How gorgeous are these beads? Guess what?…they are made out of PAPER! My oh so awesome-ly crafty friend Marlene shows us how! It’s easier than it looks!

:: Items Needed

• 8×10 Paper
  (copy paper, scrapbook paper, even wall paper if thin enough which is what I used this time)
• Scissors
• X-Acto Knife
• Pencil or Pen
• Straight Edge or a Ruler
• Toothpick
• Mat or Cardboard to protect from cutting blade
• Glue

:: Instructions

STEP 1:

On the 11 inch side of paper mark every ½ inch with pencil. Make sure to do both 11 inch sides. Here is what it should look like (pictured below).

STEP 2:

Next take your straight edge and angle from the corner of the paper to the first mark at bottom so that it forms a narrow triangle, and draw a line down the straight edge with a pencil. Keep alternating corner to pencil mark to make triangles across the rest of paper.

STEP 3:

Next lay your straight edge along the lines and carefully cut with an x-acto knife all of the triangles.

Take your paper triangles (these were cut out of wall paper so this is the front side pictured above), glue and toothpick and get ready to roll! 🙂

STEP 4:

Flip triangle over so blank side is facing up. Start with the wide end of triangle and start curling over the toothpick, rolling snuggly over and over. Try to keep the ends even.

STEP 5:

Dab a little glue on last ½ inch of the triangle and spread on and press lightly with finger to attatch to bead.

If you want these to be waterproof, shiny, and durable you need to seal them. There are various products to choose from, Aileens Paper Glaze, Diamond Glaze and Triple Thick are some examples. Here are some finished paper beads which can be strung and used once they are completely dry.

(thanks Marlene!)