How To Make Simplistic Free Beautiful Beads From Roses
Making necklaces from rose petals is an old-fashioned craft. Rose bead necklaces can be beautiful, and their fragrance is especially lovely when you begin with strongly scented roses.
Begin gathering rose petals early in the morning, as soon as the dew has dried. Whenever possible, choose roses that have just opened. In order to get enough petals you may need to do this daily for several weeks. Just keep adding the new petals to the older ones and eventually you will have enough rose beads to make a necklace.
After gathering the petals and making sure they are dry, chop them as finely as possible. A nut chopper works well for this task. If you do not have a nut chopper, use a food processor or knife.
Once the petals have been chopped, put them in a cast iron skillet or an old black skillet. You want the rose petals to take on the dark color of the skillet. Cast iron is best if you have it.
Cover the pan and set it in a cool, dark place. You will repeat this process every day for seven days.
Check the pulp every day to make sure it is not getting too dry. If it is, sprinkle a little water on it. You want to keep it slightly damp.
On the seventh day, cut the top off a thimble. Fill the inside of the thimble with some of the pulp. When the thimble is completely filled with pulp and the ends leveled off, push the pulp out.
Roll the pulp into a ball and set it aside. Repeat the process until all of the pulp has been made into beads.
Roll the balls each day for three days.
At the end of the three days, stick a straight pin with a large head into the center of the bead. In the old days, hat pins were used.
At this time you may draw pictures or lines on the beads to make them more ornate. You can also embellish the beads with decorations.
Set the beads aside to dry. Be sure to rotate the beads so they dry evenly on all sides. It is also a good idea to remove the pin from time to time to make sure the bead does not stick to the pin.
Once the beads are completely dry, you can string them. Add glass or metal beads between the rose beads if you like. Add a clasp and your rose bead necklace will be ready to wear.
