DIY "Enamel Dots" and What I've Learned

DIY is stinky business: In an earlier post I had talked about making my own enamel dots from a diy video I had found by The Alley Way Stamps - I had tried it out several times with different beads and had several good and bad results.One of the more horrible result was not having parchment paper - I instead tried wax paper and foil - none  worked. I also tried using a glass dish, which cracked in my hand as I was pulling it out of the oven. 

My husband said that it broke because there wasn't any food in it, and the glass took all the heat. When it met the cool air (as I was pulling it out of the oven) it cracked. I'm just glad I had it on a pan or else it would've broke all over the floor.

So, after buying parchment paper - I finally got the look I was going for. I do suggest not setting the oven very high, and just letting them sitting in the oven a little longer. The parchment paper will stick on the bottom of the dots if the oven is set to high. Also, buy the more nicer parchment paper - not anything from the dollar store (unfortunately).

I also tried it with a silicone sheet --SO GREAT!!!! Love the result and the look of the beads/dots! This "sheet" is actually just an oven mit, but if the oven is only set to 350 it does ok in there.

I tried Perler  beads, like in the video by TAWS, but those are SO stinky when you bake them and seems to be toxic. I looked on the package and it doesn't say anything about toxic free. After baking them (while my daughter was sleeping, away from the smell) I felt like I was a few hundred thousand brain cells less then when I'd first started!

I did find some smaller beads (shown above) at Walmart, and says that they're toxic free. It was part of a bracelet making kit for girls and they worked out wonderful! There was much less of a smell and I didn't feel as stupid after. lol They have a bit of sparkle in them and it looks so great when they're all done.

Some of my "results" will work better than others - so if what this post doesn't work for you - I'm sorry!! Please share your results with me too if you have any! I just love the diy dots and I hope you will too!! So, after trial and error, here are some of my findings that I would like to share with you:

DO use parchment paper
DO (even better!!) use a silicone mat
DO try and find better, none toxic beads (I don't suggest Perler beads)
DO open the windows and turn on a fan
DO use a nail file if your dots stick to the parchment paper

DON'T pull out a glass pan fast from the oven. It'll crack right in your hand. Let it cool down in the (turned off) oven
DON'T use foil, wax paper and freezer paper. It'll stick to the bottom of the finished dots and/or will even catch on fire
DON'T set the oven too high - about 350/400 is good - will just require a longer wait time. It'll help the parchment paper not stick to the bottom of the dots (if that's what you use)

Again- some of these things will work for you and some won't - but try it out! I just love how they turned out and so with you! THANK YOU very much for stopping by and taking a look at my card and reading my blog for today! Hope you'll come back soon!!