| How to Dry Apples in the Oven Posted: 30 Aug 2019 05:00 PM PDT Drying apples is a good way to preserve them for use in your favorite recipes later on down the road. It's also the secret to making apple chips, which are a tasty snack in their own right. No matter how you intend to use them, drying apples at home couldn't be easier—all you need is an oven and a couple of hours. Just slice your washed, cored apples into rings and stick them in a preheated oven for 2-3 hours. When they come out, they'll be delicate, crunchy, and oh-so-sweet. [Edit]Ingredients - 1-2 apples (washed, cored, and sliced)
- water
- lemon juice
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, apple pie spice, or other seasonings (optional—to taste)
*Makes approximately 20-50 slices* [Edit]Slicing Your Apples - Preheat your oven to around . Before you get started, turn on your oven to its lowest heat setting. That way, you can wash, core, and slice your apples while the oven is warming up. Once the oven reaches the desired temperature, all you'll have to do is pop in the apples and set a timer.[1]
- Feel free to use a lower heat setting if your oven has one. Some ovens go as low as .[2]
- Low, even heat tends to be best for drying, as it prevents food from burning. Keep in mind, however, that it can take considerably longer for your apples to dry fully at lower temperatures.
- Line 1-2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Overlap the individual pieces of parchment paper to make sure that the bottom of the baking sheet is completely covered. The parchment paper will prevent your apples from sticking to the baking sheets as the sugars in them heat up.[3]
- You may need to grab an additional baking sheet if you're going to be preparing more than 1 or 2 apples at a time.
- Wash your apples thoroughly. Run the apples under a stream of cool water. Use your fingers to gently rub off any stubborn dirt or traces of waxy coating. When you're done, shake off the excess water and pat the apples dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.[4]
- If you're planning on drying lots of apples, it may be faster to wash them all at once in a colander or wire strainer.
- Core and slice your apples into slices. Cut the core out of your apples neatly using an apple corer or paring knife. Then, run the top of each apple back and forth over the blade of mandoline to reduce them to slices of a uniform thickness.[5]
- If you don't have a mandoline, simply use a sharp knife with a long blade to cut the apples as thin as possible.[6]
- When drying apple slices, it's easiest to cut them into rings rather than wedges or other shapes.
- Dip your apple slices in a mixture of water and lemon juice. Combine of water and of lemon juice in a small mixing bowl and stir well. Dunk the slices in the solution for a few seconds, then remove them and set them aside on a layer of folded paper towels and press them dry.[7]
- It's important to dilute your lemon juice. The natural citric acid will keep your apples from becoming brown and mushy while they're in the oven, but too much can actually have the opposite effect.[8]
- This step is entirely optional. A little browning shouldn't affect the taste of your dried apples.
- Arrange the slices on your lined baking sheets in a single even layer. Try to leave at least of space between each slice. This will allow more warm air to circulate between them, cutting down on their overall drying time and ensuring a more consistent texture.[9]
- If you like, you can dust your apple slices with a light coating of cinnamon, nutmeg, or blended apple pie spice before putting them in the oven to give them even more flavor.[10]
[Edit]Heating Your Apples - Bake the apple slices for 1 hour. Set a timer to help you keep track of how long they've been in the oven. After about an hour, the edges of the rings will begin to curl slightly, and the peel on the outside will take on a darker color.[11]
- If your oven doesn't have a built-in timer, use a separate kitchen timer or set an alarm on your phone to alert you when your apples are finished heating on their first side.
- Leave the door of the oven propped open just a hint while your apples are baking. Doing so will improve the air circulation inside and help moisture escape.[12]
- Turn the slices over. Using an oven mitt or potholder, reach into the oven and carefully remove the baking sheet. Flip each slice over with a fork or pair of tongs, then slide the baking sheet back into the oven.[13]
- If you don't turn your slices, they could come out more done on one side than the other.
