Local jewelry artisan Priscilla Moore brings her unique rose petal bead process Kindred Circle Art Gallery in Edmonds from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday Nov. 20 for a live demonstration of this creative technique.
Originally a Victorian craft, beads made from rose petals were most frequently made into rosaries. Some believe that the word “rosary” derives from the fact that so many were made out of rose petal beads. The scent of rose has traditionally been associated with the presence of the divine, with references found in the Old Testament. Rose oil was a common component of incense and fragrance oils used in church ceremonies. The purest rose essences which are used in modern day perfumes are among the most costly, with different varieties producing a different scent.
To make the beads, Moore first crushes deep red rose petals by hand. They then get mixed with a binder and formed into spheres. After a period of time in which they “cure,” they become quite firm and durable. Finally, she creates jewelry out of them using either sterling wire, or tea-dyed silk thread to capture the Victorian essence in the finished result. She incorporates sparkling crystals which offset the matte finish of the brownish-red rose beads.
Wearing her jewelry activates the fragrance further when warmed up by body heat. Surprisingly durable, rose petal jewelry stands the test of time with examples still in existence from the early 1920s and before.
Kindred Circle Art Gallery is located at 409 Main Street in downtown Edmonds. For more details, call 425-776-3778 or visit www.KindredCircle.com.
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