Paper Bead Making
Applique Paper Beads

I have been making paper beads since around October 1996 and through the years I have been wondering how I could add pretty designs to the beads after they are rolled. I have made wrapped beads by cutting small pieces of scrap paper to the same size as I needed to go all the way around the bead but that is not exactly what I was after. Finally, I was flipping through some YouTube videos, just for fun, and came across a video about applying decals to fingernails. I thought to myself, hey, that may be adaptable to making paper beads. So I watched a few videos on how the water transfer thing is done and it reminded me of a water transfer project I did with my Aunt, as a teenager and thought to myself, how clever to use this same technique for fingernails. The project I made with my aunt was applying a flower design to a small ceramic planter. That was my very first experience with the water transfer technique.

Now that I make paper beads, I figured if water transfer can be done with fingernails, why not paper beads! So I ordered my first pack of water transfer decals through Wish.com, waited a few weeks for them to arrive, let them sit in my office for at least a couple more weeks before I got started. Once I got started, I could not stop! Even though they were difficult to do at first, I was determined to get better at it since they were coming out so stinking cute! They are the most adorable paper beads I have ever made! They are not easy and you have to have patience and a steady hand but the effort and time it takes to make them is so worth it!

This technique can also be used on wood, clay or any other type of bead with a hard smooth surface that you can adhere the tiny images to.

I have made quite a few and here is what I did!

By the way, since first introducing this technique, I have discovered not only waterslide decals but Fingernail stickers! No need for water!

You can Get Janice Mae's Vibrance at Etsy. This is not an affiliat link. I provide the link because I use it myself and want to support her business.

Click Here For the Instructions

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