Homemade "Wooden" Beads

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HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Homemade "Wooden" Beads

Post by HappyDaze »

Have you seen those wood beads on a string that are "the in thing" to have as a home accessory? I have some that I got from buying a purse at the thrift store - that the handles were made out of those beads strung on a rope - so I took it all apart and made my own wood bead accessory.

Then - I wanted more. Oh the prices of those - outrageous! So I looked up a recipe for air dry clay online - it amounts to cooking a cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of corn starch and some water until it turns into a stiff dough. I assembled my own beads, making a hole in the center of each with a dowel. They took several days to dry completely but they are ready to paint and put onto a piece of twine.

Cost = practically nothing! I had the ingredients for the clay and I already have yarn, twine, etc. I'm going to experiment and see what I can come up with in the way of paint (I want a tan/brown tone) without spending any money. I have some white craft paint that I'm thinking I can color with some coffee or tea or something.

Excited for the finished product!
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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MackerelCat
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: Homemade "Wooden" Beads

Post by MackerelCat »

That is very clever! Mixing red and green paint also produces brown, and you can lighten it with the white for variety.
Mackie
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Homemade "Wooden" Beads

Post by HappyDaze »

MackerelCat wrote: Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:59 pm That is very clever! Mixing red and green paint also produces brown, and you can lighten it with the white for variety.
Never thought about that - thank you for the idea!
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
GJspins
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2022 1:03 pm

Re: Homemade "Wooden" Beads

Post by GJspins »

how did your beads turn out?
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Homemade "Wooden" Beads

Post by HappyDaze »

GJspins wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 1:14 pm how did your beads turn out?
Pretty good! Not as smooth as actual wooden ones - maybe I could have token ore time with each one and made the soother - maybe next time.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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