Rose Beads

Grind the petals to a paste. you can use a mortar and pestle, but I recommend a food grinder. You will end up with a mass that resembles modeling clay. Your kitchen will smell great!

Put the ground petals in a cast-iron skillet or pot (be sure it is rust free) and regrind the petals each day for two weeks.

Your paste will become thicker each day until it can be formed into smooth, hard beads. To make your beads, roll little lumps (smaller than marbles) between your hands in a circle motion until smooth and rounded.
Put a LARGE pin through the center of each bead and stick the pin into a soft board. I use the back of a cardboard box. Make as many as you want and remember each dried bead will be about half the size of a freshly made one. To make a full adult size necklace takes 60 beads, but you can also put 4 or 5 to hang at your throat.

Let the beads dry for about 2 weeks. If you live in a humid area it might take longer. Remove the pins and string the beads on button thread. You will want to use a dark colored thread as the finished beads will be mahogany color. When you are done stringing the beads use a soft cloth, like flannel and polish the entire string of beads. This will highlight them and is easier than doing individual beads.

As you wear the beads they will darken and continue to polish. You can tie your thread and slip the strand over your head. The scent will last many years. Strung on smaller pieces of threads makes them very useful embellishments. You can also use them without stringing them.

A special thank you to: Virginia Bailey for this tutorial

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