Friday 4 September 2015

September - Anything but a square or rectangle over at Craft for the Craic

This months challenge over at Craft for the Craic is  - Anything but a square or rectangle.
 
I embraced this task by completely ignoring my tendency to create cards and I went with something completely different.
Please scroll to the bottom of the blog to see the finished articles

Quite often I hear people say how expensive crafting is - in this case it cost precious little and I'm happy with the outcome. I started with some sheets from an old calendar- I'd kept it much longer than I should have, only because I liked the pretty colours and knew I'd eventually find a use for it

I turned the pages over and marked the bottom of it at half inch intervals

At the top  - I moved the rule in a 1/4 of an inch and measured half inch spaces

Then its a case of joining the dots so it results in an isosceles or an equilateral triangle shape,
a bit like this  /\
 
Using a blade and metal rule - cut along the lines and it results in this
 
Using a cocktail stick- wrap the strip around it, starting at the wide end and holding it tight
 
As you near the narrow end - add a little glue and continue to roll tight

It should look a little like this when completed

 Continue to wrap and glue until a collection is created. I put them on the sticks in some polystyrene packaging to allow the glue to dry.
To toughen them up and ensure they lasted longer I gave them a coat of gloss sealer   
 
 
Voila - the finished beads
 
There's 100's of different ways of using these but I made a necklace and bracelet combination.
For an added bit of interest I put tiny flower shaped beads between my paper ones.
 
 

   
 
Thank you for dropping by - I hope you found the blog interesting and useful. Paper weight and length of the triangles will have an effect on the beads - so have a bit of fun trying different combinations.

 
 

 
 

9 comments:

  1. OMG Margaret! This is stunning..thanks for the tutorial! You have put in a lot of efforts there..and the set shows off your efforts...beautiful :)
    Suchi xx

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  2. These are lovely! You must have great patience :)

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  3. Wow you made all these beads yourself! Beautiful work Pixie Ger x

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  4. Absolutely beautiful beads ! I have often seen them and never knew exactly how to make them, but your tutorial is so well explained I am going to have a go ! Thanks so much for sharing, the added tiny flower beads on your bracelets are an inspiration :)

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  5. Wow this is such an awesome idea creating jewelry with left over papers. Thanks so much for sharing.
    Hugs
    Desíre
    {Doing Life – my personal blog}

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  6. Absolutely gorgeous!! Thank you for joining in with the #300 'Winter' challenge at Crafty Catz. Mia - GDT Member xx

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  7. Gorgeous jewellery you've made with the paper beads :o) I like making paper beads too but mine are not as even as yours lol.
    Love your blog & am now your newest follower.
    Hugs
    Tracey
    xx

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  8. Oh wow this is fab. Bought back memories of when I was a child..my mum still has a necklace I made her and I am 54 years old now. Just love this xxx

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    1. Thanks Lea :) I first made one of these for my mam with help from Godmother 35+ years ago .. when I made this new one- would you believe, my mam produced her original one ... happy memories

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