- Continue baking for an additional 1-3 hours. From here on out, it's best to simply keep an eye on your apples rather than resetting your timer. Try to check them every half hour or so to see how they're coming along. You'll want to take them out once they begin to turn a golden-brown color around the edges.[14]
- Drying times will vary depending on the exact thickness of your slices, as well as the natural moisture content of the variety of apples you're working with.
- In some cases, it may take as long as 5-8 hours for your apple slices to dry out completely. This is especially likely if you have your oven set to a temperature lower than .[15]
- There's no need to turn your apple slices again once they go back in the oven for the second time unless they start to get too brown on the bottom.
- Turn off your oven and allow your apple slices to cool inside. Let your slices sit until both them and the oven have returned to room temperature. This shouldn't take any longer than about half an hour. Allowing your apples to cool will make them safer to handle while also giving any lingering moisture a chance to evaporate.[16]
- To determine whether your apples are done, take one out after they've had a chance to cool and tear it in half. It should be dry and leathery on the outside and slightly spongy on the inside.[17]
- If you think your slices need a little longer, preheat the oven again and place them back inside for 30 minutes at a time.
- Store your apple slices in a cool, dry, dark place. Once you're satisfied that your apples are sufficiently dried, transfer them to a plastic zipper bag, lidded storage container, or mason jar. As long as you keep them off-limits to heat and moisture, they should last for weeks, if not months.[18]
- Consider setting aside a few slices as soon as you take them out of the oven. Many people think that dried apples are best while they're still fresh and warm.[19]
- If you're worried about your apples going bad, stash them in the freezer. There, they'll keep for 6 months to a year (or longer)!
- Drying apples in the oven is much cheaper than investing in an expensive dehydrator, much less work than drying them in a wood stove or microwave, and much faster than drying them naturally in the sun.
- Enjoy your dried apples on their own as a healthy snack, or make them part of a nutritious packed lunch.
- Try chopping your dried apples into small pieces and adding them to oatmeal, yogurt, or homemade trail mix.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Slicing Your Apples - Mandoline or sharp knife
- Small mixing bowl
- Clean cloth or paper towel
- Colander or wire strainer (optional)
- Apple corer (optional)
- Paring knife (optional)
[Edit]Baking Your Apples - Oven
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Oven mitt
- Fork or tongs
- Plastic zipper bag, lidded storage container, mason jar, or another airtight container
[Edit]References |
| How to Treat Bad Breath Posted: 30 Aug 2019 09:00 AM PDT Bad breath is an issue that everyone experiences from time to time. In most cases, it's nothing serious and can be cured by brushing your teeth or taking a breath mint. Certain lifestyle changes like smoking less, good oral hygiene, and improving your hydration can also clear up chronic bad breath. In a small number of cases halitosis, or chronic bad breath, is caused by serious medical issues including diabetes, respiratory tract or sinus infections, H. pylori, SIBO, or liver and kidney disease.[1] In these cases, you'll need to work with your doctor to treat the underlying condition causing your bad breath. [Edit]Stopping Bad Breath Immediately - Brush your teeth to clear up most cases of bad breath. Brushing your teeth will keep your mouth healthy and smelling great. Brush for at least 2 minutes each time, in order to remove odor-causing bacteria from your tongue and the inside of your mouth. Brush your teeth at least twice a day and also whenever you notice that your breath smells a little off.[2]
- When brushing your teeth, don't forget to brush your tongue! Brushing your tongue cleans off old food and bacteria that may be causing the majority of the unpleasant smells coming from your mouth.
- If you find that your bad breath persists after brushing and flossing, try using a tongue scraper after brushing your teeth in the morning and at night. Tongue scrapers remove tough food particles and bacteria from your tongue and improve the smell of your breath.[3] Purchase a tongue scraper at a local drugstore.
