What to do with Valentine’s Day roses? Their beauty may be fading but these flowers can certainly bring more joy into your life!
Most commercially purchased roses are sprayed with chemicals, so it’s advised not to consume them. Rose petal honey, ice cream, and cookies are absolutely delicious but best organic or wild (given you know they haven’t been sprayed). This goes for rose hydrosol, rose elixir, rose powdered face mask, tea, and so on! So what can you make then?
Here’s a list of rose petal ideas that can be used externally!
Rose Petal Sachets or Potpourri
Place dried rose petals in a pouch or piece of cloth to freshen up a drawer or closet. Add other herbs to spruce it up (such as lavender, cinnamon sticks, or vanilla) or some essential oils for added scent! These also make sweet little gifts!
Herbal Candles
Place dried petals in a homemade candles. Simply sprinkle some dried crushed rose petals on the freshly poured wax just as it’s beginning to solidify. If you sprinkle too early, the petals will sink to the bottom.
Flower Pounding/Natural Dye
Give flower pounding a try! I go about this the super simple way and that is lightly hammering petals/flowers to a piece of cotton fabric. There is an amazing talent, Rebecca Desnos, who takes plant dying and flower pounding to a greater depth. I recommend you check her out: A botanical mandala on fabric
Smudge Sticks
Smudging is a ceremony practice that involves burning sacred herbs, in some cases for spiritual cleansing and blessing. White sage and cedar are most common but really any plant will work. Juniper, pine needles, and other evergreens work well in the winter. They’re fun to make, beautiful to look at, and smell wonderful even if you don’t use them in a spiritual setting. Simply gather plant material and bind together with a piece of cord/twine. Burn one end and allow the stick to smoke. The smell is delightful!
Bath Bombs
This kind of goes against using them internally but it also requires a very small amount of petals. So you be the judge and decide, is it worth it?
Art
Press and dry the petals and use them in art or string dried flowers together for some serious flower power decor.
Get creative and have fun!
