Handpainted Paper Beads

We've had 12 inches of snow in north Texas--a genuine record amount!--and that means it's great weather to stay cozy and make beads (with plenty of hot chocolate, of course).

So here's the pictures I've been promising for the last couple of posts. This is my first set of truly handpainted beads. The pictures are of the paper after I'd painted it, then the finished beads. I love the way these came out! I keep running the strand of beads through my fingers, marveling that it was just a sheet of typing paper a few days ago. They are so pretty and shiny and glossy.

I anticipate lots of fun making these in different color combinations and different shapes. They make me feel so creative and artistic--it doesn't matter that I can't draw a recognizable person for this kind of art. Playing with colors speaks to something in my soul.

Spinning Top Paper Beads

My poor son has had strep throat this week. It's been very low key around our house! I think the antibiotics are finally kicking in, and he's finally making a recovery.

In the meantime, I'm having fun playing with this new bead shape I... discovered? invented? They make me think of a child's spinning top toy. I've made them in two different sizes, as you can see, but I think I prefer the longer ones. I made these by first rolling a traditional paper bead, all the way to a point, then rolling a second, thinner strip around the middle. It's kind of a challenge to get the second strip to stay centered, but I think it's worth it. They're fun, unique little beads.

I've also been playing with painting my own paper, as I talked about in the last post. Some of that is coming out really well--I love it! I don't have pictures yet, but I'll put some up when I have them.

I love the way being creative means there's never a lack of new things to try!

Art Overcoming Fear

I was in two different restaurants yesterday (yes, it was one of those days), and in each of them I found a wall that I longed to turn into a paper bead. Of course, I realized pretty quickly that even if I'd had access to said walls, I can't roll a wall into a bead. But I've been thinking a lot more about painting my own paper for beads.

I've done some of that. I've made a couple of bead sets that started out as white paper I painted before cutting. More often I've added paint to scrapbook paper to enhance the colors already there. But I'm really longing to experiment more with color and texture and combinations to make beads that are truly original pieces of art.

There's fear there, though. I feel inadequate when it comes to painting. Nothing ever comes out on paper quite the way I'd envisioned it in my head. I realize the more I practice the better I'll get. But that means fighting the voices that tell me I'm inadequate.

I guess that's what all art is about--gathering the courage to leave your mark despite your fear of inadequacy. Maybe even worse than inadequacy is the fear that nothing you have to say is original or necessary. Being an artist--of any kind--means announcing that you believe your imaginings are important.

I choose to believe. I will leave my mark. How about you?

Paper Bead Greeting Card

A friend recently said to me, "Don't you ever stop being creative?" I guess the answer is, No--I can't. The ideas just keep coming, and I love it! Here's my latest. This is a greeting card decorated with paper beads.

I found some card stock that I thought would be a good background for a card, and I cut part of it into strips to make beads. These are regular, inch-long tapered beads. Then I sewed the beads onto plain card stock and the decorative card stock, just like I did when I made the paper bead plaques. Then I used glue dots to attach it to a plain 5x7 greeting card.

I love this because it's so simple yet so elegant. It would be a great greeting to send to a friend, because after they read the note you'd written inside, the card would be ready to hang in a 5x7 frame.

Paper Bead Cones Pendant

I'm so excited about this new shape for making paper beads I discovered, and my first idea for how to use them. I love this pendant. I made it from 8 horn-shaped paper beads and hemp cord.

First I made the beads. I cut my paper into tapered triangles that were 1/4 inch wide and 12 inches long. I rolled them around a toothpick as usual, but instead of keeping the paper centered as I rolled it, I kept moving it slightly to the left as I rolled, creating a horn shape. The last couple of inches I rolled on top of itself to create a little lip at the edge. I glued the end down, then carefully pulled the bead off the toothpick and bent it into a slightly curved shape before I coated it with polycrylic finish.

After I had eight beads with three dry coats of polycrylic, I strung them on a bit of elastic beading thread. I formed them into the circle shape I wanted, tied the elastic, then adjusted the shape until it was perfect. Then I dunked the entire pendant into the polycrylic and hung it up to dry.

I used three, one-yard lengths of hemp for the necklace. I attached the paper bead pendant in the middle, tied an overhand knot, then braided the hemp to the ends and tied another overhand knot. Voila! I think this is a fun, casual paper bead pendant. I'm looking forward to making several with different colors of paper.