Makings and Musings...: BEADS!

Ah, it's crafty Wednesday! Oh, wait. Checking the calendar just reminded me that I have skipped a day somewhere. I hate it when that happens. So, yes, it is Thursday technically, but I am posting about Wednesday's project...it happens! So, I was thinking about what crafty thing to get into and it occurred to me...Christmas crafts are everywhere, let's avoid that. I really like crafts that are functional, or wearable, and I have recently sparked an interest in making jewelry. I know! Beads! Let's make beads! Read on for my bead making follies!

I love jewelry, but not the standard buy it in a shop kind. I like the homemade, really pretty, but slightly um, different kind. When I decided to make beads I had lots of choices. I could make a dough, shape them, and bake them. I could use purchased beads to create something awesome. I could make sand beads, sawdust beads, clay beads, Fimo beads...but, I am really doing my level best to be "green". I decided my bead project should reflect this! I also wanted my first crafty project to be something anyone could do with the items they already had at home. See? Economical and earth-friendly! What more could you want?!

Did you know you can make beads from old magazines, junk mail, newspapers, just about anything paper you have lying around? Sure can! All you need for this project is:

Necessaries:

Toothpicks or Kebab skewers

A selection of old magazines (or other paper you don't need)

Glue (just regular white glue type)

Clear nail polish or clear acrylic if you have it

Optionals:

Pearly gold or silver nail polish or acrylic

Tchotchkes (little baubles or Fimo cane slices, whatever makes you happy)

Technique:

Pick out some magazine (or whatever) pages that make you happy! Try to pick them all in the same general color scheme, or several colors you think go together well. Don't worry about lettering or words, or anything like that. After the bead is formed you won't see that sort of thing. Now you need to cut the paper into triangles. If you are anal retentive and picky, use a ruler. You want them to be anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1 inch at the base. Depending on how thick you want the bead, you can make the triangles the long way on the page or across the width. Your choice! I did some of each. Variety is a good thing. I am not a ruler using type of gal. You probably will get neater results if you are. Just saying. So...you have your triangles cut out, skewers ready, and your glue is good to go! Starting at the straight (as opposed to the pointed) end, wrap the paper around the the skewer. It takes a bit of finessing to get it started. Roll it up tightly until you get to the point. Dot a bit of glue on the tip end and glue it down. There. One bead. Not hard at all!

Make as many as you want. Different colors, thicknesses, widths. Have fun, that is the point of crafting after all. Allow them to dry for a bit. Most likely when you get done with your last bead, the first will be dry enough. Leave them on the skewers for painting and decoration.

To decorate your beads you have a gazillion options! You can leave them as they are, just paint them with some nail polish or acrylic to seal them, and then string them up! You could paint them a solid color, although I like the look of the magazine, so I have never done that, but hey...it's your project!

Here's what I did. I painted my beads with some gold pearly nail polish. It's opaque, so you can see the magazine through it. Then I found some Fimo cane slices that I had lying around. I usually put them on my toenails as decoration! I selected some flowers, butterflies, and leaves. I glued them to my beads with the clear polish. After letting everything dry for a bit, I coated the whole bead in clear polish to seal them up and give them a shine! Good luck and please feel free to ask if you have any questions! I think my beads came out fab. What do you think?