Let's roll.......

Time to gather some goodies, no better place to start than with Tsukineko! starting with:
 Kaleidacolor *Tahiti
 Fireworks *Dandelion
 Memento  *Potter's Clay,
                *Peanut Brittle
                *Bahama Blue
                *Summer Sky
                *Pear Tart
 GlazOn

you will also need: 8.5 x 11 paper (I grabbed some paper off my printer)
                            Pencil
                            Ruler
                            Glue Stick
                            Paintbrush
                            Round Toothpicks
                            Cutting tool of your choice (I used a rotaty cutter & mat)

   Here's where the real fun begins, ink up the whole piece of  8.5 x 11 paper! Use plain white to start or go with a patterned background. The choice is yours. Apply the ink by using the stamp pads directly, with sponges or dabbers even stamps! no need to worry about a pattern because we're going to be cutting it up. Once you're happy with the the amount of color you've added...be sure to give it a sprizt with Firworks for that added burst of color and a bit of shimmer. Let the piece dry, then fold in half short side to short side, ink side folded in.
   Using a ruler mark with a pencil in 1" intervals along one 8.5 side. On the opposite edge mark in 1" intervals starting at the 1/2" mark. Draw a line diagonally from edge to edge.

   Cut along each of the lines. I left the piece folded, then cut the peices apart that were attached at the wide end. One 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper will yield 30 strips of paper.

    Now it's time to get rolling! grab a round toothpick and a strip of paper. Starting at the wide end, tightly wrap the strip around the toothpick. Unwing the strip leaving one wrap on the toothpick. Grab your gluestick and apply it to the wrond side of the strip. Tightly re-roll the strip creating a paper bead. By leaving one wrap around the toothpick allows it move and be removed from the toothpick. (tip: when using a gluestick grab a catalog or old phone book out of the recycle pile. Lay the piece on a page, apply the gluestick, turn the page before the next piece. Avoids a sticky work surface and turning the pages keeps the sticky of following pieces)
    Before removing it, seal the bead with a dab of GlazOn and spread over the entire bead to seal it.

   When the beads are dry, remove them from the toothpick and then the real fun can begin!! Earrings, bracelets, bookmarks, embellishments for cards or scrapbook pages! the ideas are endless! another idea was born out of getting a bead stuck on the toothpick with the GlazOn....a fancy appetizer pick!! Which leads to hairsticks using skewers or decorate chop sticks!
   Varying the width and length of the strip of paper changes the size of the bead. A google search for paper beads will provide othe templates to creat different shape beads. Play, experiment, create! Just have some FUN!!

  Stay tuned for just what happens to these beads! TTFN, Cyn