ROSE PETAL BEADS

These beads will keep their fragrance for several years and are stronger than you would imagine.  In time with use and wear they will turn a polished red Sienna color.  My mother-in-law had a set of beads like this before she passed that one of my sister- in-laws wanted.  I thought it was an intriguing idea beads for every day use made out of roses never heard of it before except for rosaries.  My middle daughter wanted to make some so here we go with the experiment.  If you try it, it would be nice as a mother's day gift or a way to use up those dead valentine roses or any other rose you are given.  This way you get to keep the gift of the flowers for years to come.
 
supplies

• water
• 1 enamel pan with lid
• 1 lb rose petals red
• silk thread
• closer for strand of beads if it is not  long enough to go over the head
• needle for piercing hole or wire can be used
• beading needle for stringing
• newspaper for drying purposes
• cookie sheet to rest beads on while drying

To make rose petal paste

1. The heat of your body causes the beads to give off the sent  of the rose petals from which they are made.
2. In enamel pan place1 lb of rose petals ( usually red is used for this) with just enough water to cover petals.
3. Simmer for one hour but do not boil.Cover  pan and let mixture stand over night.
1. Repeat this step three more times. ( 4 days total)
4. By the fourth day ,the petals and water should have become a smooth paste consistency.

To  form beads:

1. Take a small amount of paste and roll it between your palms, try and form balls that are about 1/4 inch in diameter
2. Pierce each ball with a needle or wire to form bead for stringing.
1. let the beads dry on newspaper in a warm area like above fridge somewhere warm but dry. 
3.     Thread the beads onto silk thread for your necklace.

Mom and mother Nature

Is it spring or winter I don't think Mother Nature knows for sure in Utah.  It happens almost every year here.  She just gets so confused as to what season it is so why not have two at once.  I am just not so sure the flowers are appreciating it.  But I love the fact that the first flowers to bloom this year are the last flowers my mother in law was given by us.  She loved pansies my first post of this blog was dedicated to her and pansies.  So she is just reminding all of us that she is still here in spirit no matter what the trials the  beauty of love concurs all and we can be just as clean as fresh new snow.  Such lovely images to be setting next to one another.

13-14 days old

  They are still growing and strong.  7-8 more days and they will be totally weened.    Not sure of their age they are either born on the night of the 5th or the early morning of the 6th.
It is getting much easier to feed them as some can drink from the water bottle which is full of 50/50 water and unflavored pedialite.  They are also still being feed 50/50 water and evaporated milk.  We are calling them all "little chubbers" ( this is said in an endearing way ) as they are all so round now.  When they sit it looks like a little fuzzy round ball not an animal they are so round.  Which is pretty cute I have to say.  Some have asked what we are feeding them so that is why I am posting this.  As I have already mentioned  some above, but they also are eating small seeds and grains ( from normal hamster food we have removed all the large items) that we have added some rolled oats to and wheat germ, and wheat bran, and powdered milk and cooked egg yokes mashed with powdered milk on them.  Every now and again a frozen split pea to give added moister and it is just fun to watch them try and hoard the frozen item from each other as they all want them and of course do not want to share.

The fun of being mom

You know when you tell a child they can have  pet you always know in the back of your mind it somehow is your pet too even if you didn't want it.  The children all made promises to take care of their hamsters and they have done a great job.  The mother hamster died and we truly do not know why something to do with the birth is all we can figure.  The babies are so small it is too great a responsibility for my girls to take care of and be at school all day , also because they are scared they will hurt them.  So the job has fallen to me I remember vaguely doing this as a kid with my cousins hamsters and I hand-fed many a baby bird growing up (my mother use to raise birds to sell so it happened often I would have to feed some from the incubators).  But you know I just had not planned on this and the lack of sleep.  At the same time they are cute and have done nothing wrong.  Yesterday we figured that they truly had not had a good meal in a few days from mom as they were so so weak, sleepy, skinny and starving.  This morning after around the clock feedings they are active running and eat not near as much at one setting as they did yesterday, I would guess their little tummies are staying full.

My girls made a little pink coffin for the hamster and buried her in the yard yesterday and carved (scratched) into a little stone the name Midnight and said good bye to their hamster.  Children are so sweet and tender hearted  I feel bad that they have to go through this but at the same time it is part of the life cycle birth and death.  They learn so much in a matter of hours having pets.  I know most of my readers of this blog probably wonder why I am talking about the kids pets well.  This has been such a growing experience for them to learn where babies come from in detail trust me they understand it all, we have had in depth discussions as to exactly how babies arrive from start to finish, to why parents die when their children still need them and how to help those who can not help themselves.  It touched me and I wanted to share.  Plus hamsters are cute at this age you won't get me to say that when they are grown and cranky but for now they are cute.  Three of the hamsters love this pumpkin to sleep in their mama did for a little while too so it probably smells like her.  Every thing else in the cage is new and clean so they will not get sick.  But she wasn't in the pumpkin when she was sick so figured it was ok.