- Take a sugar-free breath mint to clear up bad breath within 30 seconds. If you're worried about bad breath during the day, carry some sugar-free mints around with you. If your breath needs freshening, pop one in! For the best effect and the freshest breath, use mints with a relatively mild scent like peppermint or wintermint.[4]
- While breath mints and gum work quickly, they're only a temporary solution to having bad breath. After you've taken a breath mint, your bad breath may return within 30-60 minutes.
- Try chewing sugar-free gum to hydrate and freshen your mouth. Popping a piece of mint-flavored chewing gum into your mouth is a quick, easy way to improve and freshen up your breath for a few hours. The scent from the chewing gum masks unpleasant breath odors, and the chewing will also hydrate your mouth. This will, in effect, rinse off your tongue and sweep odor-causing bacteria down your throat.[5]
- Since most people don't brush their teeth after chewing gum, opt for a sugar-free variety. Sugar-free gum will freshen up your breath just as well as sugar gum, but won't leave a sugary residue on your teeth for the rest of the day.
- Gargle a cap full of mouthwash to freshen your mouth. Mouthwash is a great way to quickly freshen up your mouth before you step out for a date, dinner, or a social event. Fill the cap of the mouthwash container with the liquid and gargle it for 20-30 seconds. Then spit it out and rinse out the mouthwash from your mouth with a mouthful of tap water.[6]
- Like gum and mints, mouthwash is only a temporary fix to bad breath. Also, using mouthwash more than 1-2 times per day can actually worsen your breath by agitating the tissue within your mouth and drying out your oral cavity.
- You may also consider trying oil pulling as a way to rinse your teeth and prevent bad breath. Swish of coconut or sesame oil in your mouth for about 10 minutes, and then spit out the oil.[7]
- Clean your dentures every night to remove any bad smells. If you wear dentures, remove them each night before you go to bed. Use lukewarm tap water and hand soap to scrub your dentures and remove any buildups of bacteria and plaque. If you neglect to clean your dentures, they'll start to smell within a few days and can lead to bad breath.[8]
- Instead of soap and water, you can also use a denture-cleaning pad or denture cream to clean the dentures.
[Edit]Making Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Bad Breath - Stay hydrated to keep your mouth smelling fresh. Many cases of bad breath are caused by a dry mouth, which allows bacteria to flourish. Avoid this by drinking plenty of water throughout the day to keep your mouth wet and fresh smelling. Stay away from fluids that dehydrate you, like coffee, alcohol, and colas, which can actually worsen your bad breath.[9]
- To keep hydrated, adult men should drink at least of water a day. Adult women should drink at least of water a day.
- Some prescription medications can also cause you to have a dry mouth. If you're not sure whether a medication you're on dries out your mouth, ask your doctor.
- Floss daily to remove food particles that can cause bad breath. Brushing your teeth only cleans about 60% of the surface of your teeth, leaving 40% still dirty. Over time, the plaque and bacteria on these dirty surfaces of your teeth can start to smell bad, giving you potent breath. Prevent this potential bad breath by flossing daily.[10]
- You'll be most likely to remember to floss if you do it at a consistent time day after day. For example, floss right after dinner each night.
- Stop smoking to improve the smell of your breath. Not only are cigarettes (and other forms of tobacco) bad for your health, but they give smokers chronic bad breath. Smoking also dries out your mouth (similarly to alcohol), and allows foul-smelling bacteria to build up in the oral cavity.[11]
- Even if you don't smoke cigarettes, other types of smoking can lead to bad breath. Smoking cigars, vaping, and smoking marijuana can all cause bad-smelling breath.
