cupcake cutie: hama bead tips

I love new bags of beads, they look just like candy and I want to just dive right in!!!

But anyway here is what I have learn't from playing with Hama beads....I hope you find these tips useful.......

1} Put each colour in a zip lock bag and either keep the original packaging with it or write the colour on the outside of the bag - then you will know exactly what to order when you run out.

2} Put beads in little containers when creating it is much easier than rummaging in the bag.

3} Use a hard flat surface to work and iron on. I use my kitchen bench with a tea towel down for the ironing part.

4} You don't need to buy expensive special paper for ironing just use baking paper as it can withstand heat - but don't use wax or grease proof paper.

5} You can use the same sheet of baking paper many times but throw out when it gets too wrinkly as it will leave creases on your melted design.

6} Use a large enough piece of paper to cover your WHOLE peg board otherwise you will scratch your iron (yes I may have left a few marks on mine...sshhh don't tell hubby, he is the only one that uses it to iron clothes!)

7} When you have ironed the second side weigh your items down with phone books so they don't curl...unless of course you want them to curl!

8} Do a test first with random beads, make a square or something just to get a feel for how the beads melt as all irons and bead brands will vary. For Hama and Perler I have my iron set to wool. For cheaper melty beads I have had the iron super hot to get them to melt. So test test test.

9} It doesn't matter if you melt until the bead holes close up, for some designs this looks great.

10} If you have a random bead which is a bit shorter than the rest just use the tip of the iron to give the bead an extra few seconds to melt

11} Don't try and peel baking paper off straight after ironing...be patient and wait for it to cool down a little - it won't take long I promise......