Making Paper Beads for fun

Here's a tutorial on how to make paper beads.  I think we all may have made these before as children, but they are still fun to make and can actually become very beautiful jewelry or accessories to crafts.  Besides, they are all unique and handmade by you!  Enjoy.

How to Make Paper Beads

Make Paper Beads

Kate Pullen

Paper beads are simple to make and a few rubber stamping techniques are all that is required to make beautiful and unusual beads. The basic technique can be adapted in many ways to achieve different effects. This is also a good way to use up odds and ends of paper. Even the most unpromising looking paper can make striking beads.

Template

You don't need to follow a template, however a simple template is attached if required. The template has been designed specifically for rubber stamping. Instead of tapering to a point, there is a small strip that is just wide enough to display some rubber stamping. By varying the size and shape of the paper, very different bead designs can be created.

Beads in the Picture

From left to right:

• Bead created from paper that has been stamped, with a row of glitter glue dots along each edge
• Bead created from a scrap of paper that has been colored with alcohol inks and over stamped
• Piece of scrapbooking paper that has been stamped in a complementary colored ink
• Basic paper bead created from a piece of stamped paper
• Bead created from scrapbooking paper and vellum that were stamped and stuck together before rolling
• Bead created from paper used as packaging

Supplies Required

• Paper
• Rubber stamps, inks, embossing powders, glitter glue and any other embellishments
• Scissors
• Craft adhesive, any adhesive suitable for paper will be work well
• Thin knitting needle or cocktail sticks
• Diluted pva glue to seal the beads (optional)

Paper Bead Projects

• Paper Bead and Glass Bead Necklace - make a few paper beads and intersperse them with glass beads to make a striking necklace
• Halloween Paper Bead Earrings - these earrings can be adapted for any occasion
• Paper Bead Star - this paper bead star make a pretty ornament
• Paper Bead Ornament - make a large paper bead and use this to hang ornaments from or as a decoration in its own right, you could also make a few and string them together to make an unusual garland

Paper Bead Template

Paper Bead Template

Kate Pullen

To print the template, simply click on the image above to open the full size version of the template. Then right click on that image and select 'Save Image' to save onto your computer. Print as required.

See the following pages for instructions explaining how to make paper beads.

Stamp and Decorate the Paper

Stamp the Paper

Kate Pullen

Stamp and decorate the unprinted side of the paper. This way the printed lines will not show. A rubber stamp with a detailed and intricate design will work well. Repeatedly stamp the rubber stamp over the page to build up a dense design. Cut the bead shapes from the paper.

Tip: Ink the edges of the paper. This will emphasize the design of the bead and give a more 'finished' effect.

Roll the Paper

Roll the Bead

Kate Pullen

Glue the back of the paper and carefully roll the bead. I use a thin knitting needle to roll the bead around, this helps to give a consistent result. Cocktail sticks or other thin and round implements would work equally well.

Seal the Paper Beads and Finish

Paper Beads

Kate Pullen

Make sure the end of the paper is firmly attached, add an extra dab of glue if required. Leave the beads to one side to dry. I like to seal my paper beads with a coat of diluted pva glue. This adds strength and gives the paper beads a slight gloss. They could also be finished with a coat of clear varnish, embossed with embossing powders or even coated in resin. Other ideas for sealing the finished beads include coating the beads in melted UTEE or adding a coat of nail varnish.

Add any other finishing touches such as stick on jewels or other embellishments. Have fun using the beads!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Recycle your holiday trash (scrappinoutloud.blogspot.com)
• Gift Bag Template (scrappinoutloud.blogspot.com)
• Best Scrapbooking Embellishments (amysolovay.com)
• Make your own Paper Flower (scrappinoutloud.blogspot.com)
• Little Paper Houses (justsomethingimade.blogspot.com)
• TUTORIALS : Make your own glass bubble and tile pendants (beadinggem.com)

I joined another online class--making art dolls!

I am a member of several Ning groups and on one I found a class to learn how to make these really cute prayer dolls.  They are hand made out of Sculpey and then painted with acrylics.  So, I trundled myself off to Hobby Lobby and bought a big block of Sculpey and today I made these!

I still need to paint them, but they were so much fun to make.  I can't wait to make more.  I know, I know.  I still need to finish my painting and I will, but this is such a lovely diversion.

Life keeps getting in my way!

I have been slowly working on my faces, but I can't say I am moving very fast.  Life keeps interrupting me.  My neice was ill for while and we were all concerned about her welfare; my job has just been murder with flip-flopping shifts and meetings, meetings, meetings.  I am just about to pull my hair out.

Tomorrow is my next to the last pottery class and I don't feel like I have learned enough to be through with this.  I will try to hang on and then take a hand building class, so I can feel like I have given this a real try.

The little work I have done on art has been on my faces, so here is where I am today.  I hope to be able to complete these faces soon and begin on the pastel of the poppies and my portrait of Satchmo.

I missed my pottery class, AGAIN!

