There are these flat, wavy metal beads that I always drool over, but they are very expensive. The brass or copper ones cost about $8 for 30 beads, which means $5-$10 per project. So when I saw the cardboard contest, I thought cardboard. I made the flat beads out of cardboard and designed a pair of earrings to show them off. And bonus – they are way lighter than actual metal!
Step 1: What You Need
Cardboard (not corrugated)
Hole punch – about 12mm
Straight pin
Gold spray paint
Gold nail polish
Clear nail polish
2 – 3mm gold beads
2 – 4mm gold beads
Gold seed beads
2 – 3″ gold head pins
2 – gold ear wires
Flat nosed pliers
Round nosed pliers
Wire cutters
Step 2: Cardboard
Any color & weight is fine as long as you can use your punch on it
Step 3: Punch
Punch around the edges of your cardboard.
Step 4: Punch a Bunch
Step 5: Get Ready to Paint
Lay your circles out in a single layer somewhere where you can spray paint.
Spray a fine layer over the dots. Then go over with a heavier coat so all the circles are evenly coated and very gold. Let the paint dry fully.
Step 7: Turn
Pop off the dots with a toothpick and turn each one over.
Step 8: Spray Again
Repeat painting on the opposite side. Let dry.
Step 9: Gold Dots
Step 10: Pierce
Poke a hole in the center of each circle with the straight pin.
Step 11: Start Earrings
Put one 3mm gold bead on a head pin. Then put one 4mm bead on next.
Repeat with the second head pin.
Step 12: Earring Build
Add a cardboard circle to each head pin.
Step 13: Earrings
Add a seed bead on top of each cardboard circle.
Step 14: Stacking
Alternate seed beads and cardboard circles until you have an earring length you like.
End with a seed bead.
Alternate seed beads and cardboard circles until you have an earring length you like.
End with a seed bead.
Step 15: All Stacked
Step 16: Make It a Dangle
Using flat nose pliers, bend each head pin 90 degrees directly above the final seed bead.
Step 17: Loop
Using round nosed pliers, make a loop at the bend. Wrap the “tail” around the bottom of the loop. Trim the excess wire.
Step 18: Now You Have Dangles
Step 19: Add Ear Wires 
Using pliers, twist open an ear wire loop and add a dangle. Twist the loop closed. Repeat with the second ear wire.
Step 20: Edges
If the cardboard edges look rough, coat them with gold nail polish. I used 2 coats. Let dry.
Step 21: Clear Coat
Paint the edges, and the top and bottom pieces of gold cardboard with clear nail polish. Use 2 coats. Let dry.
Step 22: Ready!
When the nail polish is dry, your earrings are ready to wear.
courtesy: instructables
