Cosmic Shimmer Tyvek Beads

I've always LOVED beads.  I think they were my first love other than Peanut Butter Crunch...the reason I will never have a six pack.  Making my own beads is a thrill every time I come up with a new color, design or material to use.  These Tyvek beads are so glittery, I want to use them with everything!  I grabbed Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Polish from Joggles.com and was able to apply the most beautiful metallic colors to the Tyvek paper before I melted them and then added even more glitter with my varnish finish. Watch the video below to see how they're made.  The result is out of this world!  Making things will make you happy, my sweet friends...I promise!  

Now get out there and Make Your Mark!

One day I'll just wear tons of these with a bright caftan and drink cocktails all day!

I chose large gold spacers, but you could use any kind of bead with them!

Tyvek Sheets: https://bit.ly/36Hx1sA Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Polish: https://bit.ly/3fjUDYn Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool: https://bit.ly/2YBCbEC www.Joggles.com MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make them here OR

Watch the video on my YouTube channel here:  https://youtu.be/BJyxTa6Z0TE

I love using waxed cord for my larger bead strands...it's so easy to use!

BEAD-utiful!

The Easiest Paper Beads - Upcycled DIY

I STILL get a phone book every 6 months and when I see it on my doorstep, it's like being zapped back in time!  Still, I immediately grab it because I love making stuff with the thin, translucent paper!  These paper beads could easily be made with newspaper, too, but a phone book just seemed so much fun and I had one on hand.  By using several coats of paint, starting with black, you can get an amazing raw turquoise look.  Add a little Triple Thick Gloss Glaze from DecoArt and you'll have a strand of beads worthy of a chic gallery opening!  Like I always say,  use what you have
and always Make Your Mark!

I'm moving to Florida so I can wear these with a huge caftan!

Paint them any color...add gold flakes!

STUFF I USED
Americana Acrylics: https://amzn.to/2UFQwgQ Triple Thick Gloss Glaze: https://amzn.to/2UIrD4e

Watch how to make them here!

Giving these a strand-ing ovation!

Bead-utiful!

Stained Glass-tic Beads DIY

It actually makes me sad to see the big plastic salad containers just tossed into the bin after just one use.  So much waste and soooo much plastic.  It's frustrating.  Daily I challenge myself to find things to make with what most would consider garbage and I take that challenge very seriously.  Recently I remembered a Tyvec bead project using a heat gun and thought that the technique just might work on these salad clams.  Guess what...It did!  Add a little bit of Marabu Alcohol Ink to give them some amazing color and you have some beautiful, stained glass beads!  Think out of the box (or in this case, salad clam) and always Make Your Mark!

Attached to paper clips for art journals

Strung with gold spacers for jewelry!

Watch how to make them here!

I just can't make these fast enough!

Scrap Fabric Beads

Are you as obsessed with door beads as I am?  They remind me of Rhoda's apartment on the Mary Tyler Moore show.  HUGE fan of Rhoda's style here!  These fabric beads are a perfect way to use up that bag of fabric scraps that you've been hoarding and only seems to be getting bigger!  I like using them for everything from my art journals & bookmarks to jewelry and Christmas tree garland.  Fulfill your need to bead with this super fun project and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

A close-up of my colorful, new beads!

 I used some for this leather bookmark!

Watch how to make them here!

 They look great mixed with other beads, too!

Fulfill your need to bead!

Oly-Fun Fabric Beads

If you haven't played with Oly-Fun yet, you're missing out.  This stuff is like fabric construction paper and it comes in tons of different colors, too.  A few weeks ago, I was cleaning out my craft house and found a stash of fabric beads and it got me to thinking about how I might use Oly-Fun for a fabric bead project.  After a little experimenting, I got hooked.  The best part is that you can mix colors to create different looks.  The greens and blues make a terrific malachite effect and the black, tan and white together look like singed wood!  Remember, experiment until you come up with something amazing and always Make Your Mark!

Rhapsody in blue!

Knotted and ready to wear!

Watch how I made them here!

STUFF I USED

Oly-Fun Craft Material

Tea lights

Satin cord

Glass plate

Bead pattern

 HERE'S HOW

1.  Pick your Oly-Fun colors.  I used 6!

2.  Stack them and cut out the bead pattern

3.  Roll the cut stacks around the end of a slim paint brush

4.  Trim the staggered ends

5. & 6.  Singe the end of the rolled bead and quickly roll it on the glass

*This will seal the rolled end to the body of the bead

7.  Continue to singe the body of the bead (which will expose each of the colors) and then quickly smooth out the bead by rolling it on the glass plate

8. & 9. String the beads on thick satin cord and knot between each one

I love how the colors blend together!

Beautiful Metallic Tyvek Beads DIY

I get tons of Tyvek envelopes in the mail and one of my favorite things to do with them is make beads!  Just cut them into long triangles and add some heat....It's that easy!

Plus, you can make them in almost any size and color.  Wrap them with wire and beads and you have something truly wonderful for your jewelry projects.

Have fun!  xo, Mark

I got a little carried away making these! 

A close up of my wire wrapped beauties 

Watch the short video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Tyvek envelopes (Fed ex and USP use them)

Heat gun (or very hot hair dryer)

Wood skewers

Beads

Wire

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics

Wire cutters

Scissors

Straight pins

Paintbrush

Cut your envelopes in 6" wide pieces

Paint them with several different colors of DecoArt Dazzling Metallic paints

Cut them in long triangles that are about 1" - 2" at the base

Roll them around a wood skewer and pin in place

Heat them until they start to melt

Cut 6" wire pieces with wire cutters

Add beads and wrap around your beads 

*Make sure to bend in the sharp ends