3 black items. One completely bald metal rod piled in between. All you're missing here is that alone a definite Halloween-like bump up off, and this 'instruct' gets a great way to decorate the pen readily: bend a train of rhinestone, set a peeking tilts back your back, and impress the adhesive having on model it through a relaxed black sandy flour. No zen, no hoopla. For the piece-by-piece guide (and then where the parts are located: sizes, families, and every knothole), click over to the Beadable Pen Projects hub and then come on back here!
A quick rundown of the project. Hard? Not really (oh yeah). About 1 tapeless teeny session when your tape component is you can choose to go. Has good cost ideas for the Halloween pen, party favors, or a quick rhinestone pen style you can mimic. That is all.
What This Decorating Pens Tutorial Shows
In short. Just design for the addition on single plain Halloween-beadable-pen-body (excludes instructions how to combine all body and head parts). In no way it shows "to assemble whole process". The chain (clasp) section is to show how to set the chain on, cut off the exceeding, insert mini decorations and glue crystal sugar (in the entire production process). It doesn't show how to thread beads, to tighten the body barrel, to attach all items with glue, seal it and etc. That means, this is "to furnish two black halves".
A quick reminder before I begin as this can easily become confusing. The lower section is fully uncovered, you see the sugar "lower" step being dumped, pressed and rolled through the crystals, the upper section is more of a mystery: after a tough cut it simply turns up coated with sugar, and the film cannot verify what is going on there.
Materials Visible in This Halloween Pen Project
This is what appears in the frame: I have separated the number used in an actual step from what just stay in the work zone (two different things). Exact SKUs, widths and particle size are not confirmed on camera, so the table links go to stable collections, not single items. Just sayin'.
| Material or tool | What the video truly demonstrates | Where to view in the image process |
|---|---|---|
| Black beadable-pen-like body with a long metal rod | permanently visible the entire clip, as it was sat and turned in hand | Beadable Pens |
| Lower deco part (tape already glued on this) | Liner off and peel and place chain and charms. Press and pass through black sugar. | Plain step material (no claim regarding the SKU) |
| Upper sugar-coated part | Displays an already coated part after the cut; fringed clear loose edge is eliminated and trimmed, accents put in | Plain step materials, no application |
| Iridescent rhinestone chain | Placed, folded in a U shape and pressed and cut | Rhinestone Chain collection |
| Mini Halloween flat-back charms | Used on both black areas in available in the neutral design | Nail Charms range |
| Clear liner / protruding clear edge material | Lower liner peeled off; loose clear strip removed, handled and trimmed up top | Nano Double Sided Tape as a related supply |
| Scissors | Cut the chain and trim the clear edge material | Sharp scissors you have at home |
| Loose black sugar diamonds on the surface | The bottom part is pressed through and rolled between them, they attach to the open adhesive. | Sugar Diamonds collection |
A quick note on that tape link (this has caught people out in the past). Only related supply category there, the exact clear film in the video is not known so do not interpret the link as "this is the SKU". Same applies to the sugar: the family of Sugar Diamonds is what those loose black crystals are but only the lower coat is shown on camera. The upper one remains a mystery!
Decorate the Lower Black Section
Here are the steps 1-9. Follow them in order. Tape is already on the section prior to the start of the clip. Therefore, at this stage we are just peeling and building on top.
Step 1: Peel off the foil on the lower part
Video time: 00:00.000-00:04.750. Lift the edge of the clear release liner from the double-sided tape, already installed on the lower black section. Continue to peel off the release liner to reveal the sticky side beneath. That sticky side is what everything else will attach to. Video is not applying tape, just revealing surface.
Step 2: Place the first end of the rhinestone chain
Video time: 00:05.000-00:07.750. Place one end of the gorgeous chain at the top of the open area and press that first short length to place. Secure that anchor. Really. Rest of chain is just hanging out for the moment.
Step 3: Make the rounded U shaped chain border
Video time: 00:07.750-00:13.750. Guide it all down one side of your border, curve it around the bottom and bring it back up the other side in a rounded U shape; push as you go to keep your border close against your front outline. It doesn't have to be exactly even. It's okay if it isn't. The chain continues past the second endpoint here.
