Nifty & Thrifty paper beads

Hello blog chums , today I thought I'd try something different .
 I have been inspired after watching some tutorials on paper bead making ,something I'd never really thought about before . Well as ever I had to give it a whirl and get it out of my system , and guess what it's great . A cheap and cheerful addition to my crafty stash.

I cut the paper strips from an old desk pad (any paper, magazine etc can be used to do this), then used my quilling tool to roll the paper round really tightly starting at the wider edge and securing the last 1/3of the strip with  a glue stick and the bead is made.
At this point if you have used coloured paper you're done. If you are using them for jewellery they will need to been sealed , but I wanted to use them for other things, so I gave them a quick dip in mod podge and rubbed them over with some mineral eyeshadow & glitter  to colour them (paint and inks can also be used )

the finished beads coloured up

I used them to edge a cameo picture glued to a piece of card .

 Let me know what you think
Happy makings Bev xx

Somebody save me ..............Part 2

After a couple of coats of antique white homemade chalk paint , the table is ready for the fun part - lets pretty it up . I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it , but without an o/head projector or any decals , I had to improvise..... I printed my image onto iron on transfer paper and hoped for the best!!!!! Ok it was a bit hit and miss (my iron doesn't get hot enough really)but the effect was what I wanted - grainy, faded and very vintage I was quite pleased after everything was done.

A few little twiddly bits around the outer edges and a nice coat of varnish - the coffee table from hell now able to sit back in the living room and be admired (I hope), and you've probably guessed already , the daughter who was throwing it out , has asked if she can have it back!!!!! Whats a Mum to do ??? Happy makings Bev xx

Somebody save me ..........part 1

My daughter recently moved house and lurking in the corner was this lovely pine coffee table that the previous owners had left behind . I asked her what she was going to do with it " throw it out " she said. Now you can imagine the look on the husbands face when I asked him to put it in the car, as I must admit it was quite a sorry sight to behold at this point ( one to many dinners from the children squished on it , yuck). Well everything needs a little love now & then , so after a good washing down and some industrial strength elbow grease supplied by yours truly the table was ready for its makeover

( I apologise for the picture , in my hast to get started I almost forgot to take one, oops)