I haven’t added any text instructions, because I think the photos are clear enough. All that’s left to do know is make a whole heap of these, in different shapes (but always symmetrical shapes!) and sizes, and stringing them up.
This uses the same binding method used to make childrens board-books…the only difference is that you glue the front and back cover together, as well, and create a book in the round, without and ending or beginning…and that’s some pretty heavy symbolism for a pretty paper bead!
Have fun!
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This is fabulous and fun. I’m going to start making my own book beads and stringing garland . . . THANKS!
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How lovely and creative! I also have (lots and lots) of books that I just can’t seem to get rid of, and I’ve re-read them! I’ll try this.. thanks!!!
Goodness, Nat, this is great. Thank you for this wonderful idea!
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wow great tutor and I will make some of these for the holidays.
Great tutorial and lovely photos. I’m blogging about it now and then pulling out my paper punches. Thanks for the great inspiration and your beautiful site. ~ Olivia
Thank you so much, Olivia, I am surprised by the continued popularity of this post! So happy to have made so many other happy…the simplicity is the key, I think, to it’s success.
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I LOVE this! I’m going to post a blog about it today. Hope you don’t mind!
So glad I Stumbled Upon your site.
Hey, I’m happy you liked it so much! Don’t mind at all, go for it, and thanks!
A lovely inspiring tutorial. These would also make lovely Christmas tree decorations ;o)
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I LOVE this idea.. just thinking bout how each bead could tell a little story!!
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Hello! I like very much your tutorial… Is beutiful..
Greatings
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This bead technique is so cute! I love idea! I must tweet it!
Thanks, Chris!
Hmm…the word ‘book’ seems to have triggered some sort of cramped, narrow mode of thinking that further explanations have failed to open up.
The paper used was what I had on hand. You don’t have to use a precious book, loves; you are being obtuse, or bellicose, or both. It’s just paper, and any paper will do (funny how one DOES have to spell things out very clearly for the angry and hasty mob!)
I called it a ‘book bead’ because it is put together the way books are–specifically ‘board books’ as are commonly used for childrens books–with little pages/leaves.
cute idea ! I love it ! tweet and stumbled !
I think this could be a great use for junk mail and old catalogs. Even with books being a sacred item in our house, we do have a few that are failing apart. Thank for the great idea. Lins
M .
what a cute idea! this is a good idea for my girl, she will love making these, thanks for sharing:)
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LOVE these! I’m adding a link to them on CRESCENDOh today.
Hope it brings lots of happy hearts by your blog. 
xo,
Carmen
Thanks for this fantastic tuto.
Beads are so cute
Pat from French Riviera
I have a question…can you do this with a regular book, instead of a board book? I don’t have a punch that will go through a board book. How would I make it “firm” or hard like a board book and it not crumple up?
Thanks for any advice you can give.
Hello! Sorry if I was unclear, the METHOD of making these little beads is the same as that used to make board books, but the paper used for these beads was just regular paper from an old book…my punches are same as yours, I could never have punched these shapes out of board.
As for strengthening, I have found that because the beads are so tiny (my finished bead is the size of a cherry or a small olive), and because you glue two halves together, making each “page” of the bead double thickness, the bead ends up quite firm.
Other ways, I imagine, would be to 1) punch the shapes out and then glue two or more layers together before folding and gluing into a bead, 2) use the thickest paper your punch can handle…say good quality scrapbooking paper, 3) or dipping the finished bead into some sort of varnish, shellac, liquid gloss, or even a runny acrylic medium, to coat and harden the beads. That’s all I can think of, and mind you these are all theoretical, I haven’t tested these ideas out. Hope one of them works for you.
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These are fab, I have got to make me some of them! Thanks for sharing!
You may have finally broken down my resistance to buying punches. I love these. And the pictures are perfect directions.
Great pictures! I don’t think you need words to explain
Oh wow! These are excellent. I have an old Agatha Christie pulp that every single page has fallen out of because the spine is so broken and the glue was so cheap but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it. This is clearly the answer!
Funny thing is I didn’t even notice that there weren’t any text instructions until you mentioned it because the photos do such a good job of explaining it.
Truthfully, I think most of the time I just look at the pictures when I am “reading” tutorials, but I never thought about it before.
Wouldn’t reading the books be more educational?
Not always. A cheesy, romanticized, not-quite-accurate B-grade biography of Mata Hari? Hardly educational. I DID read it before I cut it up, in case I was missing something… it was just sentimental pulp, not worth the paper it was printed on. Of course, the “book” in this posts title refers to the board book format used to make the beads…you don’t have to cut up a book to make them, any paper will do.
GET REAL! THIS IS A BEADING SITE! I am sure the books were read many times before they fell apart, & then uniquely mastered & RECYCLED into a fabulous new product! I think it is cool! P.S. I was not really into punches before either & just bought a few lately.
GREAT WAY TO TEACH, NAT! ENJOYED!
Uy, ang cute!
Makahanap nga ng craft punch this weekend. 