Gold, silver and copper metallic beads are all commonly available in various textures, sizes and styles. To decorate a dolls house or miniature Christmas tree for a village, choose shades that catch and reflect the light, especially if your tree will not have powered lights.
If your tree will be permanently decorated and you have worked out your design, you can glue the beads in place on the tree. If you want to have the beads hang similar to full scale ornaments you have several options.
How to Hang Beads as Ornaments
- To hang beads, insert a fine wire, or special headpin from a bead store, through the bead. If the wire is straight with no headpin to hold the bead, form a small loop in the end of the wire, and flatten it with pliers then pull the loop tight to the base of the bead. The wire should be cut off a suitable height above the bead, and bent to form an ornament hanger.
- Beads with oversize holes can be filled with white pva glue and have fine metallic thread glued in place as a loop hanger. When the glue dries, it can be left clear, or covered with metallic ink or paint to disguise the hole.
- Small beads which look awkward on a wire, can be threaded through with fine thread which matches the bead color. If a knot is formed on one side above the bead, it will hold the bead hanging from the thread which can be made to form a loop for hanging on the tree. The line of thread which runs from the base of the bead up the back of the bead to the knot, will not be visible from the front.
- When you find a style that will work as a Christmas ornament, buy it in several sizes to help spread the look over the entire tree.
- Glaze pens, nail polish or colored PVA glue can be used to glaze over plain metallic beads to create coloured beads which resemble stained glass.
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