The Paper House - Rockport, MA

I recently discovered the Paper House, which is located in Rockport, MA. Rockport is on Cape Ann, which also encompasses Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea.

Click on these image for a full size views.  Be sure to notice the paper bead curtains and the furniture made from paper.  Amazing.

The Paper House is an actual house made from paper. Newspaper to be exact.  It was built by Mr. Elis F. Stenman, a mechanical engineer who designed the machines that make paper clips. He began building his Rockport summer home out of paper as a hobby. That was in 1922. The paper was meant to be good insulation. Eventually, not only was the house made of paper, but furniture as well, including some intricate and beautiful pieces.

The Paper House is open 10 am. - 5 p.m., every day from spring through fall.

Admission is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children ages 6 - 14. Admission is on the honor system

Copper Beads...Changing History?

Recently an article appeared in The Hindu describing the discovery on Copper Beads found during the excavation of a Megalithic site in India.  This find changes the perception of the development of society during this ancient era.  "The beads were of the same size and shape. The holes inside the beads were fine-tuned to make jewellery in a period when life was more on a survival level when engagements in artistic works were impossible."

Jewellery unearthed near Ramakkalmedu in Idukki - The Hindu

As part of the second phase of excavation of the Megalithic sites in the district, more earthen burial urns (nannagadis) have been unearthed near Ramakkalmedu...

...“This was the first time copper beads were found in a Megalithic site. The general perception was that the Copper Age (Chalcolithic Age) was just after the Iron Age. That there was no such discovery from a Megalithic site so far has highlighted the importance of further studies on different Megalithic sites in the district,” Mr. Rajesh said.

He said the beads excavated were fine jewellery. Archaeologists and historians had a common perception that the latter period of the Neolithic Age was immediately followed by the early Iron Age in South India. The new discovery contradicted that perception, and the beads gave a clear idea that copper was made during the period. He said the jewellery showed the presence of a civilised society in the Megalithic period. It proved the artistic skill of a society which was cut off from the mainstream and a rhythm of life completely different from that of other societies of that period. The interaction with the world outside was evident from the new discovery. The beads were of the same size and shape. The holes inside the beads were fine-tuned to make jewellery in a period when life was more on a survival level when engagements in artistic works were impossible.

Read the Entire Article Here

What Is Silver-Filled?

Simply put, Silver-Filled is a metal, more durable that silver-plated metal and a great lower cost alternative to sterling silver.

Silver-Filled wire and jewelry making components including clasps, earwires, head pins and other essentials are increasingly available in the marketplace today. It is very important to keep silver-filled and sterling silver components stored seperately because they are almost impossible to distiquish from one another. Although Silver-Filled is not new, there is renewed interest in the material due to the high cost of precious metals.

What Does Silver-Filled Mean?

Silver-Filled refers to a metal material that is similar in construction to Gold-Filled metal. Simply put, a layer of .925 sterling silver is bonded to a brass core (copper and zinc alloy). The 1/20 (5%) and 1/10 (10%) notation refers to the ratio of the sterling silver layer to the brass core by weight.

How does Silver-Filled differ from Silver Plated?

It is important to first understand the silver plate process. A microscopic film of sterling silver is electroplated to a base metal alloy. The plating contains only a fraction of the silver content in Silver-Filled metal. Silver-Filled metal has a layer of sterling silver 100 times thicker than silver plated metal.

What is Silver-Filled Like to Work With?

Silver filled wire and findings can be manipulated just like sterling silver. Since the sterling silver is bonded to the core alloy it does not flake off the way plating can. Silver-Filled items look identical to sterling silver, and can be antiqued just like sterling silver. Additionally, the substantial layer of sterling silver in these products protects copper allergy sufferers from the irritation caused by exposure to copper.

Paper Beads that Empower

MzuribeadsAs a woman owned and women run business, Boston Bead Company is committed to supporting women around the world who are invested in cultivating their own futures through craft.

Paper beads are one such craft.  There are a variety of organizations that offer paper beads made by Ugandan women, some are charitable organizations and others are commited to the concept of establishing business enterprises for Ugandan women that will provide them with a sustainable income and afford them future development. 

The craft trade in Uganda is highly competitive. For those organizations working to empower women rather than to just support them through charitable aid, the challenge is great. The goal for these organizations is to not only empower women to learn a craft, but how to take their craft to market, and eventually how to take control of their own financial prospects.

MzuribeadsMzuribeads is one of several Ugandan community initiatives moving away from charitable aid and towards the concept of enterprise for sustainable development. A group of about twenty women from Ndejje, Uganda, have been trained to make paper beads from strips of recycled magazine and poster paper. The color of the beads is determined by the specific recycled paper chosen. The best waste paper is obtained from printing companies and the recycled market. After the beads are made varnish is applied to minimize fading, and to give the beads a glossy and water resistant finish. 

Learn More about Mzuribeads.

Paper Bead Making

Using paper to make beads and jewelry is a popluar pasttime for kids and adults alike. Using magazines and catalogs for making jewelry is the ultimate recyling effort!

Victorian Paper Bead Making

Paper crafts were all the rage during the late 19th century.  Women used paper for scrapbooking and framing pictures, for decorations like paper chains and Christmas Cornucopias, and for making paper beads.

Paper bead rolling was a popular domestic craft at the turn of the 19th century.

 With a desire to create decorative items that would enhance their homes, and give them a practical pastime, Victorian women used scraps of wall paper to hand roll beads.  They frequently used knitting needles as the base for creating their little works of art. These paper beads were then strung onto long pieces of yarn, which were hung in archways to create curtains that separated rooms.

This Victorian paper bead necklace was found at a flea market in London.  It goes to show that women have always used their creative natures to translate domestic crafts into personal adornment.

Modern Paper Bead Making

Today paper bead making is once again a popular pasttime. 

Most of our mailboxes overflow with colored catalogs, shiny flyers and magazines filled with colorful pages.  It's a pity to just send these to the recyling bin when they can be transformed into beautiful beads.  Simple templates, scissors, a glue stick and plastic drinking straws or knitting needles are all you need to get started. 

Cut your paper strips, apply your glue, and roll, it's that easy!  The size, shape and length of your paper strips determines the size and shape of your finished beads.  You can create tubes, bicones like the picture to the left, or fancy shapes of your own creation.  Once your beads are finished you can string them up or you can strengthen them by applying a clear coating of sealant like modge podge or clear nail polish. 

Paper Bead Jewelry

Once you've made your beads there are so many styles of jewelry that can be made.

Earrings like these were made from the inside of a plain security envelope.  The paper was rolled into simple tubes and strung onto headpins for sweet earrings.

Paper bead bracelets and necklaces can be strung so many ways.  This bracelet is made by sliding one bead on each safety pin and then stringing the safety pins together, top and bottom on stretchy cord. Paper bead necklaces can be strung on flexible beading wire, satin cord, leather or hemp and finished with the components of your choosing.

If you love the look but don't have the time to make your own paper beads and paper jewlery there are many artist's selling their work on Etsy.  This jewelry set is one of my favorites for spring.  Molly Smith is from Texas and she says  "I enjoy crafting and giving handmade gifts because of my mother's and grandmother's influences. I am a self-proclaimed paperholic."

Check out Molly Smith's Etsy Shop for a whole range of paper jewelry. 

Paper Crafting for Charity

Next week I will be sharing my paper crafting for charity finds.  Please check back and continue to learn about the fascinating world of paper beads.