it's happening again and there's nothing organized about this chaos

Now that the weather has turned  ~ less than nice, I am spending a lot more time inside

and apparently I decided to trash the place......again.



My Bead Soup is back there in the corner on that bead board on top of that box
 behind all of those open drawers.
Apparently I have forgotten everything my mother taught me about
 putting things away when I am done with them.
But since I am not done with them I guess it's OK.

I have started on my bead soup project, but I have to admit that I am glad we

are doing a 4 day weekend over Labor Day so that I have some quality time to spend.

I really want it to be awesome;~)

Work table is also trashed.
I've been working on some faux ceramic pendants and beads.

I've been mixing alot of different colors of liquid clay that I

 use for the 'glaze' on the 'faux ceramic' pendants and beads.

I learned the hard way that depending on what I use to color the liquid clay,

 the color can change dramatically once they are in the oven.

So I made up some 'paint chips'

"Paint chips"
The backs are all numbered along with the little corresponding container of liquid clay
 and then I have written a list of what was used, (ink, mica powder, oil paint)
to mix that color.
All chips are baked and varnished so I know what the finished color will be.

Some sample pendants fresh from the oven.
Some I really like and some will never again see the light of day.
But that is what experimenting is for.

 And....... since I don't have enough things going at one time,

I wanted to try my hand at paper beads.

I used some paper that I have had for years.

I painted it years ago after watching Carol Duvall demonstrate

the technique on her show.

(see what I mean about years ago;~) 

Paper beads

I liked the way they turned out so much that I decided to

make up some more of the paper.

So my dining table became the paint station......

for three days☺ 


It's actually kinda fun to make.
You can use just plain brown craft paper.
(Carol used brown paper bags)
I used craft paper for the darker colors and drawing paper for the lighter colors.

Soak the paper in a water/glue mixture, then crumple it up.

Smoosh it back out flat, carefully, you don't want to tear it.

Then start squirting paint on it and smear it around. (I used a sea sponge)

Once it dries it will be very, very stiff.

It will be so stiff that if you try to bend it it will actually break.

Not good for making beads.

So at this point you have to perform the Top Secret Magic Trick

to soften it up.

You need to iron it;~)

With steam;~)

The transformation is amazing.

Now I have enough 'painted' paper to keep me busy for a while.

Once you get a bunch of strips cut it's a great thing to do while curled up in a chair

in front of the TV in the evenings.

That's my plan;~)

This weekend I hope to at least put away the things that are piled on the floor

in the loft so I can stop stubbing my toe on the box of polished rocks;~)

Have a great weekend!