"Literary" Paper Pendant Tutorial

Jane Eyre Necklace

Alice in Wonderland Bracelet

Alice in Wonderland Pendant

Hi to all,

If you have been keeping up with my blog, I know you have seen my "literary" jewelry pieces.  The were made from the pages of old or reproductions "classics".  Below is a basic tutorial to make one of these pieces for yourself from your favorite novels!

MATERIALS:

small piece of corrugated cardboard 

eye pins not more than 1" (I prefer to use silver plated findings, they 

always look nice and shiny)*

1.5-2" head pins*

5mm-6mm & 8mm jump rings*

1-bail*

a few small/medium beads to add to your necklace orbracelet (optional)

old style classic book, one with illustrations or decorated text

Tacky glue

Triple thick(R) gloss glaze

toothpicks

styrofoam egg carton

paper plate
Black paint
Black magic marker
silver chain, suede cord or rubber cord

TOOLS: scissors, jewelry pliers and wire cutters, 1/4" soft and 1/4" stiff brush, hot glue gun skewer and awl

STEPS:

1. Take corrugated cardboard and cut into two ovals or circles about the size of a quarter or a little larger.  This will be the "focal bead" of your necklace.  I used ovals and circles in my pieces, but really any shape is fine.  You may want to add smaller "beads" to your necklace, cut those out now too.  The smaller beads on the Alice in Wonderland bracelet and the Jane Eyre necklace were crafted from one disk of corrugated cardboard.  This will probably work with your design also.  I used quarters for the larger beads and nickels as templates for my smaller beads.

2. For the focal bead, or the largest bead; line up the 2 eye pins in the center of the piece.  Now using a hot glue gun, set the two pins in position.

3. Using the hot glue gun again, glue the two pieces together (like a sandwich), with the eye pins on the inside.  Make sure both eye pins stick out and the pieces are lined up evenly. 

4. Paint using thick black paint all around the edges of the piece.  This gives a more finished look to your focal bead.  You can also paint around the smaller pieces or even use a black magic marker to finish off those edges.  

    

5. Set the smaller "beads" aside.  Now you can decorate your "focal bead" with pieces of the text or  illustrations from your "classical" text.  Cut out words, illustrations or designs, really anything you want.    Glue to focal bead with tacky glue using the soft brush.  Remember to decorate both sides.  Try to use words and images representative of the book.  Let glue dry.

                                                                                     

6.  Using the same basic techniques, decorate the smaller disks or beads.  Before gluing words or images, poke a small hole about 1/8" from the circumference of the disk.  We will use this hole later for attaching a jump ring.  Now decorate your disks as you did your "focal bead".  Once glue is dry, re-poke hole with awl, then pierce again with a toothpick.  This should enlarge hole.

7. The next step is glazing all of the beads.  Squeeze out a little Ultra-thick (R) on a paper plate . Hold the pendant by the eye pin or with a toothpick, use the stiff 1/4" brush to cover the pendant with the Ultra-Thick(R) glaze.   Cover completely and let it dry at least 30 minutes.  If the weather is very humid, the pendant may need to dry overnight.  Use toothpick and the egg carton to hold the pendant while it is drying.  You need to put at least two coats of the Ultra-Thick (R) glaze on the pendant.

8.  While pendant is drying, we can assemble the beads which hang below the "focal bead" (from the eye pin).  String beads on the head pin.  Use the remainder of the headpin to form a loop.  For more detailed instructions on how to make headpin loop, go to this link.  Then using a jump ring attach the headpin to the eye pin on the bottom of the pendant.  If you are not sure about these last directions, go to the links, that will help. 

9.  Last step is to put on bail or a jump ring.  If you plan to wear your pendant bead alone on a rubber or leather cord, attach bail to the top eye pin.  Then slide it on the cord.  If you are wearing pendant bead as a necklace or bracelet with the other disks on a chain, attach a jump ring to the disks and they will easily attach to a chain. Have fun with it and enjoy!!  I'd love to see your creations.

