Thursday, November 18, 2010

Christmas Craft: Bead and Pipe Cleaner Ornaments





You can make beautiful Christmas decors out of ordinary pipe cleaners and some inexpensive acrylic beads. You only need a bit of imagination and creativity to come up with something useful and adorable. Anyone, even small children, can enjoy doing this project and have fun making one. With some variations, you may also come up with different sparkling ornaments for your Christmas tree.

To start off the project, you will need common pipe cleaners in desired colors and some acrylic beads. You may use two types of beads for this project. One type is called sunburst beads, also known as paddlewheel beads, snowflakes beads, or starburst beads. These kinds of beads have six faceted paddles spaced equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When strung consecutively, these beads will tend to lock to adjacent beads and will create an interlocking pattern.

The other type of bead is called a tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri beads also interlock when strung consecutively. To fit in with the yuletide season feel, it is recommended to use festive colors of beads like red and green, you may also opt to use clear ones. Tri beads in metallic gold and silver finishes are also perfect for this Christmas crafts.

Pipe cleaners are available is silver and gold tinsel as well as chenille of all colors. For this project, it is best to use metallic and Christmas colors. The beads would cover the pipe cleaners, but the ends will be twisted together and made into hangers, so they show.

Anyone, even small children, can string beads onto pipe cleaners. You should bend up one end of the pipe cleaner so the beads will not fall off. The pipe cleaner is somewhat stiff so it will be easier to string each beads into it. For best results, try to do color patterns when stringing. After you strung enough beads, it is now time for your creativity to play. You may bend the pipe cleaners according to your preferred shapes or Christmas icons.

You may come up with a candy cane by using red and white beads strung alternately or a Christmas wreath made from green and red beads and add some details such a bow or a Christmas bell. You now have enough decorative ideas to dress up your Christmas tree. Moreover, with further experimentations, you may use clear beads and silver pipe cleaners to make some shiny snowflake or star ornaments. This will surely be a simple and yet extra ordinary decors on top of your tree.
.
Bead and pipe cleaner ornaments are a Christmas craft you would find yourself looking forward to make every year. Children and parents will definitely have quality bonding time together making this amazing Christmas decors.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"Various events in our lives are like beads, they mean nothing unless they are strung together."

No comments:

Post a Comment