Upcycled Magazine Beeds

Step 1: Tear pages out of old magazines. Using a paper cutter, slice pages into long, thin strips that are pointed at one end and wider on the other. (I prepped these in advance so there wasn’t competition for the paper cutter – if you omit this step it takes virtually no time to prep).

Step 2: Take one strip at a time and start with the wide end, wrap the strip around the skewer.

Step 3: Once the strip has gone once or twice around the skewer, add glue to the inside of the remainder of the strip and continue rolling. As the paper rolls up, it will get thinner and the paper will stack up into a bead shape.

Step 4: Allow the glue to dry for a few seconds before sliding the bead off of the skewer. If desired you can coat each bead with a layer of clear nail polish while it is still on the skewer. This will help prevent any water damage. (I omitted this step and the beads do start to unravel some).

Step 5: Continue making beads out of strips of paper until you have enough to make a bracelet or other article. String them onto elastic cord and fasten with a knot. Trim the ends and tuck them inside the paper beads. Note: The more colorful the page you choose the more dramatic the beads will be.