Too Many Plastic Beads

Question

Has anyone ever tried to melt plastic beads together? I've seen some youtube things but they don't completely melt them...I want them to not look like beads at all. I lost my wonderful mother in July and inherited Beads galore! I would be willing to look at some way to use the beads without melting them but not old granny stuff like my mom made. She made cute little angles and girls with umbrellas with beads and safety pins but that is just not me.... I'm looking for ideas....

Yes I will find something to do with the wood beads...ideas welcome...(yes I'm a pinterestaholic as you will see if you check mine out... 311 boards and almost 10,000 followers.... http://www.pinterest.com/cottageatheart/boards/ so I will look there) and will tread the nice glass beads with proper honor..Even ideas for that would help. I am looking toward Christmas and Thanksgiving for ideas....I am thinking of melting and making mobiles or suncatchers that are not the norm....showing a picture and see even the beaded necklaces up behind?

Sam Hicks · Answer

Small glass beads could be hot glued to acorn tops, or inside pine cone layers, on the fall items from branches in my yard. They reflect the light and honor the harvest season. (FYI - if you use glitter on any of your craft items, spray the finale piece with hairspray...) info fr sister in law. I have two crystal necklace I want to remake, and can't find a project important enough to use them. Maybe I'll make a Mama collage. Plastic beads I have used to create Christmas ornaments with stars, odd shaped things pinned onto a styrefoam ball with pins with beads. They come in lots of colors. Plastic beads would work on the ornaments too.

Tanya Peterson Felsheim · Answer

Oh with full confession I need to figure out what to do with several hundred buttons too! There's only so many bracelets you can make! I have seen some made into Christmas trees kind of cute not so sure I could sell them then would have them all over the house! Button ideas welcome as well...

Waysouth · Answer

this might lead you somewhere 'baked beads' http://www.pinterest.com/pin/112871534384244850/

Bernice H · Answer

@Tanya Peterson Felsheim I have seen some wonderful suncatchers, necklaces etc made with melted beads. I had been wanting to try it. in some posts I saw they used muffin tins, put the beads in the cups, then after taking out of the oven, poke a hole with something to make the opening for necklace or catcher. Thanks for reviving my interest, if you find it first let me know. ok? I bet I could make my own earrings too...hmm But I do love suncatchers. the post was about ' Pony beads', which I didn't know anything about.

Bernice H · Answer

Hi Tanya...this is a link I had in my ' someday folders'..ha! But it is not the link I remember. However there are many posters so maybe there is something there you can use. I bet you can use metal cookie molds/shapes, or foil?...I don't know anything about pony beads, this link seemed to have many experiences on it. Do 'reply' to me when you find the answer. I don't want to smell up my house until I know how it is going to work! :) http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=csuqhp766d6dlbk3e69hhgkdr5&action=search2#axzz2iCM6HMF2

Bernice H · Answer

ohhh I just thought..if you check my posts, I have pics of cd's onto which I glue half marbles ..you could do the same with beads, just put a glob of GE ll silicone clear, or E6000 clear, then pour the beads on , then shake off what doesn't stick. I use a wood burner tool to poke a hole in my cd's for the string or wire etc. hmmm and maybe add a few mirror pieces on there for reflection. then do the other side! hmmm ya got me thinkin girl!! And how fun it would be with buttons too! Do you have grandchildren, what a fun button project for them!

Bernice H · Answer

Oh good gravy, I must have had too much coffee of else I haven't eaten yet and I am getting hyper. I just thought of ANOTHER idea..the post on faux glass painting. Using dollar store frames with glass, draw a sketch on it, then fill in with beads and glue like a mosaic. I know this isn't melting...but this appeals to me like a suncatcher if put in the window! Yes, Just ask @Miriam I I can be hyper excited about glass and bling! Over and out!

Judy · Answer

I melt translucent pony beads in metal cookie cutters to make sun catchers. Many different shapes and sizes. Good luck on your projects.

Tanya Peterson Felsheim · Answer

Been pinning away ideas....some really good ones why couldn't I find them last time I looked? Now I'm wondering if as the item cools if it can be shaped????

Joan Sircy · Answer

I use plastic beads to make sun catchers. I use metal cookie cutters. I place the beads in the cookie cutters on a baking sheet. I bake that at 325 for. 20 minutes. I let them cool. Then I squeeze the edges until the catcher pops loose & falls out. They are very sturdy. I have drilled hole in them with an electric drill to string some together with fusing line. I have a post about them.

Judy · Answer

I have never tried that. I will try ot when I get back to sun catchers.. Right now I am working on garden flowers for Christmas presents. BTW... I meant to comment on your 'beads not fully melting'. My first time mine didn't melt completely. I learned to let them stay in the oven until they look 'liquid'; 15-20 minutes @ 400. Sometimes they don't want to release but I shake them and bang them lightly on the counter after they have cooled. Thanks for replying.

