The Paper Bead Story

Some writers sit at a computer and words flow right from their brain to the keyboard. I am not one of those writers, at least not all the time.

I carry around notebooks. I make all sorts of hand written notes and edits. I scribble and I scratch out.

I also find that I am a better editor if I print out the item and have a highlighter in my hand.

Of course, this means I use a lot of paper. In fact, family members often refer to me as a tree killer.

Recycling just did not't seem to be enough. That is when I started making paper beads. My personal rule was that I would never purchase any paper for a bead. I would use my notes, my editing pages, scraps and used wrapping paper.

Family and friends have come to enjoy using the beads in a myriad of manners. They have been made into earrings, necklaces, bracelets, belts, hanging curtains, garlands and holiday bows, just to name a few.

The good news is that when they are through with them, they can toss them in the recycle bin. It is nice to know that they made one more stop along the way to the recycle stage.

What I was not expecting was the happiness of making the beads and the thought of those fragmented ideas ideas traveling about.

After sharing this feeling on my blog people began reading and requesting beads. As long as they sent prepaid postage, I sent beads. A lot of them went to various locations to people who were simply a name on an envelope.

Last year my family surprised me by making a writing Christmas tree for the Festival of the Trees. The Festival of the Trees is an event to make money for the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. I had participated many times by making and donating trees, but decided I did not have the time last year. The garland was made of paper beads from my writing. It was decorated with numerous empty ink pens. The pens are made with recycled ink and plastic and come with no refills. They painted them gold and silver. At any rate, the tree fetched $5364.00 for the charity and my bead went away again.

I am not certain how long the paper beads will be a craft I do. I guess as long as there are people who use them, I may as supply them. Good things can come from scraps of garbage. Something about that feel like karma.