Making Polymer Clay Lentil Beads is Easy with Proper Instructions
Spotlight: "Just watched your Lentil Bead video and immediately I found where my mistake was!" ~Monica-D
Today's spotlight is of a very special member, all the way from Brazil! Her name is Monica Daris and she emailed me about the challenges she was having with being able to roll her lentil beads.
First of all, before sharing our conversation with everyone, I want to tell you Monica, how proud I am of you! You have done a beautiful job on your beads.
Since English is not your first language, I know it must have been harder for you to understand everything I was saying in the videos and my emails. But I am thrilled to have been able to help, and that you caught on so quickly. You are just fantastic! Thank you for sending in the photos of your work and for your wonderful words!
Relate links for this spotlight feature article include: (1) Polymer Clay Lentil Beads; (2) Lentil Beads from Scrap Clay; (3) Making Lentil Bead Holes; (4) Adding Cane Slices to Lentil Beads.
Here Are Excerpts From Our Email Conversation…
MONICA WRITES: Hi Cindy. I have just became a member and I regret that I haven´t done it before. Anyways, I am pursuing a way to make beautifull swirled beads. I can shape it nicely to a bicone. I can even start swirling but I frequent have to stop it before I reach the point I would like to. Somehow I feel that I will damage my bead or that I can not phisycaly swirl it anymore. I was wondering if your Jupiter beads cover exactly what I am talking about. If not, can you post a video on this matter?
MY RESPONSE: Hi back Monica. The Jupiter Beads Video is not the one that will help you with this. What you should purchase is the Volume-001 back issue package which has 4 videos about How To Make Lentil Beads. Seeing me demonstrate the technique in video, will help you tremendously. I would be thrilled if you would send photos of your work after you go through the Lentil Bead series and practice a bit. I'm sure you will get the hang of it quickly. It's a very addictive technique :-)
MONICA (VERY NEXT DAY): Again thanks for your attention. I just watched your Vol-001-1 Lentil Bead video and I was glad to have bought it and immediately I found where my mistake was!! Follows attached my latest swirl beads. The brown ones I am using in a necklace and the grey ones, I found it so marvelous, that I have made a nice ring. Thanks again for this tutorial. Warm regards from Brazil!!
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So guys… are you as impressed as I am with Monica and her Lentil Beads from Brazil? Let's fill up the comments section of this post with some tips, tricks, stories and questions about Lentil Beads. Heck we could even talk about Brazil. That would be fun!
** If you have been inspired by my teachings and would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Article, then please do write up something creative and email it to me along with a selection of your project pics. Make sure to send me high resolution photos that I'll be able to zoom in on to show the details of your work. If you don't already have my email address, simply leave a comment below and I will get it to you right away.
Filed Under: 06: Bead Shapes, 14: Feature Guests by Comment. 
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Comments on Making Polymer Clay Lentil Beads is Easy with Proper Instructions
4:26 am
Monica– I love your beads and I am really impressed by the way you strung them, I always have trouble piercing the holes in my swirlies. Can you share your secret?
4:35 am
They look great Monica! Lovely even swirls.
5:17 am
Monica – I too had trouble with my lentil beads until I watched Cindy's video. She is certainly a marvel isn't she? I truly gasped when I looked at the picture of your silver lentil. It is stunning! I love your brown beads and your necklace out of them. I would have loved to see a picture of a ring done with a lentil. That had never occurred to me!
5:40 am
I too had trouble with lentil beads until I saw Cindy's video. It was like "dawn breaketh on marble head!"
5:42 am
Really nice Monica! Lovely colours. Cindy has another technique where she adds cane slices to the sides of a lentil bead, then rolls again to create even more dramatic swirls, you should try that one!
5:56 am
Beautiful beads, I especially like the silver one, I just brought volumes 1 & 2 and haven't gotten to try the swirl lentil bead yet, but I will. So many techniques so little time.
6:06 am
Monica, those lentil beads are beautiful!