- Cut back on the amount of alcohol you drink to decrease bad breath. Drinking alcohol alters the balance of bacteria in your mouth, leading to frequent bad breath. All types of alcohol (but especially hard liquors like whiskey and vodka) also dry out your mouth and lead to stale-smelling breath. So, if you're a drinker and you find yourself with frequent bad breath, cut back on the alcohol consumption.[12]
- In order to be considered a moderate drinker, men under 65 should have no more than 2 drinks a day. Women of all ages and men over 65 should have no more than 1 drink a day.[13]
- Take a daily probiotic supplement. Taking probiotics may help with bad breath, so it's something to consider. Look for a probiotic that contains lactobacilli.[14]
- Ask your healthcare provider for recommendations on probiotic supplements if you are unsure what probiotic to choose.[15]
- Reduce your intake of processed foods in favor of whole foods. Eating lots of processed foods and foods that are loaded with added sugar may make bad breath worse. However, getting most of your nutrients from whole foods, such as fruits and veggies, may help to improve bad breath. Cut back on the amount of processed foods and added sugars you consume and incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Try drinking fresh fruits vegetable smoothies.
- Consider a detox diet to help eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet.
- Snack on fresh, crispy fruit and veggies as part of a daily diet. Snacking on crispy and liquid-rich veggies and fruits is a great way to freshen your mouth. They prevent bad breath by removing food particles and bacteria from your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Eating these foods as a snack between meals can also prevent foul-smelling stomach acids from making your breath smell.[16] Before lunch or after dinner, eat 4-5 pieces of foods like:
- Apple slices
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
- Bell peppers
[Edit]Treating Medically-Caused Halitosis - See a dentist 1–2 times every year for a general cleaning. Regular dental checkups and cleanings are crucial to maintaining strong, healthy teeth. Your dentist can identify and stop issues that cause bad breath, like cavities and tooth decay. General cleanings can also help prevent bad breath by keeping your teeth and gums free from odorous bacteria. If you notice that you have bad breath that isn't fixed by a mint or brushing your teeth, bring the issue up to your dentist.[17]
- If your dentist sees any medical issues that may lead to bad breath—e.g., receding gums—they can point it out to you before the problem becomes severe.
- Visit your dentist if you suspect you have gum disease. Gum disease causes your gums to pull back from your teeth. A side effect of gum disease is that bacteria can build up in the pockets between your receding gums and your teeth. This typically results in extreme and chronic bad breath. If you notice your gums receding and can't seem to get rid of your bad breath, visit your dentist and ask about gum disease.[18]
- If you do have gum disease, your dentist will be able to scrape the odor-causing bacteria out of the pockets between your gums and teeth.
- If your gum disease is advanced or if you need surgery, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist (gum specialist).
- See your doctor if nose or throat pain accompany your bad breath. In some situations, sinus infection or inflammation can cause bad breath, as can general inflammation of soft tissue in your nose and throat. As bacteria build up in these kinds of infection, they'll cause noticeably bad breath that won't be treated through dental care or hydration.[19]
- Bacteria-covered tonsil stones can also produce bad breath. While these are uncommon, it's worth asking your doctor to check your tonsils if you can't determine the cause of your bad breath.
- Your general practitioner may refer you to an ENT specialist to treat severe infections.
- Tell your doctor if stomach pain accompanies your bad breath. Certain stomach and intestinal conditions can produce halitosis. For example, if an unhealthy level of the bacteria H. pylori has built up in your stomach, it may be causing your chronic bad breath. Similarly, stomach ulcers and various stomach reflux diseases can cause foul-smelling breath.[20]
- Some of these stomach and intestinal medical conditions can be treated with prescription medications. For harder-to-treat conditions, your doctor may refer you to a gastroenterologist.
- If you're going to be away from quick breath-fresheners like gum and mints, avoid eating potent foods like onion, garlic, and fish. These food items are notorious for giving people bad breath.[21]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Paper Earrings Posted: 30 Aug 2019 01:00 AM PDT You can make all sorts of crafts using paper, such as boxes and banners, but did you know that you can make jewelry too? Perhaps one of the more unexpected things that you can make out of paper are earrings. Because paper is so light to begin with, the finished earrings are comfortable to wear. Best of all, the design possibilities are endless, from intricate dangling earrings to chunky beaded ones. [Edit]Cutting Intricate Earrings - Choose a sheet of thick, glittery or patterned cardstock. You can find many options in the scrapbooking aisle of a craft store. Skip the thin scrapbooking paper that feels like printer paper, and instead go for the thicker, cardstock variety.[1]
- Glitter paper works great for this! You can also choose paper with a pearlescent sheen or a pretty pattern.
