Obsessed with Making Paper Beads

Sometimes I joke with my daughter that I have artistic ADD. I tend to focus intensively on one project for a short period of time. Then I get distracted and move on to another. Last summer I got obsessed with marbling paper. I marbled the paper on the front porch of my hundred year old bungalow overlooking our beautiful park. It was great!

I'm sure my neighbors thought I was crazy because I had pages and pages of marbled paper hanging to dry on the porch. But it was way too messy to do inside. First I marbled all the good art paper I had in stock. Then it occurred to me that book pages would look beautiful marbled. Since I collect broken down antique and vintage books to use for art, I started marbling pages out of my books. So I now have stacks of marbled paper ready to use. 

Then I got obsessive again and starting making paper beads. I made the beads out of old book pages, vintage atlas pages, and some of the marbled papers and book pages. This weekend we went on a five hour trip to help my father-in-law celebrate his eightieth birthday. So I used the time in the car to wire wrap my paper beads. I think it makes them look more finished.

See I told you that I get slightly obsessed; I couldn't make just a few paper beads. LOL

Here's a closeup view. Aren't they pretty? They just make me happy!

Here are some of the beads made from a vintage atlas. I like to use atlases that date to at least the 1950's. The colors were better then, more subtle. 

 These were made with the hand marbled papers or book pages. 

 And a better view so you can really see the marbling. Isn't it gorgeous? See how I could get obsessed with making more and more marbled paper?

Here are the antique and vintage book pages. I love the colors of the ones that have aged.

 The aged bead with the large type in the bottom right quadrant is from an old dictionary. I love typography, especially old typography.

Now I have to go make some goodies with all the beads I finished. 

Victorian ladies in the late 1800's and early 1900's made paper beads. At that time handiwork was considered a proper way for a lady to pass the time. Maybe times haven't changed that much. Just kidding!