Hand Made in the USA

It all started when I was getting my daily dose of Rebecca's fabulous blog, recuerda mi corazon. Click here and you will see what started this little family project. 

While I was reveling in Rebecca's photography and prose it brought back a rush of strong cinnamon scent.  It spun me back to our Asian visit last year where we visited a spice plantation.  The authentic spice is STRONG`~EARTHY~~EXOTIC~~DEEP RUST BROWN~and the aroma lingers for a very long time.

Now this was a project for the Funny Bunnies. They probably wouldn't understand making cinnamon Prayer Beads....but necklaces...hmmm that would catch their attention.


And so we began. We spent one afternoon forming the beads using Rebecca's recipe...well sort of followed the recipe. It was a challenge for little fingers to make perfect round balls.... I love their odd shaped little offerings. One thing to remember is to  make the hole wide!!!

The past few weeks there have been a few really great blogs using dried citrus fruit. But none is better, for sheer design and photography than Elizabeth  Bunsen's BE~DREAM~PLAY.  She has written many blogs featuring these tiny jewels.  click here.


The day finally arrived, the oranges almost dry, some a bit gummy and a few with dark tans  from being overly cooked. The cinnamon beads are funky and chunky, needing a bit of scissor widening of the holes.


So off to Squirrel Park we go.  More excited to play on the swings and slides, our beading project was put off for awhile.


Eventually we settled at a table, opened the bags of oranges and cinnamon...and like little ants hovering over sugar...playground children smelling the waft of cinnamon raced to the table to see what was going on.


Long story short: we shared what we had.  Eager little and big fingers, strung their cotton string with oranges and beads.  As you can see in the photo of the Funny Bunnies (we had stopped for frozen yogurt after the park) they didn't quite get a full necklace made.  But they were happy to have shared. They will hang their offerings from a tree limb.


As for me and prayer beads....well I will have to go out and buy another huge bottle of cinnamon.


Heart Thought: isn't it cool when kids big and little can share what they have from the warmest place in their hearts?


Cinnamon scent I will smell you next December......sharon