A few years ago I made a picture frame from paper magazine beads. It was one of those cute projects that suffered from my poor photography and tutorial skills. I was inspired by Extra gum to remake that project and share a (hopefully) better tutorial! Extra gum is one of my favorite sugar free treats. (I try to make sure I always have a pack in my purse.) Once you’ve saved a few wrappers you’re ready to go.
All you need for this project is a small picture frame (one with flat edges is idea), scissors, school glue, a glue stick, a toothpick and Extra gum wrappers. (You might think this project would take a ton of wrappers but I used less than one pack of gum to cover this entire frame!)
Cut the wrappers into skinny triangles. It’s totally OK to have lots of different sizes. (You’ll actually need lots of different sizes to fill in the frame.)
You can do this part with the school glue, but I find it easier to use a glue stick. Just run the glue stick down the back of the triangle. You’ll then want to fold over the bottom of the triangle. This step is important because the Extra gum wrappers are thinner than the magazines you might normally use to make paper beads. This keeps the wrapper from sticking to the toothpick.
Wrap the traingle around the toothpick, keeping the silver part out. You might need to add a drop of glue to the tip if it doesn’t want to stick. If there is any white exposed from when you bent the end before wrapping just snip off the ends.
Start in the corner and work out, gluing your beads as you go. It’s OK if this part gets a little messy since school glue dries clear.
Once you’ve completely filled in a section apply a light coat of school glue and smooth it over the surface with a wet paper towel. (You could also use a damp sponge brush.) This will help seal the beads in place. Do this gently if your beads aren’t yet dry-you don’t want them to shift around! You also want to make sure the glue is thin and diluted. If it’s too thick it can dry a bit cloudy.
Extra Gum makes a perfect stocking stuffer. At less than a dollar a pack at Walmart it’s a great deal. (By the way, if you’re shopping for me, Spearmint is my favorite flavor. But I’ll take Polar Ice or Peppermint, too.) I’ve even got a printable gift tag for you! Just save the picture and print to size. How’s that for easy gifting?