Go Green-Make Paper Beads!

I found this cool article on making your own paper beads. What a neat concept, and it saves the Earth from more trash! Here are the instructions so you can do it too, along with some photos of finished beads...have fun.

How to Make a Basic Paper Bead

Supplies

Paper or Magazine Pages, wrapping paper works best!

Glue or Mod Podge

Paintbrush for glue

Scissors or paper cutter

Thin straws (don't use skewers of wood, they will stick to it!)

Shallow cardboard box, slightly wider than the longest straw.

Instructions:

Step 1: Make Your Drying Rack

Take your card board box & cut notches along both of the long sides. This is what you will be ‘hanging’ your sticks from so the beads can dry. (For kids beads, you can skip this step).

Step 2: Cut the Paper

Cut your papers into ½" – ¾" wide strips, about 6" in length at an angle. The paper cutter makes this much faster. (Wide at one end, narrow on the other) The longer you cut your strip, the thicker (bigger) the bead will be when finished.

If you want to get fancy with your beads, cut some paper into narrow strips & layer these strips, starting with the wide end, over the center of the bead you just rolled. Using a contrasting color will add extra color & interest to your bead. This layer will also add thickness, so keep it short (about 3"-4").

Step 3: Apply Glue

Kid Instructions:

On a big piece of scrap paper to protect your table, lay out a strip of paper and using your glue stick, run it down the whole strip. Start at the thick end and leave about an 1/2 inch, then glue away. Make sure your get enough glue on the pointy end.

Adult Instructions for smaller beads

Apply the glue to the back of the strip using a paintbrush. Spread the glue thinly on the wrong side of your paper.

Step 4: Roll the Beads

Using your stick or pencil,and starting with the wide end of your paper strip, roll the paper onto your stick, slowly & evenly making sure to smooth the paper as you roll & keep your edges even. If you are making the fat kids beads with a pencil, you can take the bead off your pencil and start on your next bead.

Step 5: Let Dry

If you are making the smaller beads with Mod Podge, let them dry on your drying rack (the notched card board box). During the drying process, be sure to gently loosen the beads every 2 or so hours or they’ll be difficult to remove from the stick ( They will stick, if not loosened). When the beads are dry, & still on the stick, you can coat them with a thin coat of clear fingernail polish or use the Mod Podge (mat finish for a dull look, gloss for a shiny look). Allow to dry, remove from the stick.

Done!

Your beads are now ready to use for stringing. Create necklaces, bracelets or use as embellishments for other crafts. You can string them on wire or jute, use as tassels on gift tags, collages & journals.