- Cut a pair of identical shapes from the paper. These will make your earrings, so choose the size carefully. Something that is between would work great here. You can cut these out with a craft blade and a metal ruler or a craft punch. If you have access to a die cutter and know how to use one, that is another great option.[2]
- Be careful when using glitter paper and craft hole punches. Sometimes, the glitter clogs the punch.
- Consider a simple shape, such as a skinny rectangle, or a tall, narrow triangle. This way, you can dress them up further.
- Use a craft border punch to add detail to straight edges. You don't have to do this if you don't want to, but if you cut a skinny rectangle or a tall triangle, you could make your design fancier by punching an intricate design into the bottom edge. Simply choose a border craft hole punch that you like, then use it to punch a fancy design into the bottom edge of your shape.[3]
- If you made a skinny rectangle, use 1 of the narrow edges as the bottom edge. If you made a tall triangle, then the narrow base of the triangle is the bottom, not the long angled edges.
- You can find craft border punches alongside the other craft hole punches in the scrapbooking section of a craft store.
- Add more detail by cutting shapes from the inside of your earrings. There is nothing wrong with having a solid circle, rectangle, or triangle as an earring. The design will appear chunky, however, which is not for everyone. If this is the case for you, use a craft blade to carefully cut a matching shape from the inside of your earring, leaving a skinny frame.[4]
- For example, if you made triangular earrings, cut a triangle out of each one.
- If you made circular earrings, it might be easier to use another circular craft punch, but in a smaller size.
- For a fancier look, choose a shaped craft punch, like a butterfly, heart, or star. This works for any shape, be it a circle, triangle, or rectangle.
- Punch a small hole in the top of each earring for the jump rings. Use a thick needle, an awl, or the smallest hole punch that you can find. Don't use a regular hole punch, however, or the hole will be too big. Make the hole about away from the edge of the earring.[5]
- Make a second set of earrings to glue to the back, if desired. Whether or not you do this is up to you. If your paper is white on the back, this may peek through when you were the earring. If you want them to be identical on both sides, then you'll have to make a second pair and glue them to the back of the first pair. Craft glue will work just fine for this.[6]
- If your design is asymmetrical, then your second set needs to be a mirror image of the first set; otherwise, the designs won't match up.
- If your paper is patterned on both sides, then you don't need to make a second set of earrings—unless, of course, you want the same pattern on both sides.
- Seal the front of each earring with dimensional sealer or epoxy. This is a specific product used in scrapbooking and jewelry making. You can find it in the scrapbooking aisle, the glue aisle, or the beading aisle of a craft store. Look for names like "Dimensional Magic." Unlike regular decoupage glue, it is very thick and gives the paper some dimension.[7]
- Be careful not to seal any holes or designs on your earring. If you did, use a thick needle or toothpick to clear them out.
- How you apply the product will vary. Sometimes you have to use a paintbrush, while other times you use the applicator tip that's attached to the top of the bottle.
- If you made a second set of earrings, be sure to seal those too. You only need to seal the front of each earring set since you'll be gluing them back-to-back.
- Allow the earrings to dry and cure on a sheet of wax paper. If you don't have any wax paper, you can use another smooth, disposable surface, such as parchment paper or the shiny side of freezer paper. How long it takes for the sealer to dry and cure really depends on the brand, so check the instructions on the back of the bottle.[8]
- For example, the sealer may feel dry to the touch in 1 or 2 hours, but it may need up to 48 hours in order to set.
- You must let the sealer cure. If you don't, the sealer will feel dry and tacky. It will pick up fingerprints and dust as well.