Be sure to check my Etsy shop for new glitzy holiday pieces!

Talk to you soon.

anne

annemadethis giveaway winner

Hi to all,

I am really sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to everyone.  When there is too much to do, it just becomes overwhelming and nothing gets done right (or at least the way I want it done!).  My mind just clouds over and I totally lose my focus and my creativity.   I am always afraid that I will forget something, something will "fall between the cracks".  Then I don't feel good about what I am doing or myself for that matter. But, now I think I am back.  Once I  focus, I can prioritize and weed through the mess.  So I can say that a lot of neat things will be coming up this spring and I'll let you know about them soon. But first I have to announce the giveaway winner.

 annemadethis giveaway winner

And the winner is...    Meg for her comments on February 27th about my collage art beads. 

Congratulations Meg!

Please contact me at annemadethis@gmail.com to confirm mailing instructions for your bracelet. Thank you everyone for participating.

Stay tuned for another annemadethis giveaway!

I"ll be talking to everyone soon,   Be sure to visit my Etsy shop.

 anne



Happy Valentine's Day

Hi to all,

Hope you get tons of candy today!  During the last few days, I've been working on some new paper bead  bracelet designs.     I'll be listing them this week on my Esty site.  Soon I plan to do a tutorial on how to make this bracelet.  In the mean time, please let me know what you think.

Paper Beads from the Funnies!

Tropical Paper Beads

I've been wanting to put this recipe in my blog for a long time.  Although the recipe name sounds unappetizing, the results are delicious!  And you will always have homemade vegetable stock on hand.

Vegetable Broth (Garbage Broth)

This is a great use of vegetable peelings and trimmings. When you fix potatoes for dinner, save the peelings. Do the same for carrots, squashes and sweet potatoes. Also save the trimming from celery, onions, garlic and just about any other vegetable you prepare. Put the peelings and trimming in a plastic bag and store in freezer. Once bag is full, get your big stock pot, fill it with water and the frozen vegetable scraps and peelings; bring water to a boil and then simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. Add salt if necessary. Strain out all vegetables. Refrigerate.  You will have a fantastic vegetable broth that you can use as a base for soups and sauces. And it didn't cost anything!

Don't forget about the annemadethis recycled pendant giveaway!

anne 

Recycled Paper Pendant Giveaway

I wouldn't mind turning into a vermilion goldfish.

                                                                                           --Matisse

The Goldfish   1910

Hello to all,

I have been experimenting with a new bead design.  These beads were made from Sunday newspaper magazine supplements.  I varied the font of the pages to give some visual interest.  And adding the large seed beads gives it a splash of color.  The bracelet is strung on heavy elastic thread, so it just slips on.  I thought I might try making a bracelet from the comic strip pages and some colorful magazine front covers.  It's a fun bracelet to wear!  There is a picture below.  I appreciate your feedback, just leave me a comment.

Paper Bead Cuff

Enter now for a chance to win a Recycled Paper Pendant

This is our second free giveaway at annemadethis!

This month annemadethis is giving away the recycled paper pendant was crafted step by step in my January 14th blog.  Entering to win is easy.  To enter just leave me a comment on my blog.  Each comment equals one chance.  If you leave a comment linking an item from my Etsy shop, that equals two chances.  Enter as often as you wish.  Every comment is a chance to win.  The winner will be announced on March 15th here!  Here's a picture of the pendant.  I will put it on a rubber or faux suede black cord for you with a magnetic closure, you choose.  It's a funky interesting piece you will love wearing!

Collage Pendant

Looking forward to hearing from all of you!

anne

Collage Art Paper Beads

I shut my eyes in order to see.

                                                      --Paul Gaugin



Tahitian Women on the Beach   1891

Hi everyone,

The other day I was sitting in my work area/studio and I was trying to think of an idea for decorating my paper beads.  What could I do to make them stand out from an ordinary paper bead?  On my work table, I left over materials from previous projects all scattered about.  What about a mixed media collage on the bead?  And then I started.

