On a whim, I bought this low tech tool for the MakerSpace, prompted in part by the fact that it was on clearance at Michael’s for $5.00. I looked and it is available at Amazon for $10.00, which is still a good price. In fact, I’m going to buy a couple more for the Teen MakerSpace.

You can use this to easily turn discarded magazines into paper beads. It’s a great making tool for those who want to be a little more social while engaging in making; we have had some small groups sitting around and talking while someone makes beads, which is why I want to buy a couple more for the space. And there are no shortage of discarded magazines at the library.

Here’s an example of a bracelet that was made using beads created with this low tech tool. If I’m not mistaken, this one was created using a discarded manga, creating some cool black and white beads.

I highly recommend this low cost maker activity for maker spaces everywhere. It was fun, easy and created some very nice final products. It would also be a great activity for Earth Day or recycled crafts.