Handmade Beads

Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza

Creative Juice - Episode # 303 - Beads by Hand

Tune in or TIVO - Thursday morning - HGTV

It's the little things that matter as we go bananas for beads! A simple tool transforms clay into perfectly shaped handcrafted beads that look great strung together. Extra scrapbook paper gets molded into distinctive beaded jewelry and a wooden bead wrapped in seed beads takes fashion to an elegant new extreme.

polymer clay beads

that's not pasta!


beaded beads

fabric covered beads

paper beads - perfect project for kids

paper beads grown up

tomorrows episode today - Polymer Clay Bugs

Tune in or Tivo Creative Juice on HGTV - Thursday Mornings.

The "Kids Explore" episode is loaded with fun, old-fashioned fun ideas for kids. We create a unique tee-pee your little tribe will love, fire up awesome clay bugs for backyard hide-and-seek, and reveal yummy new recipes for some classic treats. Visit this link to learn more about all the projects featured on this episode.

Polymer Clay Bugs - Snail

Materials:
polymer clay: brown, orange, bright green, dark green, white, blue and red
20-gauge craft wire
wire-cutters
cookie sheet
parchment paper
oven

1. Knead the clay until it's soft. To make the snail shell, roll a piece of brown clay into a long log shape with one tapered end. Do the same thing with a piece of orange clay. Hold the two pieces together and roll them into a coil/cinnamon bun shape, starting with the skinnier ends.

2. To make the body, roll a piece of bright green clay into the same tapered log shape, only slightly shorter. The thicker end of the shape will be the head; gently smash the shell onto the top of the body and bend the head end of the body upward. Stick several tiny dots of dark green clay all over the snail’s body to create warts.

3. Shape a piece of dark green clay into a pea-sized ball. Next, make a flat disc shape out of white clay and press onto the green ball. Place a small blue circle of clay in the middle of the white area to create an eye for the snail. Repeat this process for the other eye. Cut two small straight pieces of wire, each approximately 1" long. Stick these into the top of the snail’s head, leaving a little more than half sticking out. Skewer the eyes onto the wire.

4. Roll out two small pieces of red clay into log shapes with tapered ends. Put them together to make lips; place on the snail’s head.

5. Bake the snail on a parchment-lined baking sheet according to the instructions on the package of clay. Let cool before handling. Other types of creatures can be made using similar techniques.