DIY: Make Rose Petal Rosary Beads

There's something special about rose petal rosary beads. Some antiques still have the faint scent of roses, while others, covered with lacquer for preservation have no odor, but can be sprayed with scent. This is a traditional method for making the beads.

You will need:

• Cast iron skillet or pot

• Rose petals with the white part removed

• Knife to chop the petals

• Toothpicks or large needle to pierce beads

• Piece of Styrofoam to set beads up for drying

• Glass, plastic or metal box to store beads in

• Lacquer to coat beads, if desired

Rose petals are best collected in the morning for maximum moisture and scent. Chop fine after removing the white part of each petal.

Place chopped petals in cast iron skillet or pot until about half full when pressed down a little. It needs to be cast iron because the metal is going to react with the petals.

Add enough water to cover and simmer until petals break down into pulp. This may take several hours or even days. Add enough water to keep mixture from drying out. The petals are going to turn black. The oxidation with the iron is part of the preservation process. The whole house is going to smell heavenly while this is going on.

When the mass has turned to pulp, continue to simmer until the mass is sticky to your fingers and holds together when pressed.

Gather enough pulp to roll into ball about the size of a small marble. When dried, this is going to be considerably smaller. Make 59 beads for a rosary.

Pierce each bead through the middle with the needle or toothpick, and then insert the toothpick upright with the bead at the top in the Styrofoam. This will keep the beads round while they dry.

Keep the drying beads in a warm dark place to dry that has air circulation. Drying can take a few days to a few weeks.

Once the beads are dry, cover with lacquer to preserve them or remove them from the toothpicks. If they are not going to be needed immediately, store them in the box to preserve their fragrance.

* Beads can be made in all sizes and shapes. Experiment and have fun.