How to Make Beaded Pins

It will be Pin-demonium when you and your friends make these beaded pins. Have fun making and collecting these decorative pins.

What You'll Need:

Step 1: If you don't have diaper pins with animal faces, paint large safety pins a bright color of nail polish. Spread out newspaper when painting. (Make sure you have good ventilation.)

Step 2: Let the polish dry completely, then turn pins over and paint the other side. It will take three or four coats, depending on the thickness of the polish. Let the pins dry between each coat.

Step 3: Next, give the pins two coats of clear polish and let dry. Thread the beads onto the lower, open pin shafts. Make sure to leave enough room to close the safety pins.

Step 4: Now spread clear gel glue over the beads with your fingers, making sure some glue gets between all the beads. Let pins dry for a few hours. Add a second coat of glue and let dry again.

Step 5: Tie coordinating ribbon through the hole at the bottom of the pin.

Show off your creative side with the beaded pin on the next page.

For more fun activities and bead crafts, check out:

After working on all of the cool projects in this article, you can make a bead collage pin with the leftover beads. Here's a great project that will give you a chance to turn yesterday's leftovers into a new and exciting beaded pin.

What You'll Need:

Tools:

Step 1: Cover your work surface with newspaper or an old tablecloth.

Step 2: Draw a heart shape on the craft foam; cut out the shape.

Step 3: Glue a pin back to the back of the heart shape. Let dry.

Step 4: Spread glue all over the top and side edges of the heart. Then create a Bead Collage by randomly placing buttons, large beads, and faux jewels into the glue. Sprinkle seed beads into any empty spaces, and press them into place. Finally, generously sprinkle glitter over the entire surface.

Step 5: Let dry thoroughly, then attach the pin to a hat, sweater, coat -- or wherever else you want to show off your creation.

Kittens are so adorable, and so are the beaded pins on the next page. Click next to check them out.For more fun activities and bead crafts, check out:

It's cute, it's cuddly -- it's the confetti kitty pin. These felines will accompany you wherever you go.

What You'll Need:

Tools:

Step 1: Cover your work surface with newspaper or an old tablecloth. Paint the wood cutouts with acrylic paint on all sides, one side at a time. For best results, apply two coats of paint. Let dry completely.

Step 2: To make the kitty's ears, use cement glue to attach the oval cutouts to the back of the disk cutout. Make sure about 1/2 inch of the oval cutouts sticks out from behind the top edge of the disk.

Step 3: Apply a thick coat of liquid confetti to the front of the kitty's face and ears. (The liquid confetti will stay tacky for several hours.)

Step 4: Put a small dab of cement glue just below the center of the face, and press the three faux pearls into a triangle "nose." Then cut the piece of gold-tone wire in half, and curl the ends of each half into a kitty smile. Tuck the wire pieces under the pearl nose, and press them into the tacky surface. Brush more liquid confetti over the area to secure the wire.

Step 5: Use a toothpick to lightly spread small dabs of jewel glue onto the backs of the faux jewels, and set them in place. Use the photo above to help you arrange the jewels.

Step 6: Tie a knot about one inch from each end of the piece of metallic embroidery floss. Trim very close to one side of each knot, then flare the rest of the floss into a spray of "whiskers." Dab both knots with a bit of cement glue, and attach them on either side of the kitty's mouth, below the nose.

Step 7: Apply a heavy coat of cement glue to the pin back, wait five minutes, then press firmly against the center of the back of the disk. Hold for about two minutes, then set aside to dry.

Keep reading to learn about another cool beaded pin.

For more fun activities and bead crafts, check out:

Make new friends with these friendship pins. Make up a batch to give give to friends at the end of summer, or the end of the school year, and keep a few on hand to give to new friends that you make along the way.

What You'll Need (for each pin):

Step 1: Thread beads onto the arms of four small safety pins, and close them. Create different bead patterns by changing the order in which you thread them.

Step 2: Slide the beaded pins onto the last safety pin, with the beaded pins hanging by the safety-pin head.

Step 3: Hand out your finished jewelry masterpieces, and show the world that real friends stick together!

For more fun activities and bead crafts, check out: