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Making papier-mache is said to be child’s play, but with a little flair and imagination it can be formed into the most beautiful and unusual scented beads that you have ever seen. An added bonus is when you include essential oils in the creating process. The result is a wonderfully scented creation that can be used as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or just put in a pretty bowl and enjoy the beautiful colors and fragrant aroma.
The beads, when worn close to the body, excude their fragrance in response to your body heat, while mobiles gently release their aroma when the breeze waves them. How strong the aroma is will depend upon the amount of essential oils you use. There are four opportunities for adding the essential oils during the creating process. Make sure you use all four so you will get the utmost fragrant aroma possible.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Newspaper
Water
1 cup flour
Essential oils of your choice
Paints
Toothpicks
Large shallow mixing bowl
Large zip lock plastic bag
Small Dixie cups
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cut or tear strips of newspaper about ½ inch wide. Put as many strips as you can fit in the zip lock bag and add a few drops of your choice of essential oils. Seal the bag and leave overnight so that the newspaper will absorb the oils.
2. Place flour in your mixing bowl, add enough water to make a runny paste. Add several drops of essential oils to this and mix well.
3. Pour your choice of paint you are using in the Dixie cups. Add a few drops of essential oils to the paint and mix in well.
4. Take one strip of newspaper at a time and dip in the paste mixture, hold the paper up and let excess paste drip off; you want the newspaper wet but not soggy. The best way to do this is to run the paper between two fingers and slide the leftover paste off. Take one of the toothpicks and begin to wrap the newspaper around it. The more newspaper strips you use, the bigger the bead will be. Remember that there are all shapes and sizes of beads, when you use the toothpick the shape of your bead will be more of a cylinder shape than a round shape. If you have your heart set on a round bead then you will need to use a clay method instead of papier mache. Set aside to dry when you have reached the size you want.
5. When the beads are dry, decorate with your scented paint, this is where your creativity comes in. The beads can be as colorful or as plain as you want. Set the beads aside once again so the paint may dry.
6. When the beads have dried, slip them off the toothpicks, the hole for stringing the beads is already formed by using the toothpicks.
This is a fun project for a rainy day and even your children will love to help. They can make their very own necklaces, and bracelets to wear. Try taking about cup full and put in a pretty glass bowl, now set on your coffee table and enjoy the fragrant aroma all week long. When the fragrance starts to dwindle just add a few drops of essential oils to the bowl and stir the beads around, the oils will absorb back into the beads and you can enjoy them all over again.
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