Judy · Answer

Tanya, looked at link you provided after my last post. Wow! Those are great. I never tried anything like that but sure want to now. Thanks for sharing.

Larose LoganOakes · Answer

Oh I would be in bead Heaven! How lucky you are to have such a nice collection and so organized! :)

Leah M · Answer

I actually made a stained glass looking picture with the peyote stitch and plastic beads. You might need to look for something you could make a pattern for it, but it looked really pretty.

Tanya Peterson Felsheim · Answer

I have these very very old cast iron pans that have multiple shapes in them...hmmm wonder if they would help melt them bigger problem would be to have them release them! I will try to get them seasoned and try them as well....wish me well...

Leah M · Answer

works for me @Tanya Peterson Felsheim - I drove through Grants Pass in 1973 with my folks and sister, we took that jet boat ride, very cool.

Leah M · Answer

http://www.herrschners.com/department.aspx?id=562

Kristine Fiddelke · Answer

Lucky YOU!!! There are some fantastic hanging beaded things for the yard and including a butterfly and Chandlers all on Hometalk. Take a look. I do not know how to but the picture here like I have seen before. there are so many wonderful happy things you can make out of them !! Good Luck and Have Fun!! Oh I did it :)

Kristine Fiddelke · Answer

The colander was shown with beads on it too but I do not have a picture of it. These are Ideas and you can find the Butterfly one in Hometalk I think it is in Gardening.

Linda S. · Answer

We used to make Easter eggs from tiny plastic ones. Blow out an egg, fill with water 2 or 3 times and let drain and be sure it's completely dry, then put in just a little oil and swirl around to cover as best you can. Fill with beads, stand in muffin tins and bake at 400, but unfortunately I don't remember how long we baked them...it's been YEARS. LOL Once cool, peel off the shell. Sometimes they'd completely melt, other times there would still be some not completely melted, but if you use the translucent ones, they can be gorgeous. Think I'll have to try again.

Alice Harley-Wosnig · Answer

I have melted plastic beads in the oven many times in different heat tolerant things. Cake pans make big suncatchers for the windows. I made one for all of my friends in their favorite colors and gave them away with each one loving them.

Halka.maryjo · Answer

I melted beads in a pie pan, then on one side I painted baby owls, then melted more beads in a cupcake pan, then made an awsome wind chime,, stringing them all together using upholstery thread beause it's easy to manage and is strong, You could probably decoupage something on them if you don't paint, hope this helped a little.

Terri · Answer

Put them in a cake pan....mix the colors.....bake on 350 until they start melting together....take out of oven and let cool for a minute and they will pop out....I made a suncatcher out of them

Cindy Rapp-Zelinski · Answer

I do it, preheat over 400 degrees and put them in a pie plate or something like that, then 'bake' for about 20 minutes.

Carrie Riley · Answer

I just pinned a tutorial where you bake them in a cookie cutter to make Christmas ornaments. I believe the oven is set for 350. They looked great. Maybe they could be used as gift tags. I'm sure you could write on them with a sharpie.

Alice Harley-Wosnig · Answer

It is about 8-9' across. Only bad part about mine was that is had impressed the plastic beads with Ecko. LOL The maker of the pie pan. You couldn't tell it unless you looked at it closely. I have made many small ones and given them to the elderly in nursing homes to hang in their windows. They like to watch them and when the sun hits it, it will give their room many colors. You can find all kinds of pans to use at a thrift store cheap to make different designs. You can arrange your beads to many shapes such as hearts, fish, flowers.

Debra Peters · Answer

I've made sun catchers with plastic beads - used pony beads with multiple colors and clear beads. I melted them outside in my gas grill to keep the fumes outside. Used a glass pie plate. They melt fairly quickly so keep an eye on them so they don't burn. you can get zillions of ideas just by googling bead crafts

Terri · Answer

With a very small drillbit.....I put the holes for the hanging down ones and the top hole to hang it!!! No, it is a cake pan size....they will melt and fill up the pan....fill the bottom of the pan, so you can't see the bottom of the pan before you put them in oven.....just one layer

Susan Folds · Answer

I have done several projects. I actually bought a cake pan that I can make difference letters & made our last name for the Camper - It looks good & have had several comments on it. - I have used several different size of round pans and hung at difference lengths on the deck. Just have fun and try everything (400 degrees for 15-20 mint. for round beads - just keep a look out and when all the beads are smooth, it is ready)

Gail lichtsinn · Answer

could be your oven isnt hot enough or your not baking long enough..Differnt plastics melt at different temperatures..One thing is every sight I have seen says to well ventilate and NOT to breathe in the fumes..You can also use an old toaster oven for smaller things and take it to a garage or outside..Just watch it..

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