Cindy, reports like this must make you feel fabulous! Mastery of a difficult techinique after one video lesson is quite an accomplishment for both the teacher and the student.
6:50 am
Good morning everybody! It's been a busy week in Mississippi and I hate that I have not commented sooner. Monica, that swirled lentil was one of the hardest concepts to get the hang of when I first got into polymer clay. Unfortunately at that time I didn't know about Cindy's site, so I went through a lot of frustration until one of our guild members showed me what I was doing wrong. You did a fantastic job. I particularly like the one that you put on the ring. The touch of blue against the shades of black and white is fabulous.
8:46 am
Monica, your lentil beads are fabulous!!! I love the silver one with the touch of blue!
1:50 pm
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for helping me out with the accidentally deleted email. I've been enjoying your tutorials very much and in fact, I'm going to buy the back issue on swirl beads.
2:13 pm
Beautiful job Monica!
8:34 pm
Wow everyone, thanks so much for giving Monica such great feedback! She sure did great, didn't she!
Thank you Jocelyn. Yes it does make a teacher proud… that's for sure. Thanks for your your comment!
You're welcome Cynthia. Happy to be of assistance. I've accidentally hit the delete button a few times myself and I know how it feels to lose an email like that.
5:57 am
Absolutely spectacular. I love your color choices. I also love the swirling flecks in the blue/black lentil on the ring. It reminds me of the night sky and all the stars are being swirled into some kind of cosmic vortex. How did you get that glittery look in the swirl?
When making lentil beads I find myself trying to make the circular motion really fast, it ends up being like an aerobic workout. I have to remember to slow down and enjoy the process. I am so glad I am writing on Saturday and I do not have to go to my "day job."
1:01 pm
Monica, your work is beautiful, necklace unique and ring sparkling. I will have to try the lentil beads. It has been put off long enough. Continued success and enjoyment! Thank you so much for sharing.
7:49 pm
Gotta agree with everyone, your beads are lovely. The colors and patterns on the beads are quite striking. These would look great with the autumn colored clothes in the stores now. Thank-you for the inspiration.
Cindy, thanks too for all the wonderful, detailed tutorials. Just signed up recently, and I'm hooked. The blogs are a great source of feedback as well, a really nice group where everyone is so supportive. So glad I found this site!
5:45 pm
@Anna: LOL an aerobic workout eh? Good for you but probably not so good for the shape of the bead! :-) I usually have to get myself to slow down too. So I can totally relate. My guess is that Monica got those sparkles with gold leaf, but she'll have to confirm that, to be sure.
@JoyceM: You do need to give lentil bead making a try. You won't be a true polymer clay bead maker if you don't! :-)
@DJ: Thanks and welcome! I agree these beads would look wonderful with Fall outfits. Makes me want to go make some right now!
9:45 am
Monica, just love your beads. Aren't these lentil swirl beads addicting. I have used different canes and left over clay to make them. I sand them and buff them to real nice shine…not one is the same. Thanks for sharing them with us.
2:50 pm
Hi Lupe.They are addicting indeed!! Every mistake I make, is immediately turned into swirl beads and they all please me .
Thanks for your kind words!
Monica
3:04 pm
@sarahwww: Hi Sarah! Thanks for your words.
I have followed Cindy´s instructions on how to pierce them. After her instructions, I have baked them with the sticks and as soon as I took them out from the oven, I took the sticks off .I needed to enlarge the holes so I used a manual tool to increase them.It was easy because I had the previous holes as a guide.
Have a wonderfull weekend!
Monica
out them in the cold water
3:04 pm
@Silverleaf: Thanks a lot!!
Monica
3:08 pm
@aims: She is definitely wonderfull ! Thanks for your words. For the ring, I have made an extra job sanding the bottom to match the flat piece of the ring.
I will hve a collection of rings!
Have a nice weekend.
Monica
3:10 pm
@Maria: Thanks Maria!!
