Sunday, March 3, 2013

The Humble Pop Bead...Humble No More!



Allow me to demonstrate this groovy little hack.







Made from a perennial favorite since your great-grandma's day: the humble, plain-vanilla pop bead.


Yes, there are lots of fancier-shmancier pop beads on the market.  But I wanted to upcycle the original model.  Aren't these fun and kinda mod?






With this technique, you can mix and match lines of color...


...as well as interchangeable dangles and charms!









They can be quite chic...


And, with some extra additions - even kinda swanky.



Want the deets?  Here comes the easy DIY.



Snip off the little 'popper.'



Poke a hole.  (Try a pushpin or pointy scissors.  You can also melt a hole with a heated poker.)




Thread a headpin through the hole, bend it over sideways and trim it short.







Turn a loop; add an earring finding.





Now you have this!  Let's call it the Top Pop Bead.


If you have two ears, repeat.





Now pay attention...here's where it gets complicated...not.  Pop!  And Pop!


 Just add a string of color to your Top Pop Beads, and voila!  A delightful pair of INFINITE EARRINGS that you can mix and match and match and mix.


I think they look really cool, just like that.

A necklace works the same way; just leave off the earring findings, and add a few Top Pop Beads to a cord, chain or neckwire.  Then design away!

 

But wait!  There's more.

Check out this fiendishly clever way to add dangles to these earrings - dangles you can mix and match and change out at will...




Here's how to make the dangles.

First, find a matched pair of very small beads:



You can eyeball them for size; what you want are 3-4mm rounds that are close to the same size as the original 'poppers.'

Put the two little beads on a headpin.  Bend the pin sideways and snip short.



Turn a loop.  Add a charm, dangle or drop.



Now you have this little doohick, which we'll call the Pop Drop Dangle.




Pop just one of those two tiny beads into the earring, and - what, what, what?!?!?



Your charm dangles from the bottom, accented by one tiny decorative bead peeking out.  See what I mean?


Note: 3 mm beads are the perfect size, but not always easy to find.  4 mm beads do work - but can be just a little tight.  Try a few repeated pops in and out, to slightly widen the receiving beads, and you'll be good to go.


So that's the idea, and it makes me very happy.  (It doesn't take much.)











If you like this invention, I hope you'll let me know.  And try it!  And maybe even pass it on?


See ya next time!  Thanks for popping by.*

Updated to answer all the comments, asking where to find pop beads.  Honestly, they are easy to find.  Try toy departments...the kid-crafts section of craft stores...and of course the internet.  If you search 'pop beads' on Amazon.com, you will find tons!  Here's a really pretty set, for example.  Happy popping!



*Constitutionally unable to refrain from including that pun.

  

30 comments:

  1. I'm pinning this dear...I'm going to wear them as soon as I get mine done! Fabulous idea and they look so beautiful!!!

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  2. Where on earth did you find those old pop beads? I remember them from my childhood. Can't say that I liked them then, but yours are adorable! You are so creative in changing what was old. And that wire necklace you used is from way back when too. Keep the creativity flowing!

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    1. Hi, Gail! They are out there! Try searching Amazon.com for 'pop beads' and you will see lots of cute ones.

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  3. Wow! I haven't seen pop beads in forever! You sure knew what to do with them!! Love it!

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  4. What fun - my girls love playing with their pop bead jewelry. I've been known to even wear a special necklace out on occasion. :)

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  5. super!!you should named this post "pops of color" :) and " if you have two ears, repeat!" is genius

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  6. Love it..where do I find these beads? Pops of color..love it Divya!

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    1. Hiya, Amy! Try craft stores (in the kid craft sections), also Amazon.com online. I got mine at a thrift store, keep your eyes peeled!

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  7. These make me happy too:-) I can still remember the pop, pop, pop sound as I created and strutted my necklaces as a child. How creative you are to expand the line to earrings and fancy necklaces. Too cute!

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  8. love love love! Never seen tiny pop beads myself, and this is just too much fun! thanks so much for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!

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  9. I used to play with those when I was a girl, now where can we get those?
    Love them, want them, need them.

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  10. Oh my goodness where did you find pop beads? LOL you made them look fit for a DIVA!!!!

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    1. Found mine at a thrift store...but they are easy to find online. Look at these, fer example, aren't they pretty? http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Viv-Style-Rainbow-Beads/dp/B002KE0HCK/ref=pd_sim_t_1

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  11. Terrific idea, Wo-Man! I'm anxious to start popping away, but I'm with everyone else...where do you find pop beads in this day and age?

    How in the world do you come up with some of these wicked ideas? Your mind must be a deliciously cluttered place and I wish I could browse carefully for days!

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    1. Great to hear from you again, MommyWoman! I updated the post with some suggestions on where to find them...good luck! Big-box store toy departments are a good source, and of course online.

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  12. A set of these would make an awesome gift for a teen! Or an adult. Or for me.

    I found these! http://tinyurl.com/b5n3kpg But no pinks... link us up, Mich!

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  13. That is uber cool!!! Now to just find some of the little darlings. I have a lot of granddaughters that would just love these!!!

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    1. Hi, Judy! They are pretty easy to find - try toy stores, craft stores and Amazon.com. Or luck out at a yard sale or thrift shop!

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  14. beautiful! I love the little feather charms you added at the bottom.

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  15. Oh my goodness, I TOTALLY FORGOT about these! I loooooved playing with them as a kid - it was so fun to make my own jewelry! Makes sense that I still make it now. xD Such a cute way to make a grown-up version!

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  16. I don't know why I visit blog posts of Anon commenters. I don't know why they've started attacking your site.

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  17. Oh my goodness, what fun!!! So colourful and pretty in all the forms you've created. I'm especially fond of the necklaces. That burst of colour on the bottom? Awesome!

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  18. Oooh I love this!! My Mama got me started on pop beads. I have stash in my craft supplies waiting to be used! This looks like so much fun!

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  19. This is the most unique & fun idea i have seen in some time. You are very good at your words to make it so fun!!!!!!

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  20. They make me happy, too! So adorable, I can't wait to go get some pop beads. Love the names as well. Thanks!

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  21. I found the pop beads on Amazon. I wondered if it would be hard to make the hole...but it was great and I did it fast. Now I'm trying to find the small beads to make the drops. This is a great idea and I'm having fun making them.

    Judy

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