hi ladies (and gents?)!

i'm interested in menstrual art, but two projects i would like to do aren't paintings, and i need some advice from those of you used to working with blood as a medium...

first of all -- and please don't judge, i know it seems cheesy -- i want to create a blood vial necklace containing a little of my blood and a little of my husband's. i have some vials to work with, and i plan to seal them permanently with adhesive and decoratively with wax possibly. anyway, i have no idea how to go about preserving the blood so that it doesn't evaporate, rot, clot, change color, etc... i don't mind a little darkening, of course, but i still want it to be obviously our blood. i don't even mind if it's just a couple drops from each of us -- doesn't have to be a full vial... so i'm wondering if using alcohol, oil, or some other "carrier" would work? actually, it would be quite interesting visually if it was a few drops "floating" in a clear solution such as alcohol/oil.

secondly, i have a glass bottle in the shape of a female torso that is currently filled with a red-tinted liquid and silk flowers, which i use as one of my Goddess statues. i would like to empty it, and refill it using my mentstrual blood and some herbs that represent the Goddess. again, i would be happy to include a carrier liquid and the amount of blood doesn't have to fill the bottle (it's about 4 - 5 inches tall -- that's a lot of blood!). this will then be sealed with cork and wax most likely (as it currently is), but i can also include a permanent sealant if necessary.

so, i am looking to this community for suggestions of how i can accomplish this -- preserving the blood in liquid form to prevent rancidity, clotting, etc.

i appreciate any suggestions!

Breast feeding seems to still be throwing my cycle off - only flowing every 2 months. I have been a little disappointed because I was wanting to create at least 1 piece every month. It is what it is and I have plenty of time to make Menstralas. My Women's Circle and I have been on a wonderful journey for the last year and celebrated Samhain with a project of decorating skulls...I of course had to to use my blood! Here's how it came out.

I have only recently discovered menstrual art and I find it facinating. All the pictures that I've seen in this community are beautiful. They seem to bring more spirituality to the picture.

Hovever I have seen more wonderful artworks on deviant art. I'm a little put off by all the negative comments posted by most viewers. Is menstrual art actually unhygienic? Does it contain harmful bacteria? Or are people just disgusted because of how society has made anything to do with menstruation almost taboo?