Beaded Rock

My friend Connie posed a good question regarding how I put the beads on my rock project. For those of you who are interested this is how I made this rock in detail.

First be sure the rock is clean. Wash and let dry. I then paint the whole rock gold (mainly so if some beads didn't cover the rock completely it would show thru gold and not rock). Let dry again. I then glued a round crystal off center on the top surface of the rock. I then glued the beads around this center crystal. To glue the beads I simply placed about 3 beads at a time on the needle and dip the bottom part of the beads in a small pool of glue which I keep on some wax paper. I keep the glue pool small because it has a tendency to dry out quickly and its easier to dip the beads in a smaller pool. When I run out or it dries up I simply just squeeze out another little pile of glue. Also try to be careful that your beads don't slide off the needle as you are dipping them in the glue. It does take some getting use to but it can be done. I do not have the beads strung. I just keep the number of beads on my needle small so I can handle them easier. I place the beads by hand exactly where I want them to be by using my finger to slide the beads off the needle. Yes, sometimes there are troubles but I just fuss with the beads with the tip of the needle until I get the bead where they need to go. You only want to dip the bottom part of the beads in the glue. Try not to cover them completely with the glue. Once in awhile won't really hurt but you don't want to do it all the time. The glue can slightly diminish the shine of the beads however its not real bad if you don't bury the beads in the glue. I found that Aleene's Original Tacky Glue really holds the beads securely in place.

It can get a little tricky when you are placing the beads on a corner or an edge but just go with the flow and do your best. The edges , nooks and crannies give the rock its character. Also sometimes it is best to let the glue dry completely because you will need to place your hands where beads already are to hold the rock when adding more beads. If the beads are still wet they will begin to come off from handling. Just put the project down for a few hours and let it dry completely.

This rock took about 5 days to complete from start to finish.