Add Some Sparkle and Texture To Your Polymer Clay Beads!

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:00:00 GMT

A big thank-you to Iris Weiss of Polyform Products for sharing this free polymer clay bead making tutorial with us, and thank you to Suzanne Anderson of Yikes Studio for creating this tutorial!

If you've made some of the big hole polymer clay beads from yesterday's Beading Daily blog, here are some more ideas for adding a little bit of sparkle and texture to your polymer clay beads:

Making Metallic Beads

Use pearl clay to make a bead using the large hole bead inserts.

Texture scraps of the pearl clay with stamps or other objects, and cut them into thin strips. Wrap the beads with the textured strips.

For more metallic effects, use PearlEx or mica powders to the textured pearl beads.

Adding Crystal Flatbacks to Your Polymer Clay Beads

Roll a small, think snake of polymer clay in your desired color (to match or contrast with your crystal flatbacks) and cut off tiny pieces. Roll pieces into small balls.

Push your flat back crystals into the small balls of clay until the edges of the clay come up slightly over the edge of the crystal. This will form a secure bezel for your crystal flat back stone when the bead is properly baked.

Using your tissue blade, lift the clay bezeled crystal and place on a finished (but not baked) polymer clay bead. Press gently to adhere the crystal to the bead.

Bake the polymer clay beads according to the package directions.

Do you have a favorite technique for adding sparkle to your polymer clay bead making projects? Share it here!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

Beading Instructions : Polymer Clay Beads

Add Some Sparkle and Texture To Your Polymer Clay Beads!

Making Metallic Beads

Adding Crystal Flatbacks to Your Polymer Clay Beads