Ring Around the Rosie!

Here is this year's efforts at pulling material culture out of nature and making things that are connected to the land and that can work with your home decor to add a sense of connectedness as well as a lovely look and perfume.

A wrapped crystal allows this to generate energy on multiple levels.

As the art dries, divinely feminine tendrils begin to appear.

Adding a little shell with a touch of gold connects these rosebuds to the oceanside they were collected from...

A failed attempt at a five pointed star makes a small talisman anyways that still smells great.

Picking the buds and making sure there aren't any wormies in them, they will stay in this shape for several days till you can get around to using them to make your project.

Elder switches make a great form for backing your rosebud project, in this case, it became a heart.

Don't worry if the blossoms fall off because what remains is just as dazzling in its own way and adds to the sense of dimension of your rosebud art piece.

Play with the directions you lay your buds in...

Leave enough tying medium, string or whatever you're using, so that you can wrap it onto the item right after you thread the strand. The less you initially touch the buds while mounting them, the more chance you have of making a tough object that will not disintegrate as it hangs. Once your garland has had a chance to dry, those petals won't fall off, but being squeezed at the fresh stage will trigger them to drop the petals in the bud, so be gentle!

They sell well at yard sales, farmer's markets, boot sales, craft sales. They are what I like to call, the Canadian Lei, Aye?

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The hangings can be dreamcatcherish if you would like.

Pick the buds in a sustainable way so that you are pruning the branch ends and always leave at least one bud on each branch tip so that the plant's energy can go into producing that flower for our pollinators. Pruning buds judiciously ensures the rose bushes keep producing buds and its a win win all around.

I found a long needle that I use for most of my rosebud projects.

Tutorial's coming in the next year... How can you translate the gentle art of rosebud crafting to work in your community?

Please check me out on Facebook by clicking on www.facebook.com/sistahoodz and www.facebook.com/somethingoutofnothing123 for more wonderfulness in the vein of upcycling and creating beauty. Form meets function! Ex Nihilio!

From the bright mind of the Sourceress herself, Chris B (for Budeweit) Critter... Feel free to pin us to your pinterest interests!