Stop and smell the roses
Ways to extend your enjoyment
Roses carry an air of elegance and romance. You might catch a whiff of an incredible fragrance or just a touch of luxury. Try one of these many ideas to extend your enjoyment inside the house!
Drying Petals
Collect petals from unsprayed plants. Avoid wilted or browned petals. Air dry in single layers on paper towels or screens until completely dry. Store dried petals in paper bags or glass jars out of sunlight for 9 to 12 months. Freeze rose petal tea in ice trays, and use it within 3 to 6 months.
Potpourri:
You can make your own potpourri by blending dried rose petals with complementary scents like cinnamon sticks, dried ginger, or whole vanilla beans, and put the mixture anywhere you want to freshen up. Sock drawers, linen closets, and the bathroom are all ideal options, and you can let the scents soothe you to sleep by slipping a small sachet into your pillowcase.
Lotion Bars:
Melt together 1/4 cup of each: infused oil, beeswax, shea, or mango butter, and pour into small molds
Salve:
Melt 3.5 oz infused oil with 0.5 oz beeswax.
Infused oil:
1 part dried flowers covered with 2 to 3 times as much oil
– Use infused oil for lip balm, salves, lotion bars, creams, scrubs, soap
Vinegar:
Fill jar 1/2 to 3/4 with fresh petals, top with vinegar, infuse for several weeks
– Use vinegar for hair rinse, cleaning spray, bug bites, vinaigrette
Witch Hazel:
Make just like vinegar, but for external use only
Tea:
Fill a jar with fresh rose petals, cover with simmering water, and steep 5 to 10 minutes for drinking, or until cooled for skin care projects
Rose Bath Salts
These rose petal bath salts are quick and easy to make and smell wonderful! They make a great gift too!
You’ll need:
- 1 cup Epsom salt
- several drops of rose or geranium (rose) essential oil
- a handful of dried rose petals
- (optional) 1/4 cup sea salt.
Combine the Epsom salt with sea salt, if using. Rub the dried rose petals between your fingers to crush them into tiny pieces. Stir into the salt. Add several drops of rose or geranium essential oil. Stir well and pour into a pretty jar.
To use: Pour into a cotton muslin bag or tie up in a clean sock. Drop the bag into comfortably warm water as it fills your tub.