Step 4: Determine the end point and shorten the chain
Video time: 00:13.750-00:17.750. See the second end about to end close to the top edge? Hold the U curve steady. Then cut the rhinestone chain at that point with scissors. That single warning you need to know for the entire project: check the curve and the end point before you cut because once you cut, you cannot un-cut! Measure twice with your eye, snip once.
Step 5: Fill in the middle mask-shaped decoration
Video time: 00:18.250-00:20.250. Black and white mask flat back accent needs to be centered inside of chain border. Hold flat back accent flat against exposed surface. Press until securely adhered. This is the anchor. Ensure was well-centered before adhering.
Step 6: Add the first rectangular side accent
Video time: 00:20.750-00:22.750. Sit the flat-back piece, yellow with black corners, in the open space next to the design, on the main open-to-aperture, and press it down, being careful not to obscure the chain border. Two accents down. Reads now.
Step 7: Add the remaining lower flat-back accents
Video time: 00:23.000-00:36.750. Then add in the rest of the small accents around the open side and open back sections, one at a time. Keep turning the pen so that you can access all of the gaps, and push each section in without wrecking the chain in the middle or getting the middle design covered. This is a little long on the clip!
Step 8: Check the lower decoration before adding sugar
Video time: 00:37.000-00:38.500. Flip the pen over and examine the bottom portion from all sides. You're making sure the chain & accents are all still back in their positions & not moved at all, & that there still remains bare sticky glue in all the gaps around them. That remaining glue is the entire reason for the next step. Just a casual glance. Not a strength test.
Step 9: Apply gentle pressure and roll the bottom half through the black sugar crystals
Video time: 00:38.500-00:43.333. Place the decorated bottom part into the black sugar crystals and press down with some good strength. Turn/roll the bottom part over the crystals so that they cling to the rest of the black tack around the chain and charms. The crystals fill in the background without hiding the clear border and the flat-backs. no glue. no resin. no sealing coat. Just the tape's own sticky function.
Clean the Upper Edge and Add Accents
Steps 10 thru 16. One thing to keep straight about this clear stuff we're doing up here is that it's just loose or flap material sticking out, we're not doing any new tape. It's a fine line, but I don't want to be accused of padding the description.
Step 10: Peel off the loose clear strip from on top of the sugar coated area
Video time: 00:43.500-00:51.250. The smallish area at the top of the rod is black sugar coated, and a loose clear material edge is projecting around the bottom of part of it. Grasp the loose edge with the hand, turn the rod, as needed, and gently grip and pull it away from the outer edge so as not to disturb the sugar surface. Work slowly. The vast majority of the strip was removed, though some projecting edge material remained.
Step 11: Chip off the excess material from the edge
Video time: 00:51.250-00:57.250. Turn over the section and snip away with the scissors any transparent edge material protruding beyond the obvious shape. Do this around the perimeter so that the shape appears clearer. Neutral phraseology intentionally, as the clear border material is being tidied up, that is all.
Step 12: Review the top part first, add the accents after
Video time: 00:57.250-00:60.500. How about a quick wheel spin to look at the top area, front, sides, edge profile, no flares yet. Just a glance before the exciting part. This is NOT a cleaning step. This is NOT a sanding or priming step.
Step 13: Position the center upper mask-shaped accent
Video time: 00:60.750-00:62.500. Affix a black & white mask shaped flat-back accent to the face of the upper sugar coated portion and push into the center space you've selected. Center stage. The same concept applies.
Step 14: Add the first upper side accent
Video time: 00:63.250-00:65.500. Slightly rotate this part, place the first small side accent in the empty space next to the middle section, and press it down. Down up. Center plus side buddy.
Step 15: Fill in the remainder of the top sections with small details
Video time: 00:65.500-00:70.250. Keep on turning and continue placing the remaining small flat-backs one at a time throughout the open sides and back areas, smoothing down on each while keeping the front design showing. Just as we mentioned prior, number isn't paramount and those here are flat-backs on sugar so be fairly free and flexible with your placement as they're not permanently set.
