The holiday season is coming, bringing with it the inevitable deluge of unsolicited catalogs. If you’re feeling crafty, here’s one environmentally-friendly way to use them up: make them into paper beads and string them into jewelry! If you have kids, this is also a great way to keep them occupied when the weather turns sour.
Here’s how to do it, step by step:
Materials:
Junk mail-you can use any type of junk mail, but catalogs are best because they are colorful.
Scissors
White glue or a glue stick
Wax paper
Thread, elastic or cord for a necklace or bracelet
A toothpick
Optional decorations: Mod Podge (for a glossy finish), paint, glitter and/or UTEE embossing powder (not for kids!)
Instructions:
Step 1: Cover your work surface with wax paper. This will greatly simplify clean up.
Step 2: Cut your junk mail into long, skinny triangles.
Step 3: Roll the wide end of one of the triangles tightly around the toothpick..
Step 4. Continue rolling the paper in a tight coil around the toothpick. When you get to the last half-inch, stop and coat the point of the triangle with the glue.
Step 5: Finish rolling up the paper. Make sure the pointy end of the triangle is securely glued down-add a little bit of extra glue if needed.
Step 6: Slide the bead off of the toothpick. Repeat these steps with the remaining strips of paper.
Step 7: When the beads are dry, you can string them onto a necklace or a bracelet. If you like, you can also decorate them with Mod Podge, paint, glitter or even use UTEE embossing powders for a pearlescent or metallic finish.
That’s all there is to it! You can wear your creations yourself, or give them away to friends and family. Some people even make jewelry from paper beads and sell it. These are the basic instructions, but there are a lot of different variations. Don’t be afraid to experiment: cut the catalog pages into different sizes and shapes, try different decorations, etc. After all, it’s only junk mail!
Need some inspiration? Take a look at these websites to see what other people have made from their junk mail: