Transforming Pretty Paper

Day 49.

Transforming Pretty Paper 

When I first learned about paper bead crafting I didn't know how beautiful the creations could be. Once I saw some gorgeous finished jewelry that was made from this paper technique I was astounded I wanted to try my hand at crafting some beads and using them to make gifts. So I learned how to do this simple and artsy craft to make a necklace that I was very pleased with. As with many things, I think the secret to ending up with a beautiful result is to start with quality materials from the beginning. I worked with some high quality scrapbooking papers in a color palette that I knew would be pretty. I also was particularly pleased with the outcome from the glaze I used, an American made product, Judikins Diamond Glaze from http://www.diamondglaze.com/. This gave the paper beads an elegant gloss and a durable finish. Here's how I crafted a gift of jewelry using this cool paper bead technique.

What's great about this craft is it can be a fun project for kids as well and you can use any kind of paper you want. You can teach them a little about recycling if you make some beads using magazines or newsprint. Or, this time of year we all have lots of wrapping paper...I bet that could be used to make a really cool holiday themed pieces. Very merry!