Beautiful Beads

They say there's a first time for everything...

hello, bead making :)

It's a banner day here at Papertrey Ink... we're celebrating our September release with TWO group posts.  So here's your heads up to check back in, oh, say about an hour for even more September goodness ;)

But back to the beads...

This is what happened on my first adventure in paper bead making... not too shabby, right?

I started by using the new Beautiful Beads die to cut the same mystery supply from yesterday's post... magazine covers.  The bead rolling process is as simple as you would expect.  I used a wooded skewer to wrap my die cuts around.  I just got them going around the skewer and then used a small foam brush to add a bit of Mod Podge down the rest of the die cut. 

Honestly, I didn't even have actual Mod Podge so I used the ol' Elmer's Glue plus a bit of water trick.  Worked like a charm.

Leave 'em right on the skewer and guess what?  You've got a handy bead holder so you can shoot them with a bit of spray paint :)

I had a feeling I would be adding some paint, so that is one reason why I used magazine covers for the beads.  It's a more pliable material than cardstock but it's also got that slick coating that I knew would help it stand up to a coating of paint.  As you can see... I think they turned pretty sweet! I went light on the paint to keep a bit of the print detail and to avoid filling those rolled lines in too much.

I knew I wanted my piece to coordinate with some of my other jewelry (my everyday pieces plus some of the colorful beaded jewelry I brought home from a trip to Africa) so I wanted to add a some silver accents plus a contrasting color.  And when it comes to bracelets, I tend to go big. 

This triple strand clasp and the turquoise beads fit the bill.  I used a bit of silver elastic thread to string it all together. 

I have to say... I think I've got a winner here :)
I'm totally digging how it looks with some of the other bracelets I wear all the time (silver cuff is from Charming Charlie and custom bangle is from Lisa Leonard.  LOVE my Lisa Leonard pieces... this one commemorates the day my birthday was stolen when one of my kiddos arrived that day... I wear that one along with a custom necklace with all the kiddos' names on it almost daily ;)  I just layer them with whatever else I've got going.)

The jewelry findings were all inexpensive pieces from Michael's so I'd say this bracelet tops in at just over 5 bucks.  Can you say Christmas presents??

But not this one.
Nope.
It was an early Christmas for this wrist ;)


And speaking of Christmas...

the Beautiful Beads die goes holiday. 

I'd say this turned out as a decidely more masculine design than the first one, ha!  The inspiration for this one actually started with a scrap of misted cardstock.  I was on a totally different track when I spied it across the room and thought it would make for a cool graphic look. 

The key here are the white lines. I started by using the die on a piece of white cardstock and then adhering the negative to a scrap panel of cardstock.  The lines are pretty darned small so I went with a few blasts of a spray adhesive. Once that was glued down it was simple to just add the misted die cut sections right in.

A Grid Lines cardstock card base and simple sentiment from the new Gingerbread Lane set keep things nice and clean.  I double inked the sentiment in both Simply Chartreuse and Hawaiian Shores to give it a coordinating mottled look... fun little trick.


For even more Beautiful Beads jewlery and projects be sure to check out the blogs of these lovely ladies...
Nichole Heady

Betsy Veldman

Maile Belles

Dawn McVey

Heather Nichols

Melissa Phillilps

Danielle Flanders

Cristina Kowalczyk
Erin Lincoln

And I'm off.
But I'll be back in an hour.
And I'll probably still be wearing my bracelet ;)

{Bojo} beaded bracelet 

Die - Beautiful Beads

Other - magazine covers, mod podge, yellow spray paint
Jewelry supplies - clasp, silver elastic cord, turquoise beads

{Happy Holidays} card
Stamps - Gingerbread Lane
Die - Beautiful Beads
CS - White, Guide Lines II
Ink - Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores
Spray Mists - Patina (Tattered Angels), Leaf Green (Studio Calico)