Spring Break

I have been busy with my family with spring break the last little bit.  Many things have happened from sick kids rupturing ear drums to the kids hamster having baby hamsters oh too many baby hamsters to say the least that poor little mama hamster sleep walks she is so tired from them all.

Update: 9:45 pm
Well she (the mom) was so ill from giving birth she passed away today.  I am now hand feeding 7 pups that are 10 days old.  They have to get to 21 to 24 days old before they are not hand fed any more wish us luck as these belong to the daughter who ruptured her ear and guess whose job it is to take care of them yep mine.  I am now the mama of 7 hamsters.  Wish me luck and sleep as they have to be fed every hour.  This is going to be harder than having a new born baby it is 7 newborns who eat more often.

To me and the girls plus 1 friend going to the Carl block art exhibit at the MOA at BYU.  For those who have seen it wow it is amazing  such detail and such beauty.  For those who have not I am sorry to say it is almost over and I think all the time slots are filled you have missed a wonderful spiritual event.

To the kids and husband seeing The "Real Salt Lake City Soccer Team"in competition.

Saw my book at a major chain craft store (hobby lobby) a first for that for me.

Crazy Hail

Look at this crazy hail.

Battle Creek Falls

I am a leader in my church for the 8 year old girls.  We had a field trip today. Two adults 5 eight year olds and 5 teenagers/pre-teens.  I think fun was had by all here are a few photos of the day.

Afterward we (me and my kids) went to quilt fair but sadly no quilt show this year so I didn't take many pictures in fact only one of a piece of a very old quilt but I liked the pattern a lot and want to make it someday.

Also this was the sign on the gas pump on my way up  the canyon to the waterfall.  I know I have a lot of typing errors and grammar issues on my blog and as such this just made me laugh and I had to get a snap shot of it.  As my family says if mom can find the mistake in the spelling and grammar it must be bad.

My day in a nut shell.

Sapphire China Doll and morning sun

I few days ago I was straightening out my knitting crochet area and decided I was going to finish a few of my winter projects ie... the red sweater and I have a few more. 

I would like these done before summer is over so I can wear them next fall.  This one started back in February after I made a black version.  I probably only have about 1 to two days work to finish it. 

Is anyone else like this that you get so close to done that in 1 or 2 days it could be.  The catch is you have burn out on it, so it just doesn't happen.  Then months later when you find it again  you wonder "why didn't I just finish that in the first place I could have been wearing it". I worked on it for a little bit today will try to get it done some time in the next week if all goes as planned.  Top photo what it looked like this morning where I left off in February. and the second photo is as of tonight where it stands.  The color is more accurate in the top photo the second one the flash is to bright.

Also here is a picture of this mornings sunrise loved it this picture does not do it justice.  It was real dark rain clouds with the sun breaking through so pretty.

Spring flowers

Just some pretty flowers from my yard that I thought I would share.

I actually like this one that looks out of focus in the foreground. I like how clear the back ground is a different depth of field.

My sister's flowers

My sister had some very lovely flowers in her yard over Easter.

The above photo was taken by my husband all the rest in this post are taken by me.

What we had in our yard over Easter was snow.

Amazing what driving 5 to 6 hours south does for the climate.

Found another...

Sorry but I am trying to enjoy my summer flowers as long as I can and in photos I get them indefinitely. While picking lavender the girls found another rose on one of the bushes.

Lavender Sachet

The children wanted something to do this morning so I sent them out to pick lavender. Our little bush doesn't have much left on it at this time of year but there was some. It probably has none now that the girls have had their hands on it. During the summer months I would just pick the flowers and seeds off and drop them in other spots in the yard so we would have more lavender in the future. After all that was left on the plant was picked and florets removed from the stems there wasn't much just enough for about 1/2 bag.

I am not able to lift my sewing machine at the moment to the table so we looked around for a cloth bag we could use. Then I remembered that Anthropologie uses cloth bags to put your receipt in when they mail you items, I had purchased two crinoline slips recently. So I just happen to have a little bag on hand. The nice thing about their little bags are that they have a real light weave so air can go in and out of their bags with ease. But the other nice thing is the weave is a tight enough weave that the little lavender seeds don't fall out either.

So in the process of getting my children something to do I received a nice little sachet. They want to pick more next summer so that they can all have little sachet bags in their clothes drawers. Can I say I just love having little girls. The girls suggested that I embroider on the bag. You know that isn't a bad idea maybe a few sprigs of lavender on the outside of the bag would be real cute.