- Open a pair of jump rings. Hold a jump ring between 2 pliers. Pull 1 plier towards you and the other plier away from you to open the jump ring. Once you have opened up the first jump ring, set it aside and open the second jump ring.[9]
- Do not pull the ends of the jump ring away from each other like opening a drawer; you want them to slide past each other.
- Open the jump rings enough so that you can slide the earrings on.
- Slide the earring base and a fish hook earring onto the jump ring. Slip the jump ring through the tiny hole in the top of your earring. Once you have that on, add a blank fish hook earring. Work on just 1 earring and jump ring for right now.[10]
- Make sure that your fish hook earrings are the same size as your jump rings. For example, if you used silver jump rings, use silver fish hook earrings.
- You can find blank or empty fish hook earrings in the beading section of a craft store.
- Close the jump ring, then pinch the gap shut, if needed. Grab the jump ring between your 2 pairs of pliers again. Pull 1 plier towards you and the other away from you to close the jump ring. If there is a small gap in the jump ring, hold it between a pair of pliers, then apply slight pressure.[11]
- If you leave the gap in the jump ring, the earring and/or fish hook may fall off.
- Once you have completed this step, add the other jump ring to the earring and fish hook. Your earrings are now ready to wear!
[Edit]Creating Quilled Flower Earrings - Cut 5 strips and 5 strips of quilling paper. For a more colorful earring, make the shorter strips 1 color and the longer strips a different color. The strips will make the inside of the flower petal, so choose your colors wisely.[12]
- Contrasting colors, like red and yellow, will give you a bolder look. Similar colors, like blue and green, will give you a more subtle look.
- If you want more open looking petals, cut all 10 quilling strips long. You should still use 2 different colors.
- You can find quilling strips online or in well-stocked craft stores. You can also make your own buy cutting wide strips of colored printer paper.
- Glue the strips to the strips. Take a strip and a strip of quilling paper. Overlap the ends by about and secure them with a drop of glue. Do this for the remaining sets of quilling paper until you have 5 long strips.[13]
- If you only cut strips of quilling paper, then glue 2 contrasting colors together.
- Insert the end of the strip into a quilling tool. Each of your quilling strips is composed of 2 shorter strips: a strip and a strip. Take the end with the strip, and slide it into the slot of your quilling tool.[14]
- If both of your paper strips were long, then it does not matter from which end you start.
- You can find quilling tools online and in well-stocked craft stores.
- If you can't find a quilling tool, push a needle with a large head into a short dowel. Use a pair of wire cutters to cut the tip of the needle head off to create a set of prongs.
- Wrap the paper firmly around the slotted end of the quilling tool. Slide the strip until the end is just between the 2 metal prongs. Hold the paper firmly as you begin to wrap it around the prongs into a tight tube.[15]
- Make sure that you wrap the entire strip around the quilling tool.
- Slide the wrapped paper off, then glue the end down to hold its shape. Hold the wrapped tube securely between your fingers so that it doesn't unravel, then slide it off of the quilling tube. Loosen your fingers until the tube expands to your desired width, then glue the end down.[16]
- Keep the tube flattened—don't let it push out like a telescope.
- Craft glue will work just find for this, but super glue will work even better because it dries fast.
- How much you let the tube expand by is up to you. Keep in mind that your finished earring will be about twice the width of the expanded tube.
- Pinch the disk into a tear-drop shape, then make the remaining 4 petals. Find the side of the expanded disk that you glued down. Pinch that side between your thumb and index finger so that the disk turns into a tear-drop shape.[17]
- The petal should hold its shape thanks to the crease.
- Make 4 more petals using the same process. Wrap, glue, and pinch the remaining 4 strips to make 4 more petals. Always start wrapping with the end of the strip.
- If you used only strips, then it doesn't matter from which end you start wrapping.
- Glue the 5 petals together to form a flower, then allow them to dry. The pointy ends of the petals should all meet in the center of the flower; the rounded ends should be on the outside of the flower. Once you have glued the 5 petals together, set them aside so that the glue can dry.[18]
- You can use craft glue or super glue for this, but super glue will dry much faster.
