How to Make Imitation Bone Beads

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By highcloud
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This anklet has real bone beads but your fake ones will look just as good!!

This is a fun project for the kids. You can teach them how to make these fake hair pipe bone beads and then they can use them to make their own jewelry, hair decorations, and crafts. Most real hair pipe beads are about 1 to 3 inches long. Native Americans use a lot of these real hair pipe bone beads in their crafts. In the olden days, when the Native Americans went hunting for food, nothing of the animal was wasted. It was a way of providing for the tribe and respecting the animals killed in the hunts. You can buy plastic hair pipe bone beads but what fun would it be to make your own. The materials needed will be easy to find. So come and create with the Native Americans. If you do not want to use the paint or stain to color your bone beads, you can fix a batch of tea or coffee and brush on the natural brew.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

white copy paper
poster board
scissors
wire cutters
wire coat hangers
ruler
sandpaper
modge podge glue
ivory color paint or stain

Step 1

Use the poster board to make a template. Measure 3 inches by 3 inches on the poster board. You can use the ruler to give you a straight line. With the pencil mark out you squares.
Step 2

Then use the template to make your patterns on the copy paper. When you sure ready, cut your paper squares out.
Step 3

Next, Use the wire cutters to cut about 4 inch sections from the wire clothes hangers.
Step 4

Spread the modge podge glue completely over one side of the paper cut outs. Lay the 4 inch piece of wire at one end of the paper and begin to roll the paper cut out tightly around the wire. When you have rolled it all the way, remove the wire and allow your fake bone bead to dry.
Step 5

When your "bone" beads are dry, lightly rub over then with sand paper. Be sure to smooth out the edges and down the middle where the seam is.
Step 6

Paint or stain your "bone" beads. If you would like to add a shine to them, you can spray with ceramic gloss sealant. Now that you have made your "bone" beads, you are ready to put your imagination to work and begin making your crafts.