Step 16: Examine the upper part and present the final visible position
Video time: 00:70.250-00:75.167. Turn the decorated upper body around and examine the front, sides and reverse. Then momentarily lower the pen and rod, lift the entire thing and at the same time showcase both decorated black bodies. And this is where the clip concludes: two decorated black bodies, with a length of empty metal rod between them. That rod is the true finish line. No assembled, tightened, tested pen being announced. Simply the decorating.
What to Check Before You Stop
Run through this before you call it done. Every item is something the video actually supports, nothing more:
- the chain angle and both end points, before you cut;
- the exposed areas, before you introduce other accents;
- the chain and accent placement, before pressing the lower part into the sugar;
- the remaining exposed adhesive as the lower layer of sugar-coating was administered;
- the projecting clear substance surrounding the upper contour, to trim off;
- and if the main motif is still legible;
- front, side, and rear spacing in final look-over.
These are LOOKING checks. They are not durability, they are not a balance, they are not a writing test. Do not go from looking good, to "it will be with us in the afterlife".
What the Video Does Not Show
Straight talk about gaps, for anyone attempting to copy this, because that matters:
- double-sided tape instructions (pre-clip placement);
- putting sugar on the difficult part on the intersection on the tip of the blank;
- no spacers, no beads on the blank nude rod;
- the parts that should be closed, that are closed tight;
- no sealing, glue, resin or cure of any kind;
- actually writing with the pen;
- no actual long-term testing.
More Pen Decorating Ideas from the Same Material Families
Now you know how to get it started, you will be amazed how many options you have with this same range of families. For a couple of more restrained ones:
- Swap out Halloween flat-backs for seasonal one and do the sugar border plus the rhinestones border. You are pretty good as soon as you've put the border on.
- Just run the chain as a closed loop rather than a U on a wider section, to make a different rhinestone pen effect.
- Experiment with slightly less sweet flavors combined with a contrasting color such as a different base color, if the collection carries them.
All of these ride on examples from the collection listed. Availability, sizes and surface fit will vary, so check the live product details before batching up. These are just suggestions, not hard and fast rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use to decorate my pens?
In this project: a bead-able-pen-style body with tape already applied on the decoration areas, iridescent rhinestone chain, small flat-back embellishments, black sugar crystals, and scissors. the chain, charms, and sugar are all from stable collections I linked to in the above table. exact SKUs were not confirmed in the video so please match by look and confirm sizes live.
How do I cut the rhinestone chain so that it will wrap neatly around the pen decoration area?
Keep one end held tight close to the top, then carefully lead the loose chain along one side, around the rounded bottom and up along the other side in a semi-U shape. Keep pressing against the shape as you work, otherwise the chain could be cut in the wrong place.
What parts must I ensure I check before trimming the rhinestone chain?
The bend and both ends! No second chances here; keep the U shape steady, have the other end in mind and think about where it will rest relative to the upper lip, then cut! This is the only time in the whole build where a casual snip can get you.
can small nail charms be used as pen decorations
Sure, the tiny flat-back accents can be used as pen decor, and this is how the video chooses to use the on both the black sections. Keep it simple, and press onto the stick and sugar surface. Remember that they are only decorative to not treat as temporarily lock on.
Where are the sugar diamonds that are used in the video?
Lower section, on camera. You see the pressed and rolled through the loose black sugar crystals to adhere to the open glue. The top section seems to already be coated with sugar after the solid cut so you don't see it applied. From the clip you can only prove that sugar is used on the lower coat.
Is this the entire beadable Pen assembly?
No. It is for decoration only. No threading beads, no spacers, no tightening, no sealing. Just decorating part. Not full pen assembly.
Why Do I Still See the Metal Rod?
This is also because the clip ends shortly after the black bits are decorated, and we never covered the rod that runs in-between these bits during this video. This rod is the real final shot, it's not a typo it's just that the build was unfinished on film.
Want to do this for yourself?
That's the entire surface-decoration process: peel the design, chain it up, add charms, sugar to the details, and clean and dress the top. If you'd like to route the supply and the corresponding project walkthroughs, or see where everything is housed, go back to Beadable Pen Projects and find your favorite Halloween project. Feel free to try out this technique in the next time you craft!
