Recycled Old Newspapers, Magazines and Scrap Paper into Beautiful Beads

     So here it is. My very first tutorial. I am a great fan of couponing. As a Mom of 6 who doesn't need to save a little money? A grand scale side effect of all that couponing is a mountain of left- over newspaper no one can quite figure out what to do with. Other than using it as drop cloths under my paintings, what else can I use it for? 

Never fear! If you are a crafter or just need a cool project to do with the kids, you can turn your old newspapers into some very unique beads. If you follow the steps here the beads will turn out very durable with an almost hard plastic feel to them. They are water resistant but I would not advise submerging in water for an extended period of time. 

To get started lets gather some supplies. 

1. Newspaper, old magazines, scrap paper
2. Glue of some sort. I prefer the glue pen from Close to My Heart or Modge Podge but I have done these with elmers in a pinch and it works fine. Elmers tends to get a bit sticky fast and can sometimes be a little "filmy" so you have to work fast with it. 
3. a slim rod/wooden dowel or paper quiller to wrap beads around. You can use different sizes for a different hole size. The metal rods I use are called "mandrels". You can get these at any lamp work bead supply store. They are typically really cheap. Wooden dowels work fine and can be found at any crafting store such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby or JoAnns. 
4. paper cutter (or scissors), a ruler if you are a stickler for exact sizes. 
5. a finishing "glaze". I used Modge Podge dimensional magic or Close to My Heart Liquid Glass. 
6. a paint brush to spread the "glaze"

To begin, you need to first cut the bead shape out of the paper. If you are a stickler for having all the same size beads, I advise using a ruler to mark off equal tick marks for cutting guidelines. I however, love the different shapes I can get out of the paper so I do not overly worry about doing this. 

Next comes the fun part. When I cut my favorite bead shape, I cut at an angle and make a long triangle. Remember, the longer the paper, or the thicker the paper (i e cardstock), the fatter your bead will be. 

Next you want to position your mandrel or dowel at the beginning of the paper on the fat end. ( pic 1) You will want to roll the paper a few rolls before applying glue (pic 2). If you apply glue too soon, the paper will stick to your roller and you will rip your bead. Once you have a good start, apply the glue and finish rolling your bead to the end. I always put a little drop of glue at the tip to secure the roll of the bead. 

This is the glue I use:

Once your bead is rolled up, it should look something like the following picture. Please note here, newspaper is extremely thin, for a fatter skinnier bead you will need to cut longer, skinnier strips (or use thicker paper). This is just to get you started on the general idea. For some great patterns, google "paper bead patterns".

For a more cylindrical bead cut straight strips and roll them up. 

Once you are done rolling your beads, apply a thin coat of "glaze" I used Modge Podge dimensional magic for these beads. The more coats you put on the harder the bead becomes. Allow time to dry between coats. 

There you have how to roll paper beads. Now they do come in all shapes and sizes. This is just the easiest one for me to teach in a tutorial. Below are some pictures of beads I have had fabulous luck selling. You can add anything you want to your beads. Acrylic paint takes very well and looks great under the modge podge. You can even 

add glitter or special textures to your beads. 

Have fun! Please let me know if you have any questions!