DIY Enamel Dots

Hi Everyone!

Today I actually baked something crafty ;)  I jumped on the bandwagon and baked up some DIY enamel dots.  Enamel dots are one of my favorite embellishments to use.  They are small yet add such a nice effect on your project.  They add dimension, color and shine to an otherwise dull project.  They are great to use on a project that has "something missing" or to fill in that "empty spot".  I use them on my cards in bunches of threes near sentiments and on layouts to add a little pop of color.  They are the perfect size for project life.

Here are some examples where I've added them to my projects:

So here's my recipe:
preheat oven to 400 degrees
line your baking sheet with parchment paper
place your beads (I used pony beads but perler beads can also be used) standing up

bake in oven for 10 minutes.

done.
Yes.  It's that simple.

Pony beads come in mini size as well.  They will look like this:

The regular sized beads come out like this:

I prefer the smaller mini size ones but either way they both look absolutely yummy!  Look how pretty the colors are.  Look at the beautiful glossy shine. Lovely.

Enamel dots regularly cost anywhere between $2 to $5  for a package of 40.  My pony beads came in a tub of 3200 for the price of $4.95!  You do the math.  Amazing.  I think I am addicted.

But Beware:  there was a slight odor to the pony beads.  I do not know if there are any harmful chemicals or vapors being emitted.  I do recommend that you are in a well ventilated area - either keep the windows open or fan on or better yet, do both.  I believe the perler beads are meant for melting.  I did not have any perler beads on hand but if I do eventually buy some, I will try and do a comparison.

Here's a video showing them up close:

Let me know your thoughts!

Hope I have inspired you today :)

Hugs,
Judy