Wearable Art: Paper Beads made from Gelli® Prints

Hi everyone— it’s Regina on the blog today! 

We
all know Gelli^® printing is totally addicting! And as a result of our
enthusiasm for printing, we have tons of prints begging to be used! Here’s a
fun way to make your finished Gelli® monoprints into wearable art! Paper beads!

Paper
beads are fun and easy to make. They are a great way to use up some finished
prints and a perfect project for using those little leftover pieces of prints
you have been saving!

First,
decide what type of bead you might like to make! They are all sorts of designs
that already exist or you could even create your very own! These are some that
I have used. The beads in this picture are an inch wide and five inches long.
The smaller ones are pieces that were cut off the longer ones.

Then,
cut out a ton of the paper beads in the shape you desire.

Next,
gather your Glossy Mod Podge, an old paint brush or sponge, and a paperclip. Unfold
the paperclip until it is in the shape of a long “L.”

Create
a very small fold on one end of your short sides to help you start rolling the
paper bead.

Apply
a generous amount of Mod Podge to the back side of your paper for the bead.
Begin rolling your paper bead around the paper clip.

You
may need to apply more Mod Podge before finishing rolling the bead since it
dries rather quickly. Roll all the way until the tip of your paper is wrapped
around the bead or if you prefer you can trim the tip of the paper off.

Paint
the Glossy Mod Podge all around the outside of your bead to create the glossy
finished look! Allow plenty of time to for your beads to dry. As an added
bonus, the beads can stay wrapped around the paperclip while drying!

Tip:
While you are waiting for them to dry, you can lay the paperclips across the
lid of your Mod Podge or a little paper cup, so they aren’t touching the table!

Once
your beads are all finished and dry you can then create beautiful wearable art
with them! These are some pieces of jewelry I have made using my Gelli Arts® paper beads. You can further embellish your finished beads with markers,
acrylic paint, or Tulip Dimensional paint, like I did on the yellow necklace
and earrings! I love how it adds my personal touch!

Necklaces:

Bracelet:

Earrings:

The
list of possibilities is endless! If you give it a try, we’d love to see your results!

Here
are the materials used to create the paper beads:

• Finished
  Gelli® Prints
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glossy
  Mod Podge
• Paint
  brush or Sponge brush
• Paper
  clips
• Markers
  for embellishment

Please—share your prints with us on our Facebook page, or on Instagram using the hashtag #gelliprint #gelliarts and #gelliplate. Tag us with @gelliarts on Instagram and Twitter too! We love to see what you’re creating!!
Remember, we now have Gelli partners all over the world, so it’s easier than ever to find a Gelli retailer near you!

Have Fun & Happy Printing!