tutorial for friendship and cinnamon prayerbeads

 

i wake at four

to the scent of cinnamon.

it is too dark to know more than this, all tied up

in the dream of a friend.

someone i have not seen much in this past hurried year.

cinnamon and a promise emerge from these long winter nights as i seek the

comfort of those who visit in my dreams.

i lay in the stone quiet. 

a solitary moon lays a faint milky entrance through the quiet windows.

only jackson stirs, purring as he burrows into the curve of my heart.

i have to rise and talk to the lightening stars;

throw off winters blankets and chart a course with the light.

every day a new year just beginning.

one thousand strands of yesterdays

wave like prayer flags at the promise of a new day.

cinnamon prayer beads

call someone you love and invite them into your kitchen

fill the air with the fragrance of friendship

1 cup powered cinnamon
1 tbsp. allspice
2 tbsp. cloves
1 tbsp. nutmeg
1 c. applesauce

1 tbsp. elmers glue

***

combine the first four ingredients and blend well.

stir in applesauce, elmers glue and mix again.

add more cinnamon until your mixture is easy to handle.

place some powered cinnamon on the palms of your hands and gather the dough into a ball.

as children this is when we would roll out the fragrant dough to shape with old tin cookie cutters.

 this year the dough lingered in my hands warming and stirring my thoughts.

i pinched a small bit off and began rolling a small ginger coloured ball between my open palms.

suddenly it was as round and reminiscent as the old silver mexican beads i have

worn everyday for as long as i can remember.

and that's when it happened, the old became new. the cookie cutters sat in a beautiful tin heap

while i formed ginger coloured beads in the bright morning kitchen.

filled with the simple beauty of making a scented rosary wishing only

that it was not too early to call a friend.

***

forming the rosary beads

sit with a friend and let the stories fill the welcoming air.

roll small amounts into the size beads you desire.

pierce their centers with a 

wooden skewer and turn the skewer to be sure the opening is well formed.

set your beads down on a flat even surface, perhaps a cookie sheet with edges to contain them,

to dry. reinsert the skewer mid day and again before bed,

(as they dry they tend to heal a bit and the opening must be well established)

it will take a few days for your beads to dry enough for stringing.

make a strand long enough to wear...

hang them close to your bed to pepper your dreams, tuck them in a drawer to scent your stockings,

or upon the bright shoulders of a watchful angel.

share them with your friends.

they are infused with love, the forming of your hands and the 

memories only cinnamon, friendship, and a prayer 

can hold forever.

Comments

[Dawn]

What a wonderful thing to share. I remember making cinnamon ornaments with my children when they were little for our Christmas tree. It was a lovely practice. Making the beads and putting them by the bedside would be a wonderful new twist.
Have a wonderful day
Peace~
Dawn

[Stephanie]

I've never heard of this...but what a wonderful idea...

all of it, the sitting and talking with a friend, the hanging of the string to infuse the air with this scent and the memories of making them.

x...x

[Elizabeth]

This is fantastic -- something I've never heard of. I think I'll try it and certainly listen to Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl as I do so.

[Hettienne Grobler]

Dear Rebecca, this is absolutely fantastic and I will be making these!! Thank you for your lovely blessing on my blog. A peaceful and healthy 2012 for you. I have today returned from a wonderful restorative two weeks at the seaside! I am seeing the travel agent tomorrow re flights to Mexico :) blessings to you dear one.

[gayle]

I love this idea and will think of you as i make them. I too have made ornaments this way before, but it was a long time ago. thanks for reminding me!

[priti.lisa]

An inspired idea...I think I will do this today. Your words today were just so beautiful, Rebecca. You are always so good for what ails me xoxo

[Sue Fox]

I'll save this one for next Christmas or A Mary a Day! Can smell it from over here!

Sue x

[N2]

Love, love, love this idea. I'm thinking to use the cookie cutouts and/or beads as a fragrant Valentine's gift. Think I'll give it a try with my grand son and daughter. Thanks for the lovely way you shared the scented memories with us. So glad I stopped by today. x0 N2

[Allegra]

Reminds me of the rose petals beads we used to make when I was a child at the Convent. Running between your fingers, now purplish colored by the "blood" of the roses we used to carefully form the perfect symbols of the Rosary, and the stained finger would last and last all through the Summer until vacation time. I love cinnamon beads - although I am not particularly fond of cinnamon unless it is Korintje cinnamon.

I return the sentiment; you and I don't need to be anywhere except in each other's heart. Just remember that.

[lynne]

my dear *fragrant* hummingbird... thank you for this. and for your words at my place. my heart has been so touched that i find myself full of gratitude and (almost) empty of words.

you know i wish you

ALL

love

&

light

in this new

year...

xoxo

[soul Journey]

I too can smell the scent of those beads all the way from here too, I love that angel statue you have she looks so ethereal! Lovely!

[leslie]

lovely. you and the beads...

[gemma]

I just love this and want to share with
my dear friend who taught me how to make
tamales. The pictures are gorgeous and your words as always.
love

[Donna The Woodwife]

Love this!! I am going to make some this week!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

[Kim Mailhot]

The poetry of this post filled me up with cinnamon and friendship and warmed, warmed, warmed my heart.
How I love the beauty of your heart, my Friend!

[jean]

oo i can smell the love from here!! a lovely project to share, thank you, miss rebecca

[Magical Mystical Teacher]

Cinnamon and friends--an unbeatable combination!

[Queenie Believe]

What a wonderful tradition. I had never heard of cinnamon dough. As a kid we would make Christmas tree ornaments out of salt dough, bake, and then paint.
Thank you for sharing the receipe.
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie

[Meri @ Meri's Musings]

I think I should like to share this with FinallyMe readers. May I?

[Noelle]

Reading this drew tears to my eyes as most things you write do. Everything you do and say resonates so deeply with my heart and soul. The sweetly spiced fragrance of friendship is something to be deeply cherished. These beads -- the work of your hands in making them, the prayers that infuse them, the memories that hold them together, one by one, the angel who wears them are all of a sacred and beautiful piece. They are a deep and lasting expression of soul. Last night or early this morning, I had a dream, that a friend was laying her hands on my shoulders and back and blessing me, and as she did so she said, "You are blessed now, so that you can go forth and Bless." I believe that friend was you, rebecca. Thank you for these beautiful words and for the love you share.
xoxoxo,
Noelle

[eb]

oh my!
this too???
stunningly
BEautiful
perfect
cinnamon
orange
glow
and sharing
together
yes, Rebecca - I will...

xox - eb.

[sharon furner]

This sweet offering brings back several memories, once lost in an aging brain. I do recall making cinnamon beads with my children...how could I forget that, it was so messy and so fun. Next my mind wandered to our time in Cambodia where we learned about the cinnamon bark and what is truly cinnamon and what is not. And now when I go to the store I wonder: where is this from, what was its journey from there to here. Just like us. Thanks for helping me remember.
warmly: sharon

[peggy gatto]

Oh my, I almost missed seeing this!
thank you!

[sperlygirl]

this is simply beautiful...what a ritual of friendship.

[LeslieM]

Oh my! What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

[cynthia korzekwa]

Lovely! so nice to visit your blog again!