3 Fun Ways to Make Polymer Clay Beads More Interesting

 

Polymer Clay is a fun medium to use, and there are many different things you can make with this type of clay. It is easy to mold, and it can be cooked right in your oven. When I am making jewelry, and I have run out of beads that I want to use, I take out my clay, and I make myself beads. Here are some techniques that will make your bead making more intricate and unique.

One of my favorite types of polymer clay beads you can make is imitation bone or ivory. This technique can also been manipulated so that the beads will look wooden as well. Start out making beads with white clay. I like to make long cylindrical beads when creating these beads because it gives you more room to carve patterns into the bead. After you have cooked the bead carve into it with a knife to make pretty patterns. I also use a sharp needle. Using a tan or beige acrylic paint lightly rub the outside of the bead with the paint. The carved spots will remain white, and when the paint is slightly dry dab it with a napkin to remove some of the paint. These beads are easy and can be personalized.

Metallic beads are also fun bead projects that can be made. All you will need is metallic pigment paints for this project. Roll out beads into shapes that you like, and add textures or patterns into the surface of these beads if you like. Before you cook the beads brush them with metallic pigment powders. If there is a pattern pressed into the bead you can rubbed the pigment powder over the bead in order to leave the pattern the original color. Next bake your beads and the powder will stick.

Another interesting technique when making polymer clay beads is to mix things with the clay to create various looks. Threads from fabric can be added to clay to make a beautiful effect; this effect is especially beautiful when the clay is translucent. Dried herbs can also be added to these beads in order to create a fun effect. Dried parsley, oregano, and thyme can be added to create an earthy gemstone look to your beads. Sand can also be included in your beads to add texture and depth. These basic ingredients can add a whole new dimension to your bead making.

All of these techniques are fun, unique, and add a new twist to bead making. I hope you find inspiration in these ideas, and I hope you will make many new projects with these ideas.

Unique Holiday Crafts for Kids in May

 

May is a great month for celebrating unique holidays with your kids. Craft projects provide fun and excitement for kids on holidays. Here you will find crafts you can do with kids for the unique holidays in May.

Colorful Socks

A unique holiday in May is Lost Sock Memorial Day, and in honor of this holiday your kids can make colorful socks. For this craft you will need fabric paint in a variety of colors, paper plates, sponges, socks, and scissors. You should also cover the work area with newspaper and have a place where socks can dry.

Then squeeze some paint onto the plates. Help kids cut the sponges into smaller pieces and shapes. Then assist kids as they paint the sock using the sponge. Help them by showing them how to dip the sponge in the paint and dab it on the plate to avoid excess paint. Pressing the sponge to the sock in a variety of ways can also provide different results. Have fun with your kids by making unique socks for this fun May holiday

Lucky Penny Favors

Lucky Penny Day is another holiday that can be fun for crafts. For this project you will need some pennies, crayons, paper, markers, and scissors. You can also use other coins if you like, and larger fake coins also work well with younger kids.

Start this holiday craft by help kids do a rubbing of the coins. Demonstrate this technique to kids by placing the coin under the paper. Then rub the side of a crayon gently over the paper where the coin is located. Applying the right amount of pressure will replicate the image of the coin.

Then let kids write lucky coin or penny somewhere on the coin. To celebrate this holiday you can also help your kids make many lucky pennies and give them away to people for fun.

Tours of the World

National Tourism Day is also in May, and this holiday provides a lot of fun craft ideas for kids. An easy project requires only, paper, crayons, and pictures of places around the world. Have fun looking at places around the world with your kids. Then decide on a couple of places and help your child draw the place; the more imaginative the better. Place the drawings in a scrapbook or frames to remember your tour of the world with your kids.

These crafts are easy and fun to create with your kids in May. Fond memories and laughs are guaranteed when you celebrate these unique holidays.

Unique April Bulletin Board Ideas for Elementary School

 

April is a great month for creating bulletin boards for elementary schools. April has several fun holidays and themes such as Scrabble Day, Tell a Story Day, World Health Day, National Poetry Month, and National Humor Month. This article will provide you with unique ideas for elementary school bulletin boards for the month of April.

Scrabble Day

You can create a unique bulletin board while teaching students about vocabulary. For this bulletin board idea you can use vocabulary as the theme. Help kids create large scrabble blocks for the words they are learning and paste them all over the bulletin board in honor of this unique April celebration.

Tell a Story Day

This is a great project for elementary kids because you can teach writing skills as well as decorating your bulletin board. Help kids create a short story by asking each student to contribute a section of the story at a time. Write the sections on strips of paper and cover the bulletin board with everyone's pieces. Feel free to incorporate vocabulary and ideas from other lessons to create the story for your bulletin board.

World Health Day

Another unique holiday in April is World Health Day. For this bulletin board ask elementary students to focus on different parts of a healthy lifestyle. Let kids create images that represent this lifestyle. They can draw their ideas or cut images from magazines. Older students can add facts or captions below the images, and images can then be attached to the bulletin board.

National Poetry Month

For this April Idea students should be asked to create poems based on any theme you choose. Other April holidays or other lessons are a good idea for subject matter. Poems should also be created according to the age level of the class. Younger students can create haikus, and older students can work on more difficult rhyme schemes.

National Humor Month

National Humor Month is a unique April celebration, and elementary school kids will enjoy creating this bulletin board. Discuss humor with students, and ask them to consider things they find funny. Then help students find images, jokes, and other materials they think are humorous. This bulletin board idea is fun for the whole class, and it allows teachers to discuss appropriate and inappropriate humor in the classroom.

If you want to create a unique bulletin board for you elementary school classroom these April holidays and themes are perfect. Students will enjoy these ideas as much as the teacher!