Palm Cross -- A How-To Guide

I have been asked by several people how to make the little palm crosses. I drew a picture.
Here are two images.

Notes: not all of the palm fronds will be usable. It can't be too thick or the cross doesn't look right. Or too skinny. It has to be pretty fresh, otherwise they break instead of fold. To get them nice and flat, but them in or under a book to dry out. When burning for Ash Wednesday, burn in pottery bowl and crush the ash with a mortar and pestle. You can burn a few for show during the service and drop them in, but it might be "chunky". Very very important -- use oil to apply the ashes. I use the oil from Christmas that contains Frankincense and Myrrh (sort of symbolic (oil for anointing uses F and M, they are used for preparing the body for burial, Advent is seen as a pentiental season)). If you use water, you can create sodium hydroxide -- i.e. lye. Ashes + water = lye. All soap makers know this. You can leave a nice little lye burn on the forehead if you use water....

If you get stuck... I don't know if I can write out the directions.... it's a visual thing. Good Luck!