I began by layering tissue and glue on the finished paper bead, then small pieces of paper, plastic, ribbon, string, thread and glitter. I coated the whole thing with an ultra thick gloss. And my collage art bead was born!  Another way to use those scraps of paper and bits and pieces of string, yarn etc. left over from other projects. What do you think?

Be sure to check my blog again in a few days.  I will be announcing the Pendant Giveaway.  You will have chance to win a recycled pendant and a paper bead bracelet.  Two ways to win!

I love comments, so please give me your feedback.  And visit my Etsy shop.

anne

Recycled Paper Pendants

Everything begins with an idea

                              --E. Nightingale

Hi to all,

The other day someone asked me about making my recycled collage paper pendants.  You can get a look at them on my Etsy site; there are a few designs there and this link will take you to one of them.  Below is a picture of some of my recycled pendants.

Recycled Paper Pendants by annemadethis

So Pam, here is my "how-to" on making the pendants.  These are the supplies & tools you will need:

small piece of corrugated cardboard (at least 3"X 3")

2- eye pins not more than 1" (I prefer to use silver plated findings, they always look nice and shiny)*

1-1.5-2" head pin*

1-5mm-6mm jump ring*

1-bail*

a few small beads

magazine scraps

Tacky glue

Triple thick(R) gloss glaze

2 toothpicks

styrofoam egg carton

paper plate

Optional:  stamps, paint

Tools: scissors, jewelry pliers and wire cutters, 1/4" soft and 1/4" stiff brush, hot glue gun

These are some of the tools and supplies you will need.  This photo may help you locate them in your craft store.



1. Take corrugated cardboard and measure into 2- 1' X 1 1/2" rectangles.  (see below).  Cut the two small rectangles out.

2. Take one rectangle, line up the 2 eye pins in the center of the rectangle as shown below.

3. Now using a hot glue gun, set the two pins in position.

4. Using the hot glue gun again, glue the two rectangles together (like a sandwich), with the eye pins on the inside.  Make sure both eye pins stick out and the rectangles are lined up evenly. 

5. Now the fun part begins!  Cut your magazine scraps into strips about 1/4" and about 3 1/2" long.  Squeeze some tacky glue in a paper plate.  Using the tacky glue, glue one strip around the rectangle in one direction and then take another strip and wrap it around the other way.

6. Continue this process until you cover the entire piece of corrugated cardboard, all sides and front and back.

7. Now you can decorate your pendant with tiny snippets from magazines, newspapers, and scrap paper.  Cut out words, tiny pictures numbers or designs, really anything you want.  You can also use paint or stamping to enhance your design.  Remember to decorate both side.  Let glue dry.

                                                                                    



8. The next step is glazing the pendant.  Squeeze out a little Ultra-thick (R) on a paper plate . Hold the pendant by the eye pin or with a toothpick, use the stiff 1/4" brush to cover the pendant with the Ultra-Thick(R) glaze.   Cover completely and let it dry at least 30 minutes.  If the weather is very humid, the pendant may need to dry overnight.  Use toothpick and the egg carton to hold the pendant while it is drying.  You need to put two coats of the Ultra-Thick (R) glaze on the pendant.

9.  While pendant is drying, we are going to assemble the beads which hang below the pendant.  String beads on the head pin.  Use the remainder of the headpin to form a loop.  For more detailed instructions on how to make headpin loop, go to this link.  Then using a jump ring attach the headpin to the eye pin on the bottom of the pendant.  If you are not sure about these last directions, go to the links, that will help.

10.  Last step is to put on bail.  Attach bail to the top eye pin.  Now you can wear your pendant on a chain, a ribbon or a leather cord.  And here is your finished pendant.  Enjoy it!!

Try making the pendant, let me know how it goes--send me a picture of your creation.

Don't forget the free annemadethis giveaway.  Read my December 27th blog for entry directions.  Drawing will be on January 25th!

anne