- If the flower isn't holding together, set it on top of a corkboard, then use straight pins or T-pins to hold it in place as the glue dries.
- Coat the flower with decoupage glue, if desired. You don't have to do this, but it will make your earring more durable and help it last longer. Choose a decoupage glue, such as Mod Podge, in a finish that you like, then apply a light coat to the front and sides of the earring with a brush. Let the earring dry, then flip it over and do the back.[19]
- Decoupage comes in many finishes, including glossy, satin, and matte. You may also be able to use a varnish instead.
- Try to get the inside of the quilled paper as well. This will help protect it further.
- How long the decoupage takes to dry depends on how heavily you applied it. Because the project is so small, it shouldn't take more than 20 minutes; it may take up to 1 or 2 hours, however.
- Secure a fish hook earring to the top of the flower with a jump ring. Use a pair of pliers to open up a jump ring. Slide a blank, fish hook earring onto the jump ring, then slip the jump ring through the top edge of the flower. Use the pliers again to close the jump ring.[20]
- When opening and closing the jump ring, pull the ends past each other--don't pull them away from each other.
- Sometimes, there may be a gap in the jump ring. Pinch it shut with the tips of your pliers.
- The jump ring should slide right through the quilled loops on the flower petal. How many loops you slide it through will vary each time. Just try to get however many will fit in the jump ring.
- Repeat the entire process to make a second flower earring. Cut another set of and quilling strips. Glue them together to make 5 longer strips, then wrap, glue, and pinch them into petals. Glue the petals together, then insert a jump ring and fish hook through the top petal.[21]
- Make sure that you use the same colors as you did for your first flower.
- Once you do this, your earrings are ready to wear!
[Edit]Making Chunky Beaded Earrings - Choose a colorful page from a magazine with colors that you like. Don't pay attention to the image itself as it won't be visible in the finished bead. Instead, look at the combination of colors. An image that covers the entire magazine page will work much better than a mostly-white page with some text and tiny images.[22]
- You can also use a page from a catalog or calendar, or even a sheet of wrapping paper.
- The exact size of the paper doesn't matter, as long as it is at least long.
- Cut your paper into a wide strip. The strip can be anywhere between long. Use a ruler and a pen or pencil to draw the strip first. Cut the strip out using a sharp part of scissors. You can also use a metal ruler and a craft blade instead. This will create a bead that is shaped like a tube or cylinder.[23]
- If you prefer a bead that tapers on both ends, cut a wide triangle that's between long.
- If you want a longer earring, then cut the strip wider. For example, a strip will give you a bead that's tall.
- Wrap the strip tightly around a toothpick. Place 1 of the narrow ends of your paper strip against a toothpick. Make sure that the color you like is facing out, then wrap the strip around the toothpick to make a tight cylinder.[24]
- If you cut a triangular strip, begin wrapping from the base of the triangle, and finish wrapping at the point.
- Glue the end of the strip down to hold the bead together. Unroll about of the paper. Coat the underside with glue, then press it back down onto the bead.[25]
- Any type of liquid craft glue will work just fine here. Super glue will also work, because it dries nice and fast.
- Stick the toothpick into a ball of clay and let the glue dry. If you don't have a ball of clay, you can use an eraser, apple, potato, or even an orange instead. As long as you can stick the toothpick into it, you're good. How long it takes for the glue to dry will depend on what you are using.[26]
- Most glues will take about 10 to 15 minutes to dry. Some may take longer. Read the label on the bottle of glue to find out how long you should wait.
- While you are waiting, use the rest of the magazine paper to make a second, matching bead. It may not look identical, but it should look very similar.
- Seal the bead with clear varnish. Do not remove the bead from the toothpick just yet. Instead, take the toothpick out of the ball of clay and hold it between your fingers. Apply a coat of clear varnish to the bead with a paintbrush, then stick the toothpick back into the clay.[27]
- Varnish comes in many different finishes, such as matte, satin, and glossy, so pick the one you like the best.
