Acrylic Bead Cross Ornament Tutorial~Beautiful Ornament for Christmas!

This is so easy and makes a wonderful Christmas or Easter ornament! I buy all my beads at bolekscrafts.com~I like their quality of acrylic beads, they are quick and their shipping cost is very low. Of course, I would highly recommend calling them and placing the order, instead of doing it online. As much as I like their products, their site can be a little difficult to navigate in.

You will need the following for each cross:

4~8mm faceted round beads
5~10mm faceted round beads

11~18mm starflake or paddle wheel beads

1 Iridescent tinsel stems (pipe cleaner) found in Walmart's craft section. 1 embellishment, such as a rose or flat back heart rhinestone.

1. Cut Tinsel Stem in half and twist tinsel stem together to make a "Cross frame." Don't worry if it's not exactly even, because you'll be cutting off the excess with a wire cutter.

2. Begin by stringing four 10mm beads on all four corners of the cross.

3. The top and arms of the cross should be strung in this order: 10 mm round, (which you already have strung.) TWO 18mm paddle wheels and an 8mm round.



4. The long, bottom stem part of the cross should be strung in this order: 10mm round, (which you have already strung.) TWO 18mm paddle wheels, 10mm round, THREE 18mm paddle wheels and an 8mm round.



Cut off the excess tinsel stem at all four corners of the cross with a small jewelry wire cutter.

6. Take off the last 8mm round beads at all four corners and dip the ends of the tinsel stem generously in Aileen's Clear Tacky Gel glue and replace 8mm beads back on the four corners of the cross.

7. Lastly, use white upholstery thread to tie a loop onto the cross. It's very strong and won't break. It also slips easily in between the top part of the beads, so it isn't noticed. Attach a white rose in the center. The roses already have a sticky back to them, but I use hot glue to attach the rose, so it won't fall off.