How to Make Beautiful Beads From Recycled Newspaper
I love finding ways to turn everyday common items, which would otherwise go into the garbage, into beautiful items that everyone can enjoy!
So… when I came across a gal who was making beautiful beads from recycled newspaper, I had to share the idea with you!
When I saw Helen’s beautiful beads, I asked her if she would mind sharing how she made them. After hearing from her, I realized that the methods used for these beads, were the exact same methods that I have used for several different projects including; costumes, handcrafted paper, and sculpted home decor items. I think what I love about her beads though… is the natural earthy look that they have. Please click on the pictures & visit Helen at her Flickr space!
What better way to pamper yourself than to make something so beautiful that costs nearly NOTHING! It would also be a great way to make some beautiful gifts for less than pennies – while recycling those pesky piles of old newspapers 
Perhaps you could also earn some extra money by making a nice little business out of your beautiful new creations! I’m sorry… there I go again… always the business mind 
Step #1 – Gather a small pile of newspapers from the recycling basket.
Step #2 – Rip the paper into small pieces
Step #3 – Put the pieces of newspaper in a large stock pot
Step #4 – Pour enough boiling water over the paper to cover
Step #5 – Allow to sit for an hour or so
Step #6 – Stir the paper to help break it down a bit
Step #7 – Drain as much water out of the paper as you can
Step #8 – Add enough glue to the paper to help it hold together in a ball shape (any glue that is clear when dry – such as Elmer’s, or PVA)
Step #9 – Roll the paper into round balls being sure to squeeze out as much moisture as you can while rolling (you can make any size you would like)
Step #10 – Let them dry for a few days – rolling them every several hours – until they are completely dry
Here’s a mix of paper & felt beads. I love the look of this mix!
Step #11 – Sand each bead down with a bit of sandpaper to remove rough edges
Step #12 – Drill a hole in each bead that is big enough for the material that you want to string them with
Step #13 – Paint them with left over craft paint
Step #14 – Give them a coat of varnish
Think of all of the different variations that you could make with this technique! The colors & stringing material possibilities are endless! I think some pretty pink beads strung on black velvet ribbon will be my first pampering self indulgence
And… don’t stop at just making beads!
How about…
- Little hearts for a Valentine’s Day banner, or to grace the front of your handcrafted cards
- Tiny beads to make earrings
- Little snowmen with a coat of cream paint – drenched in chunky glass glitter
- A nice chunky key chain made from beads & ribbon
- Snowballs strung on a ripped piece of homespun fabric – to make a snowball tree garland
Well, I think you will agree when I say that these little bits of recycled newspaper are some of the most beautiful bits I’ve ever seen!
260 Responses to “How to Make Beautiful Beads From Recycled Newspaper”
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« Previous 1 … 3 4 5DIY: Two Type Newspaper Bead Necklace | Hannah Watanabe on January 7, 2012
[...] buy some small black beads, but feeling cheap, I googled “homemade beads” and found How to Make Beautiful Beads from Recycled Newspaper on A Storybook Life. I made my beads far smaller than the ones shown on the site, but they still [...]
Link Love: Recycled Newspaper Baskets and Other Newspaper Crafts | FaveCraftsBlog on January 12, 2012
[...] Beautiful Beads from Recycled Newspaper from A Storybook Life [...]
Paper Mache Beads – Homemade Beads DIY Tutorial | Rags to Couture on February 12, 2012
[...] Paper+Boiling water+Glue = Awesome looking necklace at A Storybook Life. [...]
Alice (Allie) Hernandez on February 25, 2012
I would like to know what type of varnish are we talking about (name brand, where to find)? How do you do the felt?
L’atelier du mercredi : avec des vieux journaux | PLUMETIS Magazine on February 29, 2012
[...] : 7. @machoandtough - 8. @espritrecup via bluemarguerite – 9. @stephanielynn - 10. @astorybooklife – 11. [...]
Bead Making | Pearltrees on February 29, 2012
[...] How to Make Beautiful Beads From Recycled Newspaper – A Storybook Life – StumbleUpon So… when I came across a gal who was making beautiful beads from recycled newspaper, I had to share the idea with you! When I saw Helen’s beautiful beads, I asked her if she would mind sharing how she made them. After hearing from her, I realized that the methods used for these beads, were the exact same methods that I have used for several different projects including; costumes, handcrafted paper, and sculpted home decor items. I think what I love about her beads though… is the natural earthy look that they have. Please click on the pictures & visit Helen at her Flickr space! I love finding ways to turn everyday common items, which would otherwise go into the garbage, into beautiful items that everyone can enjoy! [...]
>Faire ses perles | Ripe Green Ideas on March 23, 2012
[...] A Story Book Life propose une technique (en anglais) pour fabriquer ces perles étonnantes à partir de papier de [...]
