Depending on where you are, you know Mardi Gras is coming up. My local grocery store has four isles set apart for Mardi Gras stuff. Who actually enjoys those play beads though? I know several people who offer theirs to my Princess and Pixie for their dress up clothes after the season. Here are some DIY paper beads that are a bit more stylish than the plastic costume beads and are sure to get you some attention. The most effective DIYs to me, however, are ones that you can use for any occasion, and if you pick different color papers you can make these for any celebration!
Materials
- decorative papers in green, purple and gold
- scissors
- glue stick
- wooden skewer
- upholstery needle
- twine or string
Instructions
1. Cut your decorative paper into long, thin triangles (pictured above). Determine the length based on how thick you want your beads to be. Ours were roughly eight inches long.
2. Glue the first few inches of one triangle’s tip with a glue stick.
3. Wrap the triangle, starting at its base, tightly around a wooden skewer. Secure your rolled paper in place by pressing the glued end tightly to the rest of the roll. Carefully slide the rolled bead off your skewer.
4. Repeat steps 1–4 as many times as needed to create several strands of beads.
5. String your beads together with an upholstery needle and string. Be sure to leave enough string on either end of your bead strands to be able to tie it around your neck.
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