My lesson for today was to try out a couple of cool tricks I have read about, but haven't had time to try. So today is the day! I also have two little tips to share that I came up with on my own!
Tip #1 - Stiffening Your Beadwork
I made a lovely pendant a few days ago, but the netted beaded edging around the center was a little floppy. I tried to run extra thread around the edges, but it really didn't do much but bend me needle! Then I remembered a tip from Jean Campbell that I read several months ago. It had to do with stiffening your bead work with acrylic floor polish. She had suggested Future, but I couldn't find it at the store anywhere. I decided what the hay, that I would use my Mop and Glo. LOL. I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do, so I filled a little bowl with just enough floor cleaner to cover the top of the piece when it was laying flat. Then I threw the pendant in and hoped for the best. I made sure it was covered, then lifted it out and let the excess run off. I let it dry for a few hours. Well, it wasn't that stiff. So I submerged it again, shook off the excess and let it dry for a few more hours. It was stiffer, but not that stiff. I was a little disappointed. So I sort of tossed it aside and went to bed. This morning much to my amazement it was stiff! Now I don't mean hard as a rock, it still bends, but it is stiff enough to hold it's shape which is exactly what I wanted! Oh! In case you are wondering, it did not seem to affect the crystals, beads, and pearls in the pendant. But I probably wouldn't try this with dyed beads!
Tip # 2 - Painting Your Wooden Beads
You all know I LOVE the beaded bead! Sometimes a larger bead is used in the center to support the outer beadwork. Sometime the inner bead surface will show through the outer bead surface a little, sometimes a lot! I found an awesome tip from Diane Fitzgerald, paint your beads with nail polish!!!! Duh! Great idea folks, not only do you get a huge assortment of gorgeous colors, you get a smooth lacquered ball that will look brilliant peeking through your equally brilliant beadwork!!! In case you are wondering, that is Sally Hansen 620 - Wine Not? lol
Tip #3 - Bead Trays
A few years ago I was organizing all my kitchen drawers and bought a bunch of drawer organizer trays in different sizes. I had several left over that have been sitting around for years. I took one out the other day just to hold my bags of beads after I was finished with them, but before I got around to putting them away. At least they are in one place! I'm a kitchen beader so I need to be able to move things easily. My granddaughter was beading with me last week, so I got her a tray to hold her beads. These trays are stackeable and look great! I have a number of trays with different projects that can be easily moved and they hold everything you need (scissors, thread, beads). I got these in the kitchen section at Target.
Tip #4 - Book Holder
And this tip come along purely by accident. I took the picture of the trays above and realized that my red cookbook holder was in the background. That's tip #4, I'm using my cookbook holder (never used) to hold my book and magazine patterns while I bead! It works great. I have also been using it to hold my table top moodboard, which is just a small bulletin board I got for four bucks at Joann's. This cookbook holder came from Target's kitchen section too.
Hope this has helped you a little, certainly has helped me!
You're such a smartie! I love the book holder idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
The tip for the nail polish on the wood beads is excellent,,you could even pick an accent color that you want to peak through. I am currently working on a swap bracelet, but have leftover wood beads from my macrame days, so going to get them out and measure them up and bag them so I know the sizes when doing the beaded beads. Loved all your tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks
I had read about the floor polish stiffening trick, but have been too intimidated to try it. You are clearly more fearless than I am!
ReplyDeleteWay to go, smart girl! Love the multi use of kitchen trays and cookbook holder! Thanks for trying out the floor polish for us. I've not tried it either, so that's good to know.
ReplyDeletegreat tips! i really like the nail polish one. i can imagine all the sparkly colors and my teenager getting mad at me for invading her space and confiscating her nail polish. i've heard of the future floor wax thing, but have never tried it myself. maybe i will have to give it a go sometime. i'm a kitchen beader too, and i just use the large sized freezer storage bags to hold my WIP's. thanks for all the good advice!
ReplyDeleteHandy Mandy's Hints, it could be another blog! I love it when people share ideas they've heard or invented, because I never know what help it may be somewhere down the time line.
ReplyDeletePeace
xoxo
Thanks for sharing your tips. I have read about the floor wax before also glad to know it works with something other than "Future". The container idea is a great idea. I use one of those green boxes to hold a project that I can not get done in one sitting. Painting the wooden beads with nail polish is genius they would look pretty even without making them into beaded beads.
ReplyDeleteTherese
Great ideas! You're the second person who has said recently that they couldn't find Future. I'm glad I have a big bottle of it already.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! I love the nail polish idea!
ReplyDeleteUsing those kitchen organizers for bead trays/beading supplies is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, Mandy! I like the nickname Donna gave you - you could start a "Handy Mandy" column. :-) I bet your Granddaughter would appreciate that one!
ReplyDeleteHere's another version of the nail polish idea: start with two colours and put a small amount of each into a container, an old tin box is perfect. Add the beads and close the lid. Shake the beads vigorously and that's it. It creates a super marble effect. and each bead is unique.
ReplyDeleteOh and of course separate the beads immediately and dry them on a skewer stick.