Homemade Rosary

So, I've found a new hobby of mine:  making homemade rose petal rosaries.  Ok, so it's not a full blown hobby- I don't make them ALL the time- but I do enjoy making them.  Here's how to do it:

Gather your rosebuds, and pull the petals off.

Fresh...

or dried... either work fine.

Put them in a large non-stick pot.  Pour water over them.

Just enough water to touch your fingers when you press the flowers down.  (The petals will float...)

Boil the 1st day for 30 minutes.  Watch carefully- they shouldn't scorch, but don't let them boil the whole 30 minutes without stirring every now and again.  At the end of the first day, while they are still hot, pour the entire contents of the pot into a blender.  Turn on and walk away- I let mine blend for about 3 minutes straight- they need to be pureed really good!!!  I think that all red roses would turn out beautiful- dark deep red/purple rose clay.  These were orange/yellow, so it turned a brownish.

Simmer for the following 4 days on low for 30 minutes each day.  Again, they shouldn't scorch, but don't let them sit the whole 30 minutes without stirring occasionally.

Now, the rest of the process I don't have in pictures- I'm mad that I don't, and I apologize!  But here's how you do the rest.

At the end of the 5th day, put contents of the pot (cooled) into a Ziploc bag.  Cut the tip of the Ziploc and pipe the rose petal "clay" into little piles.  

(Remember: the beads will shrink to about 1/2 their original size...)

Let them sit overnight to dry just a tad.  Then, roll them into beads with your hands and set them on 

"T-pins" to dry.  This will keep a hole open for the string to go through when you are ready to string them.  You will have to spin the beads each day for about a week to make sure they don't stick.

After thoroughly dried, take them off the t-pins and string them in to a rosary!  I used decorative beads as the Our Father beads.

I'd say about 9 roses would make a rosary.

You could also just use the beads you make to create a necklace or bracelet.

The research I did says that they are water soluble though, so do not get them wet! :)

What a great way to remember a loved one by making a rosary or piece of jewelry out of their funeral flowers.  Or to celebrate a special day by making something out of wedding flowers or birthday flowers!