I tried hairspray to seal the beads
OK I was intrigued by a lovely mmmaker who told me she seals her wood beads with hairspray. Of course, I had to try it. See the beads on the red chenille stem and the head on the drummer-to-be? They have been sprayed with the cheap aerosol I had on hand. Yes, I’m a Walmart hairspray type of person.
PROS: Hairspray, in fact, does seal the bead nicely with no stickiness. I used permanent markers for the drummer’s features and hair and there was no bleed.
CONS: My hairspray (TRESemmé) added a yellow tint to the wood* (which you can kind of see in the photo), and I have no data to see how hairspray holds up over time and temperature/humidity swings.
*See the comments below for an update by lovely mmmaker Karen who gave me this tip!
Great alternative: Matte Mod Podge is also fantastic if you want to seal your bead. No yellow tint, dries quickly, and it has a long craft track record. Both Mod Podge and hairspray add a verrrrry slight sheen to the bead.
Remember: If you do seal your wood beads, do NOT use fabric or gel pens for the features. They will smear! Ignore my instructions and use fine tip permanent pens/markers, like Microns.
Hi Larissa,
It’s Karen here. I use the Suave unscented and it doesn’t turn the beads yellow. They just stay the same color as the wood. The ornaments I made years ago are still just fine….no issue with the hairsprayed beads. Just about to start my lady dancing on the set I’m making for myself. I’m so thankful for you and your brilliant designs. Love them!
OK, imma have to go back to Walmart and grab some Suave unscented. Thanks so much for sharing this intriguing tip. So good to know it’s holding up great over time! I’m very thankful for YOU, and all the wonderful mmmakers who support my designs!