DIY: How to Make Rosewater

Hello there!

Rosewater can be used for variety of uses, from toner for your skin to cooking! The smell is so divine you can use it in your cosmetic or perfume as well.

I will show you my version of how to make your own Rosewater.
Basically, you will need distilled water and roses.
If you do not have any distilled water, this tutorial also shows you how to make your own distilled water. (Start from step one)
However, you can purchase the distilled water from the supermarket. (In that case, just jump to step five)

What you need:
- Medium sized saucepan (filled 1/3 with tap water)
- Bowl that fits perfectly inside the saucepan
- Lid that is bigger than the saucepan you are going to use
- A Lot of ice cubes
- Spoon or kitchen pipette
- 4 stems of Roses (Preferably red roses)
- Patience

So, lets get to it!

Step one:

Set up the water filled saucepan, bowl and lid (upside down) as shown in the picture below. If possible, pick glass lid without a hole.
Bring the water to boil.

Step two:

Place the ice cubes on the lid and wait for it to melt.

Step three:

While waiting for the ice cubes to melt and distilled water in process, peel the rose petals off the stems and wash them. Make sure you get rid of the dirt, bugs or pesticides.
If you have your own roses plant in your back yard, pick them a few hours after the sun rises so there is no morning dew left behind.

Step four:

Go back to your saucepan, use the spoon/kitchen pipette, take the water of the lid and make sure it does not drip into the saucepan (in my case, because I have a hole on my lid, I have to keep an eye on it every several minutes)

Depending on the amount of rosewater you need, keep adding ice cubes on the lid until you have desired amount of distilled water.
The idea of this set up, as the water boils the steam will rise and hits the cold lid (because of the ice cubes), thus it will condense and flow to the centre of the lid and drips to the bowl.

Step five:

Pick up the bowl inside the saucepan and pour the distilled water into another saucepan (smaller).
Put in your washed rose petals.
The distilled water should barely cover the petals.
If you bought the distilled water off the supermarket, you only need 3/4-1 cup of distilled water (for 4 stems of roses).
Put it on simmer for 10-15 minutes with lid until the rose petal lose their colour.

Step six: 

Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the petals from the water. 

TA DA! You have yourself a homemade rosewater!

I used my rosewater to make strawberry and watermelon cake (here), do not forget to check them out as well. 

Rosewater: Middle

Thats's it folks!

Until next time, 

Tania xx

DIY: Easy Fresh Flower Crown

Yes, I'm sure you've seen it somewhere at that place when you bought your cute skirt, when you search wedding dress on google, on that mannequin's head when you walk along Oxford street, or wherever you go.

A lot of bloggers made it, show it, wear it, and even sell it. There are million ways to assemble flowers and any other components into a headpiece.

In this post, I'm going to show you how I make my simple version of flower crown/headpiece.

Thin-stemmed flowers 

What you need

 What you will need:

• Wire - 1.25mm x approx 35-40cm (Bunnings) 
• Green Cloth Tape (Bunnings) 
• Scissors
• Pliers 
• Fresh Flowers 
• Brown rope (not shown) 

Tips: 

• When it comes to picking your flowers, you can choose any colour and size. Preferably not too big depending you the size and shape of your head. But, of course, you can go the other way. 
• Medium flat-faced flower will works better when it comes to placing it on your head in certain arranged set below. (probably not going to work with lilies or big peonies). 
• If you don't have wire and cloth tape, you can buy the ready-wrapped and cut wire from Riot Art & Craft for AUD$2.99 (20 pieces of 18inch wire)
• You can get rope from craft store, not to thick, and don't pick bright coloured rope (unless you want it to shine)

Step 1:

Measure it!

Measure the wire on your head, the way you want it to sit. 

Twist the rest of the wire around at the back, and make sure nothing is pointing out (Hazard alert). 

Step 2:

Wrapped wire

Wrap the wire with the green cloth tape. 

Tip: Start from the back of the wire all the way around back. 

Step 3:

CHOP CHOP

Get rid of the leaves and cut the excess stem, it is easier to work with shorter stem. 

Step 4: 

Stick them together

Hold each flower stem 90 degrees against the wire, and cross tape them. 

Next stem, don't forget to give space between its petals, you don't want to squish them together. Yet, you don't want to give too much space. As long as the petals touches each other slightly, you good to go. 

Every 3 or 4 stems, add the smaller flower here and there. 

Step 5: 

Tie the rope from one end, work your way around through the stems to the other end. Just to make sure they won't get loose. 

DONE!

Model: Encrusted Gems

So, that's it folks!

Until next time,


Tania xx