The shower area of a bathroom is often curtained
and many bathrooms also have a window--both these spots offer the opportunity
to display some glass, ceramic, and polymer clay beads.
These materials are well suited to high humidity areas, which is not
true of all beads.
Be cautious and use beads that can withstand a moist climate for this
project, even if they don't actually get wet!
In our recent renovation, we chose to limit the pallete of colors to
blues and white.
The range possible with just a few other accent colors is very pleasing
as well as looking clean and fresh.
While each bead is different, the limited color range ties it all together
as does the way all the other beads in each ring bauble are matching sets.
Each has one Chinese porcelain bead and a set of silvery
bells from India, giving a slightly Eastern feel to this scheme along with
a Japanese Girl Bead made of polymer clay!
The blue lentil beads are also reminiscent of Japanese indigo textiles---using
your favorite influences in decorating makes each room a personal treat
to the eyes.
To give some visual interest to a room that is otherwise
somewhat plain with light blue walls and white molding, we chose to decorate
the darker blue shower curtain with twelve beaded baubles attached to the
curtain rings.
Beaded Bathroom Baubles--
This project requires:
twelve large focal beads (I used blue and white polymer clay lentil
beads)
twelve 6 inch long pieces of silver colored wire
enough assorted beads to make twelve similar sets
24 bells (if desired)
wire cutters and round nose pliers
pencil
I start the baubles at their bottoms by making a round loop at one end
of the wire, and feed the bells into this loop, wrapping twice as though
making an eye pin.
Feed the beads onto the remaining wire until you have a pleasing pattern,
then make a wrapped loop at the top.
I use a pencil to keep the loops open and the same size while finishing.
For the best instructions I've seen on wire-wrapping techniques
made easy, read "All
Wired Up" by Mark Lareau.
This same technique can be used to make a necklace pendant, earrings,
or drapery tieback.
By making twelve, this becomes a great time to practice your wire techniques
as well! And by dressing up my shower curtain, I can enjoy them more often
than I would as personal jewelry.
Just slip each one over the end of an opened shower curtain ring and
close the ring.
I also took a look through my accumulated stash of blue beads and picked
some beauties to make into a swag--that's like a necklace with no clasps,
that is used in decoration.
Many people are familiar with bead swags on Christmas trees and in other
holiday decorating and special events--like Mardi Gras--and there's no
reason not to enjoy beads daily!
A bead swag with two cobalt blue glass pendant drops on
the end can be draped over a curtain (or instead of a curtain!).
By adjusting its placement on the curtain rod, you can achieve a very
dramatic look and still whisk it right off when cleaning. This one is made
with 18 inches of tigertail which has an acrylic coating over metal--this
resists moisture, where most cotton, linen, silk or hemp cord will come
apart over time from the damp. Two crimp beads secure the ends; start with
one end crimped off and string all the beads as you like.
I've chosen to put the large focal off center, so that the ends will
hang at different levels---I prefer asymmetry. After the last bead goes
on, the end of the tigertail is brought through a crimp bead and squeezed
to hold it in place.
A large drop of super glue is placed on each end, then each is inserted
into the hole of the glass pendants. Allow to set for an hour or two, then
hang as desired!
