DIY Rose Beads

Early Romans discovered a paste at the bottom of their cooking vessels when they used roses to flavor dishes for the emperors and early Christians used roses to symbolize their faith. Today, rose beads can add a fragrant addition to your jewelry or gifts for others.The process, once labor intensive involving simmering roses and water for up to three days until a paste like clay was formed can still be done today, but there is also a way to produce lovely beads without the use of fire.

What you will need:

(1) blender;

(2) one pound of rose petals [it should be noted that other flower petals can be used to produce different fragrances - avoid using leaves as they will become slimy and will not dry properly];

(3) blender;

(4) cheesecloth;

(5) water;

(6) straight pins; and

(7) corkboard or Styrofoam block.

Further additional items that can be used are (a) latex gloves and (b) food coloring.

To make the beads, one must first make the paste:

(1) in blender place flower petals [this may take more than one process];

(2) add water to barely cover the petals;

(3) pulse until a thick paste is formed [if using food coloring add at this point until desire shade is reached;

(4) empty into a strainer that has been lined with cheesecloth. Continue process until all petals have been processed;

(5) wring cheese cloth until almost all of the water has been removed;

(6) open cheese cloth and pull out a lump of the paste ranging from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. Keep in mind that the bead will shrink as it dries. If using food dye, wear latex gloves to keep the dye from staining your hands;

(7) roll into a ball and run a straight pin through the enter of the ball;

(8) stick pin into corkboard or Styrofoam block, making sure that the beads do not touch;

(9) drying time takes from two to three days. Check daily and turn the beads gently to keep them from sticking to the pin;

(10) once beads are dry, string them on thin cording and either fasten ends together for a necklace or knot each end to make a strand.

This project can also be done with children as long as there is an adult there who works the blender. Let the children make scented strands of rose beads for their teachers as gifts or for their rooms. The beads are surprisingly strong despite being made from only flowers and water.