What kind of card do you use to make jewelry?
 

Just wondering what kind of card/paper you use to make jewelry (earrings, pendants, pins, etc)?? Would watercolor paper work ok? Do you use Mod-Podge to protect the item?

I remember a project my youth group did where we made jewelry with wall paper. They turned out great, but from that experience, I would say that whatever you use should be heavy--maybe even double layers. And Mod-Podge I would reccomend for sure! Sorry I am not more helpful, its been awhile!

I have rolled triangular shaped paper strips into beads. I wet them with varnish (about $1.39 and from the same aisle as the little acrylic paint bottles at Michaels') and roll them up, then top them off with varnish to seal them.

You can also make jewelry out of poly shrink.

I have made pins from polymer clay with stamped images, glass microscope slides, acrylic shapes from Sunday International, scrap CDs and lightweight cardboard covered in UTEE or LiquiTex or Crystal Effects. Cardstock will curl too much when coated.
Mary Beth

Many thanks for your replies!

Rumanok
Wallpaper jewelry sounds really cool! I bet the youngsters loved it! Did you glue the wallpaper to a cardboard base? Did you stamp on the wallpaper?

Judyw
I've made jewelry using shrink plastic and they were fun. I have to try making beads using the triangular shaped strips of paper.

Lutheran
Wow! You've tried many exciting jewelry techniques! I need to find my UTEE - I haven't used it for ages!

Bump

we didn't use cardboard, we just used double layers of the wallpaper, not stamped on , either. We made earrings by cutting the paper in the shapes we wanted and punched tiny holes in the tops for the pins. They were sealed with some kind of spray, and they held up pretty well. It was so long ago--going on 15 years, I can't remember much more than that!

Many thanks for the idea! I might try that with a few wallpaper samples I've got.

I make jewelry by using the quilling technique. When the pieces are assembled they must be varnished.

Watercolor paper makes excellent jewelry and Christmas ornaments. Both can be varnished with a spray varnish to seal and then a water-based varnish applied for extra strength.

Paper Beads
 

You can make beads with designer paper. Cut your paper into elongated triangles. Roll around a very thin dowel or toothpick. Use watered down Elmers glue to secure the "pointy" end to the bead "center". Allow to dry.
I then cut a wire coat hanger at the curved side and slid beads on to it. ( this made it much easier to to apply glue and spray with sealer and allow to dry while hanging)
Then coat with watered
down Elmers glue, allowing to dry between coats. Spray with Clear acrylic. Treaded onto stretchy cord or jewerly wire (With a barrel clasp) along with crystal and color cooridnated beads. I even made earrings to match.
I do not have a digital camera or I would upload a picture. Sorry.

Barbara
I've never seen quilling jewelry. I bet they're lovely!

Janie
Thanks for the tips on varnishing.

robsuejo
Thanks for the instructions for making paper beads.

Bump