This is a complex process but the result is *truly* worth it. These are some of the most beautiful and
pleasant beads... very nice look and a sweet, floral scent!
You will need:
2-3 quarts clean rose petals
Large stainless steel pot
Water
Blender or food processor
Jelly bag or cheesecloth
Iron pot or skillet
Rubber gloves
Tray
Newspapers
Paper towels
Rose essential oil
Plastic containers with tight fitting lids
1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon
3/64th inch wide brass wire, cut into 12 inch lengths
Empty small box or styrofoam tray
Glass jars with lids
Fine sandpaper
Unwaxed dental floss
An assortment of other kinds of beads, if desired
MAKING THE MASH: Place the rose petals in the stainless steel pot with water to cover, about one
quart. Bring the contents to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly for 2 to 6 hours,
stirring occassionally. You can cook the petals all day or cook them for a while one day, turn off the
heat, and finish up the next day. The longer you cook the petals, the more the cellulose breaks down
and the easier the job of pureeing the mash.
In the blender or food processor, puree the cooled mash in batches. Add just enough extra water to
each batch to enable the machine to puree it thoroughly at the highest speed.The finer the mash, the
smoother and more uniform the bead. Drain the mash through the jelly bag or cheesecloth to remove
any excess water.
SLOW COOKING: Place the drained, pureed mash into the iron pot or skillet. When the mash is
cooked in iron, a chemical reaction of the acid in the petals with the iron turns it black. (Once the
mash turns black, it badly stains what ever it touched, so wear rubber gloves and old clothes when
working with it.) Because the mash will remove the patina from an iron pot, use an old one. Cook the
mash, covered, over the lowest heat possible, stirring occasionally, for 2 or 3 days, or until it is black
and the consistency of soft cream cheese. You can cook it for a few hours, turn it off, and finish
cooking it later. Keep it covered to prevent a crust from forming. The mash can also be baked,
covered, at 250F for 1 to 2 days.
COOLING, DRAINING: Layer the tray thickly with newspapers and cover with a layer of paper towels.
(The mash will stick to newspaper but not to paper towels.) Turn the mash out to cool on the
prepared tray, and cover it with another layer of paper towels. Let it drain. Change the newspaper
padding when the mash has soaked through; this can take a few hours or overnight and may need to
be done two or three times. Add a few drops of rose essence to the mash - 6 or 7 drops to one cup
mash - and knead it in.
You can make beads now or store the mash. To store, pack the mash into plastic containers with
tight fitting lids and refrigerate for as long as a week or freeze for a few months. The mash can be
thawed and refrozen as necessary.
ROLLING: For each bead, measure out a slightly rounded 1/2 teaspoon of mash: the bead will shrink
to about one-third its original size as it dries. Wearing gloves, knead each piece of mash in the palm
of your hand to make sure it is smooth. With firm, even pressure, roll each bead between your palms
until it is round. If the bead shows any cracks while you are rolling, dip the beads in a little water or
rubbing alcohol and smooth them out, as the cracks will become bigger as the beads dry.
DRYING: Carefully slide the beads onto wires to dry. The wire should pierce the center of each bead.
Use brass wire because it does not rust. Place ten beads on 12-inches of wire, making sure that the
beads do not touch each other. Lay the wires across the empty box or styrofoam tray so that the
beads are suspended and do not touch the bottom of the container.
Keep the beads at room temperature and away from any drafts. If the beads dry too fast, they will
crack; if it is cold or dap, they may mold. During the first week, turn the beads daily, sliding them
back and forth a little on the wire to keep them from sticking. Leave the beads on the wire for another
week or two, or until they are completely dry. Remove the beads from the wires and store them in
tightly covered glass jars, which help retain their perfume until you are ready to string them. After
removing a batch of rose beads, sand the wires with fine sandpaper to smooth them in preparation for
the next batch.
FINISHING: Bead onto double strands of unwaxed dental floss. You can use small gold beads as
spacers, or if you are talented in special bead crafting, you can make more complicated bead
arrangements for rosaries and the sort.
Loose (Non-Combustible) Incense (Scott Cunnigham)
Be sure you have all necessary ingredients. If you lack any, decide on substitutions.
Each ingredient must be finely ground, preferably to a powder, using either a mortar and pestle or an
electric grinder. Some resins won't powder easily, but with practice you'll find the right touch. When I
first worked with herbs I couldn't powder frankincense. It kept on gumming to the sides of the mortar
and to the tip of the pestle. After a while I stopped fighting it (and cursing it, I'll admit -- not a good
thing to do with herbs used in incenses) and got into the flow of the work. The frankincense came out
just fine.
When all is ready, fix your mind on the incense's goal-protection, love, health. In a large wooden or
ceramic bowl, mix the resins and gums together with your hands. Next, mix in all the powdered
leaves, barks, flowers and roots.
Now add any oils or liquids (wine, honey, etc.) that are included in the recipe. Just a few drops are
usually sufficient. On the subject of oils: If there's a sufficient amount of dry ingredients in the recipe,
you can substitute an oil for an herb you lack. Simply ensure that the oil is an essential oil, for
synthetics smell like burning plastic when smoldered.
Once all has been thoroughly mixed, add any powdered gem-stones or other power boosters. A few --
not many -- recipes will call for a pinch of powdered stone. To produce this, simply take a small stone
of the required type and pound it in a metal mortar and pestle (or simply smash it with a hammer
against a hard surface). Grind the resulting pieces into a powder and add no more than the scantest
pinch to the incense.
The incense is now fully compounded. Store in a tightly capped jar. Label carefully, including the
name of the incense and date of composition. It is now ready for use when needed.