined it all. This is a good way to trick the sticky critters!
Very true, Leslie Anne!
Loved the sugared fruit! I’m going to make some! Thanks
Wonderful, Carolyn!
They look so real!!! Great idea and wonderfully executed! Looking forward to your Christmas home reveal. 🙂
Cindy, I love sugared fruit as well, in fact my stairway garland is full of it but I never thought to MAKE some!!! I will definitely try this! Wishing you as merry a Christmas as you can have
Thank you, Pinky! They are very easy to make!
Loved this idea! I can’t wait to see your home decorated.
Thank you, Linda!
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing. I have lots of sugared fruit and small fruit candle wreaths that I bought after Christmas several years ago at an antique emporium. I also have a fruit garland. They are among my most favorite Christmas decorations. I think of it as my colonial/Williamsburg look.
Thank you , I will do it, it is simple and beautiful, wish you aN Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, Chantal!
I have some small glass fruit ornaments that look sugared. They are at least 25 years old. I usually display them on greenery in a silver bowl. This year I left them in the box…wishing I had gotten them out! Your home is beautiful!
Thank you, Mary!
I was gifted a whole bag of different faux fruit because they didn’t know what to do with it. Hmm….I think I do 😉 Thank you for such an easy peasy DIY. Cindy
Thank you, Cindy!
Great ideas come from Cindy! You always have great results too. Your new home looks as merry as ever! Christmas Blessings to you and your family.
Merry Christmas, Pam!!
Great idea!!! Love the results!!! Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Thank you so much for commenting, Vicki!!
I love your sugared fruit! Can’t wait to see your new kitchen and bedroom decorated for the holidays!