I have been enjoying my post-employment life for two months now. I have been chipping away at many projects & building infrastructure to fulfill dreams. One project has been re-organizing my various Trashmagination collections. I collect many things because in my mind’s eye, I can totally see what they could become. But I also realize that if I have too many collections, it becomes a weight, a clutter not only in my home but in my mind. So I’m trying to let go of certain things.
I decided to compost my dried rose petals because it’s easy to get more if I decide to make projects with them.
So why was I keeping dried rose petals?
Making Rose Petal Beads
A few years ago, I crushed dried rose petals until they were like flour and then mixed it into a dough. I then rolled it into little beads and pushed a long toothpick through.
Did you know that in the past, some rosaries were made from crushed flower petals? I love the imagery of that, even though I am not Catholic and don’t use a rosary.
When I just went to get the beads for this photo, I opened the container and an intense lovely perfume came – still after at least five years or more. Unfortunately, I think they look a bit like rabbit poops:
![Beads from Dried Rose Petals](https://trashmagination.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_2211-1024x768.jpg)
So I may do this project again, but I’m not sure if there is a way to make the bead more beautiful. Perhaps painting them? This collection has a thin layer of varnish on them to make them shiny and smooth, and still you can smell the perfume, so paint would be fine too.
![Beads made from dried rose petals](https://trashmagination.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_2210-1024x768.jpg)
On Pinterest, people talk about making your wedding bouquet last forever by making them into beads. Also on Pinterest, I see they intersperse the brown-ish flower beads with colorful wood or glass beads to make it look nicer. Some people make beads from funeral flowers too – that makes me feel too sad.
Into the Compost!
So with a sigh, I dropped my petals into the compost bin. It is the nicest this bin has ever smelled!
![Rose petals in my composter](https://trashmagination.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_2173-1024x768.jpg)
Later I saw this little chipmunk on my rain barrel. Yep, those beads look a bit like chipmunk poops too.
![Chipmunk on my rain barrel](https://trashmagination.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_2020-1024x768.jpg)
Let the clutter become real projects! Let the collections be pared down! To productive Trashmagination happiness!
With focus, comes progress.