Mardi Gras beads became popular in the 1920’s when participants of the Rex parade threw inexpensive handmade glass necklaces into the crowd. This was long after the origination of the parade in the 1830’s.
The color of the Mardi Gras beads was significant during the early parades. The original colors of the beads were purple, green and gold. The purple represents justice; green represents faith and gold represents power. Today, the beads come in every shape and size. No particular mean is given to the additional colors.
Make your own colored Mardi Gras beads from polymer clay. Polymer clay is the easiest to use when creating the beads although salt dough and pottery clay also work well. Stay with the traditional colors or create beads of many colors. Note that the most popular length of Mardi Gras beads is 33-inches.
Things You’ll Need:
Polymer clay
Toothpick
Cookie sheet
Oven
Potholder or oven mitt
Beading string
Instructions:
Step 1 – Roll ¼-inch to ½-inch balls from the selected polymer clay. Mix the clay if desired to create multi-colored beads.
Step 2 – Mold the clay into the desired shape by pressing the clay between your fingers. The most common shape for Mardi Gras beads is round.
Step 3 – Insert the toothpick through the center of the bead. Pull the toothpick entirely through the bead to create an even hole.
Step 4 – Place the completed beads on a cookie sheet.
Step 5 – Bake the completed beads at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Step 6 – Remove the beads from the oven and cool 15 minutes.
Step 7 – String the beads in the desired order. Secure the string.
Add a luster to the surface of the completed beads by spraying them with three to five coats of clear gloss acrylic sealer. Another option is to paint small designs on the beads prior to sealing.