62 CreativeBeading
BEADING TRENDS
BEADS ARE GENERALLY USED TO DECORATE THE BODY, BUT WHY S OP
THERE WHEN THERE ARE CAKES, INVITATIONS, TABLECLOTHS AND GLASSES
TO BE DECORATED TOO? SARAH EZZY-DICKSON SUGGESTS SOME BEADY
IDEAS FOR WEDDINGS, PARTIES AND OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS.
BEFORE THE PARTY
Invitations need to be sent out to tell everyone
about your celebration, so to set your
invitations apart, why not add some beads!
Beads can either be sewn or glued onto
invitations; however there are drawbacks to
both methods. Sewing beads onto paper
leaves tell-tale holes from the needle, but
this can be minimised by using clusters of
beads threaded through the one hole. Glue
can leave sticky marks or discolour paper,
especially if it’s thin or has a fabric content
to it; a spot test on a small sample piece of
paper is the best way to find the right glue for
the job, and if you use a toothpick to apply
the glue, you’re less likely to have unwanted
glue marks. If your celebration has the need
for matching menus or programmes, then
decorating them in a complementary way
will tie it all together.TABLE SETTINGS
Tablecloths can become pesky if there is a
breeze blowing, so to hold the corners down
in an attractive way, pierce one side of several
pegs and feed a jump ring through, attach
some glass beads to a small length of chain
and attach to the jump ring. Clip the pegs
onto the hanging corners of your tablecloth
and the weight will hold the cloth down, while
the beads will add a special touch.
Sometimes it is best to draw up a seating
plan, and name cards are the best way to
let everyone know where they’re supposedto be. Beads can spruce up a simple name
card, which can be a lovely keepsake for your
guests to take home.
To keep your napkins rolled, you could thread
some small diameter memory wire with some
beads and then loop the ends. Coil your finished
product around your napkin, and you’ve added
instant beaded pizazz to a very neat napkin.
Wine glasses can get mixed up fairly easily
at parties and you can’t always rely on lipstick
smears to indicate which one was yours, so
to set each one apart, add some wine glass
charms. They are very easy to make and very
effective; all you need is some small wire
hoops and an assortment of beads. Simply slip
the beads onto the wire hoops and then clip
onto your wine glasses!
Balloons are often a fun centrepiece to
a table setting, and usually come with a
cellophane wrapped weight to hold them
down which may not suit your table settings.
Beading wire threaded with beads and wound
around the weight will help to disguise it a
little, while also adding a little individuality.
Balloons can also double as place settings- write each guest’s name on a balloon with a
permanent marker and then secure at the end
of the ribbon with a cluster of glass beads to
weigh it down to the table. At the end of the
party, guests can take their balloon and beads
home as a reminder of the occasion.
If your tables are glamorous enough to have
candelabras, then hanging strings of crystal
or fire-polished crystal beads around the arms
Weddings, Parties,
Anything!