Musings

Various topics not directly related to making paper beads

Washi Paper Bead – day 279

Posted on Aug 15, 2012 in Musings | Comments Off on Washi Paper Bead – day 279

When you say washi paper, origami comes to my mind.  I look at the intricate patterns and I am just dying to make them into paper beads or at least find a way to incorporate them with paper beads.  The most common way to make them into a bead is wrap it around a wood bead that is cylindrical in shape, the result is just awesome! 

IMG_0007-001

Got some boring looking paper beads?  Here’s how I did it…..

 

My heart sings when I see these:)

IMG_0002-001

 

Read More

Yummy Treats from Manou

Posted on Aug 27, 2011 in Musings | 7 comments

Today, I have some eye candy for you from one of my talented followers Manou 🙂  If you remember, Manou made the mini Matryoshka dolls which she hand painted.  Manou just took paper bead painting to the next level in these little sweet treats she made.

sweeties 1blog5

Can you believe they are all made from paper?  My favorite is the wedding cake.

wedding cakesblog2

Fat free, calorie free and totally delicious 🙂

chocolate rolled 1blog1

Manou, thank you for sharing your talent in paper bead making with us.  We all had our  fill of delicious desserts today:)

sweeties 2blog3

Read More

A Leisurely Day

Posted on Jun 18, 2010 in Musings | 1 comment

What do you do when you are in one of those days when you are drained of ideas and inspiration?  When your eyes are tired from surfing the internet?  When that happens, I will spend the day doing absolutely nothing and go to the two most happiest place on earth (for me) 🙂  Barnes and Noble and Michael’s Arts and Crafts.  My hubby would often say, how can one spend 4 hours at Barnes and Noble?  Very easily.  Here’s how my day went yesterday when I decided to take a break.  We have a shopping center close by that has; Barnes and Noble, Michael’s, Joann’s Fabric and Target all in one block.  First had lunch at Starbucks (the one inside Barnes), they had a special of 1/2 a chicken sandwich and a cup of wedding soup (never had this before).

A Leisurely Day

Yummy desserts!

A Leisurely Day

Spent an hour browsing though their magazine rack, bought one that featured fabric cuffs which I’m going to try one of these days 🙂  They also have about 50 books on origami and anything about paper and scrap booking, spent another 2 hours there 🙂

A Leisurely Day

Michael’s was next;

A Leisurely Day

blog5

Want to see what I got from Michael’s?

Inspired by Peruvian embroidered bangles and the sewn cuff bracelet I saw at one of the beading magazines, I thought I would like to cross stitched small designs on aida cloth, haven’t done this since I was in college when I gifted my aunt a set of embroidered table napkins.

A Leisurely Day

Earring findings, which I thought would go well with the black and white paper beads (zentagles) from earlier post.  I am planning on making earrings and sea anemone ring with those.

A Leisurely Day

I thought this would go nicely with paper beads.

A Leisurely Day

I am planning to make something similar to the Mad Hatter’s belt worn accross the body, maybe a long necklace with these wooden spools.

A Leisurely Day

These are wood beads that would also look nice with paper beads.

A Leisurely Day

Remember this?  It was the most expensive purchase at $20, but I just got to have it – I can see possibilities…..

A Leisurely Day

What do you do when you want to take a break from your beading or crafting?

Read More

Trash to Treasure

Posted on Jan 30, 2010 in Musings | 2 comments

I have mentioned in passing my penchant for anything, altered, used, second hand or recycled.  I don’t think I’m being taken seriously though when I say that I’d rather wear paper beads jewelry than diamonds (a girl’s best friend right?).  My husband, ever since I discovered paper beads and how I can turn them into beautiful jewelry stopped getting me real jewelry for birthdays and Valentine’s Day.  He knows that  he doesn’t get to see me wear them.    I love the attention when I am at a gathering and I will be the only one wearing paper beads jewelry.  My mind whirls with ideas and imagination when I find “trash” I know can be turned into something useful.   While we were setting up our booth at the CHA last Saturday, I saw string of plastic strewn all over the floor soon to be picked up by the cleaning crew.  As I was picking them up from the floor I can already imagine turning it into a purse or a throw pillow.  I just have the time to clean it today and rolled them up into a ball.  It was so much fun for my dog Bo and the new addition to our family Julius.  You can see it here yourself.

blog1

blog2

blog4

Bo did not leave me alone, he was determined to have fun just as much as i did.

blog5

Julius, does not want to be left behind with all the excitement of rolling this long piece of plastic strip into a ball.

blog9

blog11

Part of the fun is the creating part, I am thinking of making a throw pillow with paper beads embellishments or a purse, what do you think?  I hope I have inspired you to turn your trash into treasure.

blog10

Read More