3:12 pm
@Cindy Lietz: I will write it again because I am not sure if my first reply went ok.
Thanks guys for the words.I have used Fimo Glitter in white color and a leftover of a mokume gane recipe that I have used silver metal leaf.
Hope it helps!
Wonderfull week end to all.
Monica
3:13 pm
@DJ: DJ, I am also soooo glad that I found this site.
Thanks for your e-mail.
Monica
3:15 pm
@JoyceM: Thanks Joyce !
It always good to share.
Monica
3:18 pm
@Anna Sabina: Hi Anna. I am sorry I have just seen this messge today. I have used the Fimo Glitter in White color and a leftover of a mokume gane made with silver leaf.I was not really expecting the final result. You are right.It really looks like a Vortex.
Thanks for your message and have a wonderful weekend.
Monica
3:19 pm
@Cynthia Blanton: Hi Cynthia. You will not regret this buying at all!
Monica
3:20 pm
@Melinda: Hi Melinda. Thanks for your message.I love that one too!!!
Monica
3:23 pm
@Arlene Harrison: Hi Arlene .You are correct.
I have seen many step by steps on swirling beads but I could not get the concept no way. In this case, it was really vital for me to watch the movements of the hands. It can not be explained by words!
All the best.
Monica
3:24 pm
@Jocelyn: Thanks a lot Jocelyn for your kind words.When the teacher is good…..You know that, right!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Monica
3:26 pm
@Ken H.: Hi Ken.Thanks for your message.Lack of time is really frustrating Give it a try as soon as you can.I am sure you will get hooked like I am.
Wonderful week end!.Monica
3:28 pm
@Polyanya: Hi Polyanya. I saw that too but I still did not try them!
Have a nice week end!
Monica
3:31 pm
@Kim C.: Hi Kim. Sorry but my poor english does not get the meaning of your words but it sounds like a compliment and thanks for that!If you can explain this to me later, I would appreciate that!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Monica
3:32 pm
Thank you Monica for responding to everyone, I am sure they all appreciated it! I haven't seen Fimo glitter in white, so it didn't dawn on me that is what you used. It looks really cool. Great job!
6:22 am
Monica,your ring is one of the most beautiful rings i have ever seen! Complimenti! Did you put some gloss varnish or just sanding and buffing to a shine?
Cindy,I have the same Fimo with tiny glittering particles in white-but mine are gold.It's from Fimo "effect" section.
7:31 am
really ur work is wonderful i am so happy to b the member of the bead family . ur works are really great
12:18 pm
@Nevena – Nice!
@Siji – Welcome! This bead family seems to be growing in leaps and bounds. What part of the world are you from?
6:49 am
@ Monica – Your lentil beads are beautiful and I really like the way you have strung the necklace, with the knots around the beads. I'm curious about what kind of cord you used and what kind of clasp or other finishing technique you used for your cord. Thanks.
11:04 am
Hi Linda.Thanks for your message. As it is a long necklace, I have used no clasps and I have just finished it with a simple knot.Concerning to the type of cord, I do know know how do you call it in USA but it is a thin, strong textile cord, waxed all over.Really waxed . It is excelent to move it thru the beads.
I hope I ´ve helped you.Pls let me know if I can be of further help.
Happy 2010 and Warm regards.
Monica
8:50 am
@ Monica: Thank you so much for your reply. That sounds a lot like C-Lon or Superlon in the heavier weights, like C or D. I had completely forgotten about that kind of cord/thread until I read your reply to my question.
I've been making jewelry for many years, mostly using metal links and Softflex covered with seed beads, Fireline with woven seed beads, or silk thread to hand-knot pearls. Polymer clay has now introduced me to so many new ideas and ways to make jewelry. I just love this site!
3:14 am
@Linda K.:
Hi Linda.
I´m glad that I could have helped you ! I am also a big fan of Cindy Litz and her way of teaching us all.
All the best for you !!
Monica