Thanksgiving Leftovers

Now that we've reached November, I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and all of the yummy food!  Every year, many of us have to get creative with ways to use all those Thanksgiving leftovers.

Christmas Wishes Necklace

In much the same way, a lot of beaders do a huge amount of creating during the holiday season, and end up with their own version of leftovers - leftover beads!  How do you get creative with ways to use those leftover beads and bits?  If you think outside the box, you'll realize that you don't need to let any of those goodies go to waste.


Beads

Using leftover beads as an accent can be a great way to use them up, and also to add that extra little touch to a project.  The red crystal bead in the Christmas Wishes Necklace adds a great finishing touch.

Calypso Earrings

If you have a couple of lingering beads that look pretty together, try making a pair of simple linked earrings like the Trini Earrings.  They're quick and easy, and very wearable.


A pair of interesting gemstone beads can become a great pair of wire wrapped earrings in a snap.  Just wrap them up with a spiraling end like the Calypso Earrings.

Seed Bead Bangle Bracelet Set

Rings are another great way to use up leftover beads.  They're small, so you can make a big impact with a small number of beads.  Try gluing Tila beads into a bezel like the Checkerboard Tila Ring or make a bauble ring with any combination of small beads like the Cabana Ring.

If you have a few seed bead tubes that are getting too low to use in bead weaving, mix them together and press them into Crystal Clay.  Becky Nunn used this technique in her Seed Bead Bangle Bracelet Set, and the results are so unusual and pretty.

Margot Earrings in Montana Blue

Chain

Chain remnants can be the perfect way to add something special to a project.  Try using your smaller remnants of chain to add swags to a pair of earrings.  The Margot Earrings are a beautiful example of how a bit of chain can really finish a pair of earrings.

Even if you only have a few inches of chain left, it can make a great foundation for a pair of earrings.  The Emerald Spiral Earrings use only 2.5" of open link chain for the pair, which forms the base for the SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Crystal Channel Charms to hang from.

Elizabeth's Necklace

If you've used gemstone chain, you'll know that you don't want to throw away a single scrap.  Even if you've cut your chain into small pieces, you can still make something lovely with them, just like Julie did in the Gilded Amethyst Earrings.

Rhinestone cup chain might just be the most versatile product I've worked with lately.  I've been using it in everything - and often in pretty small quantities!  One of my favorite applications is as an accent around the outside of the bezel in Elizabeth's Necklace.  It gives such a subtle sparkle to the piece.

Regal Bumblebee Ring

The Regal Bumblebee Ring shows just how much impact a few inches of chain can have.  The rhinestone cup chain makes a gorgeous and eye-catching border for this stunner of a cocktail ring.


Mixed Media

Another great option for using up a potpourri of leftover components is to create a mixed media piece.  This is an especially great option if your pieces tend to fit within a certain color scheme or style.  Julie, who is our Beadaholique Mixed Media Queen, used an extremely wide variety of bits and pieces to create Dreams in Flight.  This amazing statement piece was made using 35 different components, and in many cases, only one or two pieces of each were used.  It's the ultimate leftover project!

Dreams in Flight

Most beaders that I know have quite the stash of leftovers - what's your favorite way to use them up?

-Megan