Make a Paper Bead Pendant

We are intrigued at the notion of making beads from scrap paper and decided to try our hand. Our first attempts were no where near as grand as some of the things we've seem folks do...but we decided to report our first results anyway. We hope our next results will be improved.

Before: Scrap paper

Materials
Scrap paper
Mandrel (tooth pick or barbecue skewer) or bead roller
Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge
Paint brush
Nail polish (optional)
2mm satin cord
18-gauge brass wire

Tools
Wire cutter
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

Step 1
Cut the paper selected for the paper beads into triangle strips. For a football shaped bead, cut a wide triangle. For a round bead, cut a thin, very long triangle (the length of four magazine pages).

Step 2
Roll the paper on a mandrel. We used a kitchen skewer. To secure the bead, we folded the paper over the mandrel and then glued the first inch or two with paper glue before we began rolling the bead.

Step 3
Roll the bead. Glue the last three inches of the paper to finish and secure the paper bead.

Step 4
Remove the paper bead from the mandrel and put the paper bead on a tooth pick.

Step 5
Coat the paper bead with Diamond Glaze or decoupage glue to make the bead water resistant (but not waterproof). Let the bead dry for an hour or two. Coat again.

Make paper beads

Duplicate to create the needed number of beads. In our case, we made two paper beads.

Feed bead on wire

Step 6
Feed the first of two beads onto wire and make a loop using round nose pliers. Secure the bead on the wire by creating a second loop on the other side of the bead. Trim off excess wire, if any, using wire cutters.

Step 7

Make bail on second bead

Feed the second paper bead on the wire. Make two loops on the end of the wire. Spread the loops apart using chain nose pliers to create a pendant bail. Push the paper bead flush against the created bail and then create another loop on the other side of the bead.

Step 8
Attach the two beads together.

After: Paper bead pendant

Step 9
Feed 2mm satin cord through the bail to hand the paper bead pendant.


Design alternatives
You can add color using household goods by painting the paper bead with nail polish. Allow the nail polish to dry. Apply a second layer of nail polish. Dry again. Decorate the paper bead by painting the bead with another color of nail polish. Use a paint brush or tooth pick for lines and other small details.

 Further Reading
"Creative Beads from Paper and Fabric: Create Your Own Crafts and Embellish Ready-Made Items; No-Sew Fun for All Ages"; Ann Krstn Krr; 2005.
"Paper Beads (Klutz)"; 2009.
"Creative Paper Jewelry: Earrings, Pendants, Beads & Pins"; Dafna Yarom; 2010.

Day 92  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: copper wire, orphan bead
New Jewelry a Day.