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Sunday, October 27, 2013

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--PAPER BEADS


A few months ago I featured projects for making a bowl and a trivet from magazine pages. Today, another project that will help you repurpose those magazines rather than tossing in the recycling bin.

Jewelry-making with beads is a very popular craft right now, but those beads at the craft store can cost a pretty penny. Here’s how to make your own beads from paper.

Paper Beads

Materials:
glossy magazine pages, 1” x 4” and 1/2” x 8” pieces of light-weight cardboard or index stock, ruler, pencil, scissors, wooden skewer or 1/16” diameter dowel, tacky glue, glossy acrylic varnish or clear nailpolish, small paintbrush, block of floral foam or Styrofoam®

1. Mark the center of one short end of each piece of cardboard. Draw a line from each corner of the opposite short end to the center point to form a triangle. Cut out the two triangles. These will be used as templates to make two different sized beads.

2. Using the templates, trace triangles onto magazine pages. Cut out the paper triangles.

3. For each bead, apply a dab of tacky glue to the wrong side of the triangle point. Beginning at the wide end, roll the paper tightly around the dowel, make sure to keep the triangle centered as you roll.


4. Glue the tip to the rolled paper. Allow to dry.

5. Apply acrylic varnish or clear nail polish to the beads. Insert dowel into block of floral foam or Styrofoam® until varnish is completely dry.


6. Remove paper beads from dowel and use as you would any beads in jewelry-making projects.

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