Paper Bead Jewelery

 I participated in a Wild and Wacky challenge a couple of weeks ago and we have to reveal our projects today!!
We were instructed to go to this website:
http://inoyan.narod.ru/kaleidoskop.swf
which generates wild and wacky kaleidoscopes in vibrant colours, when we saw something we liked we just had to print it and create something with the printed copy!!  Too easy!!
I started by stamping my sheet with a solid looking butterfly stamp (SU) and embossing them in silver.  I thought right away that I would like to make paper beads so I found a small piece of wood to make the main element for my necklace, cut a nice accent piece with a butterfly out of the sheet and then cut the remaining piece of W&W paper into long thin triangles with which I created my paper beads.  I rolled them on a toothpick, sealed them with clear finish onto which I sprinkled sparkly embossing powder and then heated them to dry the finish and melt the embossing powder.  I made 13 sparkly beads!!

 For the main element of my necklace I glued my W&W paper to one side of my little piece of wood and created a collage on the other using hand decorated paper, sheet music and a rhinestone.  To seal up the edges I applied clear sealer and then dipped it into pewter UTEE and heated it.  I did the other three sides the same way.  It needed more visual depth so I reheated the first side and dipped it in the UTEE again.  In the end, each side got about 3-4 coats of pewter  UTEE before I was happy with the way it looked - sort of like solder!!  I sealed the collage side and added clear glass beads to the sealer I applied to the W&W side to just tone it down a bit.  The piece is very reflective and you can see part of a silver butterfly in the piece.  Once everything was dry, I drilled a hole at the top and added a metal loop and some beads so I could add it when I strung my beads.  I added blue glass beads and some pewter Ebeads to complete my necklace.  I used Beadalon plastic coated wire to string it and a clasp from my stash of jewelry findings.

So you can see in this photo the collage I made on the other side of my main element as well as the full length of the necklace.  I really like the way the blue glass beads and the pewter Ebeads work with my glittery paper beads.

This was a very great project!! It is fun to get out of the usual and try something different!!  I enjoyed making the beads the most.  I had never used wire to string beads before and it took a little R&D to find the best way to finish it off.  So all in all, a successful venture into the unusual with some wild and wacky paper.  Really looking forward to what all the participants made with theirs!!

Therese