- For a more durable finish, you could use an epoxy sealer instead. In a pinch, you can even use clear nail polish!
- Allow the varnish to dry before you pull the bead off of the toothpick. How long it will take for the varnish to dry really depends on what you are using. It can take as little as 20 minutes to as long as 2 hours. Many types of varnishes also require an additional curing time of 24 to 48 hours, so double-check the instruction label on the bottle.
- You must allow the varnish to cure. If you don't, the bead will feel tacky and pick up fingerprints and dust.
- Once the bead is completely dry, slide it off of the toothpick.
- Slide a 4-mm bead and the paper bead onto a eye pin. Choose a gold or silver 4-mm bead that matches your eye pin, and slide that on first. This will add an element of design to your earring as well as keep the paper bead from sliding off. Once you have that on, slide the paper bead onto the eye pin.[28]
- If you don't have any gold, silver, or glass beads, you can add a pretty charm instead.
- If you don't like the look of gold or silver beads, try a glass bead instead.
- If you can't find a 4-mm bead, try a 3-mm bead instead. The key here is to create some sort of stopper so that the larger, paper bead doesn't fall off.
- Add a second 4-mm bead, then cut the eye pin down to . Choose another 4-mm gold or silver bead that matches your first one. Slide it onto the eye pin so that it sits right on top of the paper bead. Use a pair of wire cutters to cut the rest of the eye pin off so that it's sticking out of the 4-mm bead by .[29]
- If you added a charm to the bottom of your eye pin, you don't need to add a 4-mm bead on top of the paper bead. Just cut the eye pin down so that it sticks above the paper bead.
- Use a pair of round nose pliers to twist the wire into a loop. Hold the earring in 1 hand and a pair of round, needle nose pliers in the other. Pinch the end of the eye pin with the tips of the pliers, then twist the pliers. Keep twisting them until the bit of wire rolls into a circle.[30]
- Don't worry if the loop isn't perfectly flat. This will actually make it easier to attach it to the fish hook earring!
- Attach the earring to a blank fish hook earring. Twist the end of the loop you just made either towards or away from you to create a gap. Slip it over the loop at the bottom of a blank fish hook earring, then twist the loop back shut.[31]
- Treat the loop you made like a jump ring. Open and close it by sliding it past the base of the eye pin. Don't pull it apart like opening a drawer.
- Once you have the first earring completed, repeat the process to add the second bead onto another eye pin and fish hook earring.
- After this, you can wear the earrings!
- If you can't find a design that you like, make your own! Draw directly onto a sheet of paper, or create it on the computer, then print it out.
- Handle your earrings with care. Even if they are sealed, they still shouldn't get wet!
- Use gold fish hook earrings for warm colors, such as red, orange, and yellow. Use silver earrings for cool colors, such as green, blue, and purple.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Cutting Intricate Earrings - Thick cardstock
- Craft punches, die cuts, or craft blades
- Small hole punch, thick needle, or awl
- Dimensional sealer (e.g.:Dimensional Magic)
- 2 pliers
- 2 jump rings
- 2 fishhook earrings
[Edit]Creating Quilled Flower Earrings - 5 strips of quilling paper
- 5 strips of quilling paper
- Slotted quilling tool
- Craft glue or super glue
- Decoupage glue
- Paintbrush
- 2 pliers
- 2 jump rings
- 2 fish hook earrings
[Edit]Making Chunky Beaded Earrings - Colorful magazine page or wrapping paper
- Pen or pencil
- Ruler (metal if using craft blade)
- Scissors or craft blade
- Toothpick or thick needle
- Craft glue
- Clear varnish
- Paintbrush
- 2 eye pins
- 4 4-mm gold, silver, or glass beads
- 2 fish hook earrings
- Wire cutters
- Round needle nose pliers
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
