Wavy Cut Paper Bead How-To : 10 Steps (with Pictures)

I love making paper beads for use on my art dolls and for jewelry. I found that zig zag blade on my paper cutter makes beads that look wonderful. The colorful ones are like diminutive mosaics, while the monochrome make me think of snakeskin.
Using glue stick gives a soft, squishy bead, but using a combination of archival paste and glue stick just for the tips gives a solid bead reminiscent of paper mache.
It's addictive - and a fantastic way of using all those junk mail catalogs.

Step 1: Cut Your

Choose a page where the images and color reach the edge of the pages, unless of course you want white beads.
Cut wedges shapes alternating the widest point between the top of the page and the bottom of your sheet. You can cut lengthwise or widthwise - lengthwise gives a slightly fatter bead. I usually make the widest part 1-1.5 inches.

Step 2: Colorful Pieces

Step 3: Rolling

Start to roll from the widest end. Some people have success using a round toothpick, but I don't bother with that. I need a hole wide enough to accommodate yarn most of the time, and I have found no trouble making beads with a very small wire sized hole just by hand.

Step 4: Archival Paste

I like a small flat stiff bristled brush since the paste glue is..well, paste.

Step 5: Glue the Strip

I leave a tail of between 6 and 8 inches and paint on the glue thinly.

Step 6: Gluestick the Tail

I use glue stick, which is tackier than wet paste, on the last 2 inches of the tail. This prevents the tip from lifting as the paste dries slowly.

Step 7: Continue to Roll

Finish rolling the bead.

Step 8: Seal the Glue

I find that running the completed bead back and forth between my palms and fingers really seals the edges and begins the drying process. My hands get mucky, but that is easily solved with a wet wipe or nearby moist facecloth kept nearby. Also watch out for you glue brush drying out and hardening. I stick mine in water between beads.