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.

Make a Valentine's Day Cuff Bracelet

Before: Scrap paper, metal

Happy Valentine's Day! Today is the last day in our V-Day series as the big day has arrived. Whether you love Valentine's Day or think it is a commercial hoax victimizing the American people, February 14 arrives every year. We like to use V-Day as an excuse to craft using hearts and other themes of love. 

Oops! Stamping error

Today we grabbed some scrap metal and the front page of a magazine to make a cuff bracelet. The metal was previously cut into cuff bracelet length but was relegated to the scrap heap due to a stamping error. The second letter was sideways. Oops. Nobody will know the cuff bracelet was originally created for a different design because we covered the stamping error with paper that we decoupaged as a form of cold enamel over the entire surface of the cuff bracelet.

After: Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Tools
Xacto knife
Self-healing cutting mat 
Oval bracelet mandrel  
Rawhide mallet 
Cross peen hammer 
Steel bench block
Half-round file 
Lortone tumbler (optional)


Materials
Scrap paper 
Scrap 16-gauge nickel silver sheet metal
Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge
Paint brush
Bowl of water (to clean paint brush)
Transparent embossing powder
Heat It Craft Tool

Cut paper to size

Step 1
Place the paper on a self-healing mat and cut out the paper using an Xacto knife. 

Step 2

Hammer the edges

Form the bracelet. Use the rawhide mallet to shape the cuff bracelet around the oval mandrel. File the edges of the metal until jewelry smooth. Place the cuff bracelet on the steel bench block and hammer the edges of the cuff bracelet to thicken the edges, add sparkle and harden the metal so it retains the oval cuff shape.

Stamped Gelt

We stamped the inside of the bracelet with our signature "Gelt."


Step 3
Decoupage the paper to the cuff. Glue the paper to the cuff. Paint Mod Podge over the surface of the paper using a paint brush. Sprinkle transparent embossing powder over

Decoupage the paper onto the bracelet

the wet Mod Podge. Shake off excess powder. Use a heat gun to melt the embossing powder.

Related Tutorials
Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant
Make a Valentine's Day Necklace from Shoe Lace Charms
Make Heart Earrings from Copper Staples
Make a Beer Bottle into a Heart Pin
Make "Kiss Me" Heart Earrings
Make a Valentine's Day Pendant from a Scrabble® Tile
Make a "True Love" Bracelet from Scrabble® Tiles
Make a Valentine's Day Pendant from a Copper Washer
GeltDesigns Tutorials by Topic
NJAD Index (Days 1 to 60) by Type of Jewelry
NJAD Index (Days 1 to 60) by Type of Found Object  


Further Reading 
"500 Bracelets: An Inspiring Collection of Extraordinary Designs (500 Series)"; Lark; 2005.

Day 86  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: magazine, scrap metal
New Jewelry a Day.

Have a very happy and crafty Valentine's Day! Tell a friend, family member or lover how much they mean to you.

Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant

Before: Post Card & Washer

We love to visit museums and galleries. Many give out brightly colored brochures explaining and documenting the exhibit. Others send us stunning post cards announcing the opening of exhibitions as well as beautiful invitations for gallery openings.

Tossing these items in the trash seems almost criminal. When the galleries and museums recycle, we try to put the items back for reuse... but for items that come to the house, reuse by others is rarely an option. Hence, we often collect the art work we like the best for use in scrap booking, collage making and, of course NJAD jewelry making.

After: Pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Today, we used a post card sent to us from the the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery at Haverford College. We cut out a portion of the post card originally painted by Oh Su Fan, entitled "Change" and we decoupaged the paper from the post card onto a washer to create an eye catching pendant.

Materials
1-1/4" round washer
Post card
Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge
Paint brush
Bowl of water (to clean paint brush)
Transparent embossing powder
Heat It Craft Tool
Scrap paper
1mm satin, leather, suede or other stringing material
Clasp & end caps (optional)

Tools
Xacto craft knife
Self-healing cutting mat

Step 1
Select the washer and the paper you want to use to decorate your washer. We used a post card sent to use in the mail with a copy of a painting entitled "Change"by Oh Su Fan announcing the "In and With: Contemporary Korean Art" exhibit at the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery at Haverford College. Post cards are heavy, coated paper that do not run when coated with glue or embossing powder.

Step 2
Determine how you want to arrange the paper on the washer. Glue the washer to the back side of the paper using a glue stick (or glue of your choice) in the space that highlights the design you want to use.

Step 3
Place the washer on the cutting mat and use a craft knife to cut away the excess paper. 

Step 4
Paint Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge on the paper using a paint brush until it is completely coated. Paint the sides of the washer to seal the paper to the washer. If bubbles appear, pop them using a toothpick or your finger. Check to be sure the coat is even.

Wash the paint brush immediately with water to prevent the brush from becoming glued together and no longer usable.

Step 5
Before the coat of Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge is dry, place the washer on a clean piece of scrap paper and sprinkle transparent embossing powder over the glue painted paper surface of the washer.

Step 6
Tap off excess embossing powder. (We use a second piece of scrap paper to catch the excess so we can reuse the embossing powder).

Check to be sure the embossing powder is even. Sprinkle again (and remove excess again), if needed, to even out surface.

Melt powder to coat washer

Step 7
Use the heat tool to melt the embossing powder. Heat evenly until all the embossing powder melts and coats the paper surface of the washer and the side of the washer. Check to be sure the paper is sealed onto the washer. Allow the embossing powder to cool.

Do not test the embossing powder with your finger to see if it is done and dry. Ouch. Not only will you have unsightly fingerprints, hot embossing powder will stick to your hand and may cause a burn.

Step 8
Add the chain. Cut a piece of leather, suede, satin or other stringing material to about 24 inches long (or the length you want for your necklace).

Feed through washer

Fold the string in half and feed it through the washer.

Slip ends through loop

Slip the loose ends of the stringing material back through the end loop.

Pull tight

Pull the stringing material tight, as shown in the photograph.

Add findings to the ends of the stringing material or simply tie the string to wear the decoupaged and embossed washer pendant as a necklace.

Related Tutorials
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
Make a Stamped Pendant from a Washer

Further Reading 
"Making Designer Jewelry from Hardware, Gems, and Beads"; Nicole Noelle Sherman
"Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox"; Hannah Rogge; 2006.
"The Art of Jewelry: Paper Jewelry: 35 Creative Projects (Lark Jewelry Books)";  Marthe Le Van; 2006.
"Altered Paper Jewelry: Artful Adornments from Beautiful Papers"; Jenn Mason; 2008.
"Handmade Paper Jewelry: 40 Beautiful Projects to Make & Wear"; Heidi Borchers, Candace Liccione, et al.

Day 75.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: washer, gallery post card
New Jewelry a Day.

Remember, to enter this month's One World One Heart 2011 door prize.