Washi beads

I have always been fascinated with Chiyogami Washi. I have a stash of six or seven different designs, the size of gift wrapping paper. I never use these, because I do not want them to run out - they are so hard to find!

A few years ago, I made polymer clay kimonos and paper jewelry out of the Washi. I have never used them again since, that is, until yesterday when all my new craft materials finally arrived.

I made this set of polymer clay beads for the Progress and Possibilites competition organized by the International Polymer Clay Association. Not that I have any shot of becoming a finalist. I just wanted to try and enter my first ever competition. But I am sad to report that I do not have the funds to pay for the entry fee, much less a photographer. Sigh. And today's the deadliest deadline. Double sigh.

I was intrigued by the colorful circus beads created by Lynda Moseley, which I discovered through Polymer Clay Daily. She only uses copy paper! How fascinating! I wanted to try transferring images onto a round surface, but using a different transfer method, and this is what I came up with. The round beads are very hard to make! I am still trying to perfect the technique.


After baking, I individually handpainted the tube and barrel beads with Lumiere in Brass, to highlight the gold details that are on the original Washi pattern. This is my first shot at handpainting too, so the strokes are a bit sloppy. I need more practice.



Here are a couple more barrel beads, still unfinished. I love making barrel beads! Here's a link to the first one I made in February.


Please let me know what you think!