An Eco-friendly Bead

I recently started a stinkysocks line of paper bead jewelry. I made them from origami paper that my daughter played with before. Suprisingly, the paper bead jewelry became very popular especially with its uniqueness and affordability. I also like to wer paper jewelry because it is soooooo comfortable. I usually dislike dangling earrings because they tug on my earlobes but I find that paper bead jewelry is very lightweight! Also, the fad now is all eco-friendly and green products, these fit right in!

The making of paper beads dates back to Victorian times. The women of the house would use wallpaper scraps and roll them around knitting needles to create beads. They would then string them on yarn to create paper bead curtains. Today paper beads are used to make purses, jewelry, greeting cards and wall art to name a few. The bead shapes, sizes and colors are endless when creating paper beads, making them a great addition to one of a kind designs. Jewelry pieces made from paper beads are light weight and quite durable making them comfortable to wear for most people. Paper beads are water resistant if sealed properly. The shapes and color possibilities of paper beads are endless making them a great addition to one of a kind designs.
A lot of people has shown interest in the making of paper beads. Here is a step-by-step instruction guide stinkysocks style:
1. Cut 4 inch by 1 inch (100mm by 20mm) triangles out of magazines or colored paper.

2.Apply a bit of glue to the pointy end of the triangle. A glue stick or a tiny bit of liquid glue will do.at you like.

3. Starting at the wide end use a dowel or other slender cylinder such as a skewer or a pen refill) to roll the triangle into a cylindrical bead shape. You can make the spiral symmetric with the middle if you try or let it tend to one side.

4. Make sure the narrow end sticks firmly and the bead stays rolled up. Apply another dot of glue if needed.

5.Slide the bead off the end of the dowel.

6. Brush your beads with a solution of one part clear, white glue to two or three parts water. Marvin Medium or ModPodge also works well. This step is optional, but it will make your beads last a bit longer and help to smooth out the surface a bit. Let them dry thoroughly, making sure they don't stick to anything while they dry. Try hanging them on a string to dry.

For more of my paper bead jewelry. Visit my etsy shop http://stinkysocks.etsy.com and narrow down on my paper bead jewelry collection. Or click here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/stinkysocks?section_id=10136032

Thanks! till next blog!

Philippines, my Philippines

I was born more than 3000 mi away in a country officially known as the Republic of the Philippines. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world.  An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

I love the country i was born in although I have been away for more than 15 yrs. If there is one thing i miss, it was the beaches over there:

I also remeber the province. I love provincial life! my mother or my yaya would take me to the fish market...everything is fresh! Life seems so simple in the province

In honor of my homme country, I have dedicated a stinkysocks haircomb and bagcharm/keychain. The color of the beads symbolize the colors of the Philippine flag.

In Philippine mythology, a Diwata is a mythological figure similar to fairies or nymphs, although this trivializes the importance of diawata in pre-colonial Philippine culture. 400+ years ago, diawata were seen as gods and goddesses.

to view more products from Stinkysocks, visit http://stinkysocks.etsy.com

I am proud to be born a Filipino but I am happily living now in the United States of America. I can understand how hard it is to be living in between worlds. Thank god for fil-am friendship! July fourth is fil-am friendship day =)

hope you enjoyed my little tourism rant . till next blog!