Upcycle Your Style « Honeygloom on March 24, 2012
[...] Boiled newspaper beads- these pretty painted beads are made by boiling old newspaper and forming the mush into beads. Their earthy color and rough texture is like no other bead I’ve seen. I found these beads at A Storybook Life. [...]
BETSY on April 20, 2012
I’m so inspired! I can’t wait to give this a go. Giant thanks for sharing…
Esin patience on April 26, 2012
I love beads and i wil like to know how to make some
Recicla y regala collares on May 2, 2012
[...] hemos encontrado en A Storybook Life y iHanna’s Blog y parece que en este caso la técnica consiste en cortar el papel de [...]
May/June Newspaper 1 « randomthoughtsbyus on May 21, 2012
[...] thanks to: http://www.astorybooklife.com/how-to/paper-beads/ & [...]
Paper Mache Bead Tutorials | I Love Paper Beads on May 26, 2012
[...] 1. The folks at A Storybook Life have tutorial on making round beads from basically paper mache. After painting and varnishing, the beads have a very earthy pebble look to them. See the tutorial: How to Make Paper Beads from Recycled Newpaper [...]
50 Summer Crafts for Kids | Totally Love It on May 31, 2012
[...] Recycled Newspaper Beads from A Storybook Life.* [...]
DIY Craft: Recycled Newspaper Beads! | Make A Birthday Wish on June 7, 2012
[...] A Storybook Life, and is very easy to follow. We will summarize, but it is worth checking out her step by step instructions (that include [...]
Sara on June 13, 2012
oh GOSH, what a treasure for my eyes … wonder wonder wonderful
Summer Crafts For Kids on June 26, 2012
[...] Recycled Newspaper Beads: If you are the creative type and have plenty of time, you might want to try this with your kids. It’s a lot of work but the end result is so pretty and they’d make such great gifts! Moreover, major green points! [...]
Colette on July 27, 2012
Your beads are absolutely beautiful! How do they hold up with constant or daily use?
Anne on July 31, 2012
love the beads….. i made a bunch of them myself!
10 Great ways to use Newspapers on August 14, 2012
[...] of crafts you can do with newspaper. I couldn’t even begin to name them all, Paper Mache, newspaper beads, Paper hats, even lovely and functional [...]
Judie on August 20, 2012
How do you paint the marbled coloring effect on the beads?
romantic wall street journal beads « high delight on September 6, 2012
[...] Here’s one of several tutorials I relied on. You shred newspaper, boil it to a pulp, mix it with glue, roll it into balls, sand them, drill holes, paint, and coat with varnish! THE END. I only took pictures of the last few (September!) steps. [...]
Cheers For Coupons – What do you do with all those newspapers? on October 29, 2012
[...] Make Beads! So easy! make paper mushy with water and glue, let dry, paint varnish and poke a hole in them and wha la! beads..these can be seriously pretty and make a great gift! For step by step how to click HERE [...]
Rush'd Lady on November 10, 2012
I have an article on my blog on how to make homemade paper, but I don’t let the paper sit and soak. It gets shredded then whirled in a blender. I like these colorful beads! Does she use the funny papers or ads to get the multi-colors?
Mary on December 12, 2012
I learned to make these when I was in the 5th grade and other items from newspaper in the 60′s. These are great looking
Jewelry Making Ideas - Live and Inspire, by Lauretta Marie Pierce on December 13, 2012
[...] Recycled Newspaper Beads [...]
How To Make A Pinwheel Beads And A Bead | X Power Penghemat BBM on January 2, 2013
[...] http://www.astorybooklife.com [...]
15 Ideas for Summer Fun with Kids | The Destiny Manifest on February 8, 2013
[...] Recycled Newsprint Beads ~ this looks like so much fun! [...]
gloria on February 18, 2013
Eu já havia visto esses trabalhos e nunca poderia imaginar q eram feitas de papel jornal, muito bonito ,vou tentar fazer tbm, jornal eu tenho bastante.
kathy morgan on April 6, 2013
great info. will try this
Hazinra on April 15, 2013
Hi there, what a brilliant idea
, i like so much this idea..Tq 4 sharing.
Marillyn on April 24, 2013
I really like these beads. I would like to teach some of the kids in my class how to make these. I am a missionary in Honduras and teaching kids crafts to sell locally and elsewhere.
When you say to paint them with leftover craft paint… what is that? Can I use any kind of paint?
Hope I heard back from you soon! Thanks!!
Pearl Sanborn on May 10, 2013
Marillyn,
When I say craft paint, I mean the small bottles of acrylic paints we typically use in crafting, but you could use pretty much any paint you have available.