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday I was to go to my pottery class and I really did intend to go.  My niece is having a bit of a crisis right now and I got tied up talking to her on the phone.  Then my youngest daughter called and wanted to know what was going on with her cousin.  By the time I got off the phone, I was going to be late--but I got in the car and started driving to class anyway.  Halfway there, I realized that I had forgotten to pick up the DVD I needed to return to my friend, Andy, at class.  Oh well, there is always next week.

So I finally got there and was 45 minutes late.  As I got out of the car, I realized that I had also forgotten my towel, apron and tools.  Great!  At that point, I decided that someone was telling me not to go to class.  I got back into my car and went home. 

I really like this class even though I am no good at it.  I want to learn how to do this, so what is the problem?  I really don't know.  I love playing in mud and making mud pies, so that's not it.  I know I am not good at this, but I am learning and that's okay.  I don't know what the deal is.

Next week I will make myself go.  I will have to figure out what my problem is and deal with it.  In the meantime, I will work on my pictures and try to finish one of them.

Happy Easter Bunnies

Here's a quick Easter activity you can do with your children to decorate their bedroom doors.  Make these cute Easter Bunny Door Hangers out of craft foam.  These should only take a short time to make and the kids will get a big kick out of making their own decorations.

Here's where I found this guide

Happy Bunnies

Supplies:

Printable Happy Easter Bunny Pattern
White craft foam (you can use cardboard instead)
Chenille Stems (2 colour of choice)
Scrap ribbon piece for bow (you can paint this instead)
Pencil crayons (markers work too, but I like the pencils better)
Permanent Marker or paint pen
Tacky glue

Happy Easter Bunnies

How to:

Print out the full-size bunny pattern and trace it onto a sheet of white craft foam (or cardboard) and cut around outside lines.

Using a coloured pencil, tilted to the side slightly with the point of the pencil facing away from the foam piece, colour the perimeter of the pattern pieces. Refer to photo. The pencils create a nice shading effect, where as markers will be a little more defined.

Following the lines on the pattern, shade the circles around the bunny's feet, tummy and ears with the same colour as used on the perimeter of the bunny. To paint the bunny's face, use a black permanent marker and a red pencil to shade the rosy cheeks. Using a green pencil draw little lines at the bottom of the bunny for a little grass. Tie a bow with a scrap ribbon piece and glue in place at the bunny's neck.

Refer to the photo often for colouring and details. Using a permanent marker write "Happy Easter" across the ribbon banner. Poke holes where indicated on the banner and on the bunny. I used a sharp toothpick for this. Chenille stems can poke the holes, but it is a little more difficult. You don't need a large hole, just toothpick size.

Twist one chenille stem around a pencil to create a swirl and insert the ends into the top of the ribbon banner. Insert just enough to be able to twist the chenille stem up to secure in place (about 1/2 inch). Cut a second chenille stem in thirds and wrap two pieces around a pencil to create a swirl. Insert one end of one piece of the twisted chenille stem, into the ribbon banner and the other end into the bunny ear hole. Fold the stem up to secure. Repeat for second hanger on bunny ear.

Sign your name on the back with a pen or marker and Happy Easter!

Related articles by Zemanta

• No Chocolate Bunnies for Dogs! (timesunion.com)
• Sock Hop: An Adorable Bunny Craft for Easter! (susanheim.blogspot.com)
• Inspiring Egg Decorating Techniques (organizeyourstuffnow.com)

More work on my faces

I worked a bit more on my faces and wanted to share the outcome.  I like that by posting pictures, I have a concrete way to see progress.  It is easy to forget what you did and when you did it, so this really helps me stay on top of my goals.  I am really liking this particular piece, even if it is just for practice.  I can see several places that need changes and  I still need to do the detail work on each face, but I am holding off until I get all 5 faces with the initial layers.  Once that is done, I plan to work on each face individually to add the finishing touches and then to work on the piece as a whole to unify it and make it all work together.

I am also still working on my dark-skinned face, but I am in the stage where I have to look at it for a while to decide what I do like and what still needs to be done.  I hate that I have to think so much when I paint, but that is how I am so I'll just go with it.

I am also in the mood to make more art dolls with paper clay now that I am taking the pottery class.  I really like the feel of making something with my hands--taking a lump and turning it into something else.

I am still working on the portrait of my dog, Satchmo, also.  I will show you my progress soon!

I found another wonderful artist I'd like to share with you

I was surfing the net, as is my custom, late last evening and I came across the most wonderful art dolls.  I am truly in love.  These little babies are so cute and full of innocence.  Just looking at them makes you smile.
This artist, Gina Gabriel, has a shop in Dublin, CA called Tangerine where she sells her beautiful wares as well as a collection of other artists beautiful things. 

I found her on a website called ElevenMorning, but then moved to her blogs and her Etsy site to see all the wonderous things there.  Here are just a few of the Art Dolls that you will see when you visit her site:

Aren't these just too cute and don't you just smile to yourself when you see them?  I hope you will visit her and let her know that I sent you, won't you?