Title: Rose Petal Beads/ros-Ary
Categories: Gift Info
Yield: 1 Info

Make rose petal beads for the rose-ary from the most fragrant roses you can find. Often, city parks and botanical gardens with rose gardens wil allow you to go with wrokers wh are dead-heading and let you collect what they take off of the bushes. Gather petals early in the morning if possible, before the sun gets hot but after the dew has dried. Use scissors to trim off the tough white part of the petal at the base.

: Materials: Grocery sack full of fresh , fragrant rose petals, with tough white base parts cut off. Food processor, meat grinder or large mortar & pestle Large black cast iroon skillet Fork Essential Oil of Rose Stainless steel T-pins or hat pins Block of polystyrene Jewelry bead thread, button thread, clear fishing filament or silk cord

: Process:

1. Using the food processor, meat grinder or apothecary, grind the rose petals a finely as possible. The finer the texture of the pulp, the smoother adn mroe refined the beads will look

2. Place the pulp in a black cast-iron skillet and with the fork, p the pulp against the bottom and sides of the pan so that as much o fthe pulp as possibel comes into cotact witht he iron skillet surface. Let sit for 3-4 hours, then stir the mixturre thoroughly. Re-place agianst the sides and bottom o fth skillet. Let sit overnight.

3. Repeat stirring and spreading out daily for two weeks. This is th aging and curign process. OCntinue until al the pulp is a consistent dul black color. To keep pulp moist, add a little Rose Oil and keep covered with plastic wrap.

4. Add 5-6 drops of Essential Oil of Rose to the sured pulp and mix thoroughly.

5. Form the beads slightly larger thatn the size you want becasue they shrink. Roll the beads between your fingers or in the palm of your hands until smooth. To keep the pulp moist and workable, add a littel rose oil to your hands as you work.

6. PIerce the beads throught he center to make a hole for stringing by placing each bead oin a large pin and sticking it into the polystyrene. Alternatively, string them on dental floss using a threaded needle. Be sure to space them with knots so they don't touch. Hang the string hroizontally to dry. Drying time is 4 days to 2 weeks, depending on humidity and temperature fo your drying area.

7. Once the beads are dry, string them into a Rose-ary and use a Star Anise to finish.

8. If the beads lose scent after a while (a long while ususlly) just polish then with a soft cloth and some more Rose Oil. This recipe is extracted from The Rose Book by Maggie Oster, Rodale Press, pages 264-265.

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