Bead onTrouble

by Barbara Burnett Smith

  With a small paintbrush, brush a thin coat of glue to a small portion of the bead and place the paper scrap on it.

  Press it down and brush over it again with the glue. Continue gluing paper to the bead until it is covered.

  Let the bead dry completely.

  To protect your little work of art, spray lightly; 2-3 thin coats are better than one thick coat, which could cause colors to run.

  There are many alternative ways to decorate beads with paper. You can choose a theme, (i.e., Paris—an Eiffel Tower with French words) or a color scheme. You may choose to cut or tear your papers randomly or evenly, like a small quilt. Use paper with foreign writing or letters (ala Kitzi) or color your papers with colored pencils or stamp inks.

  Once created, the beads can be used for any project from earrings to tassels.

  This project was described by bead artist Mary Newton, who gratefully acknowledges other artists who have done similar projects.