How to Create Art out of Mardi Gras Throws

Mardi Gras is finished for the year and if you attended any parades, it is likely that there are throws all over your house. I feel like I stayed on top of the throws this year better than I have in years past but there are still remnants here and there. Time to make Mardi Gras Crafts!

Most years we let the boys keep what they want and then gather bags of beads to donate to our local ARC program. But there are so many amazing things that can be done with beads. This year I wanted to come up with something fun and creative to do with some of our throws.

This idea of course led me to Pinterest.

The Art Desk

The boys inherited a small desk from my mom’s classroom when she retired. It has become their art station and they love that is has a little home in our living room. Her class had painted it originally and she told me when she gave it to me that I could paint it but for the last few months we left it as it was. After seeing a few things on Pinterest, I thought it would be fun to cover the desk in a pattern using Mardi Gras beads.

The Plan

The original plan was to adhere the beads to the desk using E6000 glue. Once I began, I realized it was harder to get the beads to hold the pattern because the glue didn’t dry immediately. I decided to use hot glue to set the pattern and then use E6000 on the places where the beads were just filling in.

I started with the circles in a random pattern on the surface. I used two different sizes of beads so I made sure that the larger beads were close to the edges and then spaced out on the surface of the desk so the top would be even when I added the plexiglass on the top.

Once I had created all the circles, I wanted I started adding beads around them to fill in all of the gaps. I allowed the desk to completely cure for 24 hours since I was using E6000 glue. **In my experience with using E6000 you are guaranteed the hardest bond when you allow the glue to dry in a cool, dry environment for 24 hours.**

I wanted to seal the desk before covering it with plexiglass to ensure the beads wouldn’t peel or crack over the years. I sealed the entire desk with the Minwax Polycrylic Protective Sealant. I love how it gives a clear, glossy finish that will last for years.

The final step will be to cover the desk with a sheet of Plexiglass, so the boys have a flat surface for drawing.

The Mardi Gras Shelf

For me, the signature throws are my favorite items we catch at Mardi Gras. I have a box in the attic that I take down each year to decorate the house for the season between Twelfth Night and Mardi Gras day.

This year I wanted to incorporate them into the bookshelves in our living room. I think it will be nice to have them around all year long.

I like to create layers when I am decorating my shelves. A lot of what I had for the shelf was short, so I added a few small candle holders under the purse and to lift it up. I also took all my Iris bead and put them in a tall vase to display them.