Fuse Bead Keychains – Bug and Flower Craft for Spring!
Learn how to make fuse bead keychains in any shape and style, including fun spring themes! I also share original free spring clipart you can pixelate to make keychains too. Check out our DIY night lights here and scroll down for this fun spring craft. This post is sponsored by Flycatcher Toys and contains affiliate links.
Whether you’re busy filling those Easter baskets or looking for a boredom buster for a rainy spring day, making fuse bead keychains can be so relaxing. And the possibilities are endless thanks to an incredible tool from Flycatcher Toys: the smART Pixelator. It’s exactly as it sounds – it pixelates your images (and includes some 2D and 3D designs too) so you have a template to work from! And not only is it a fantastic crafting tool for your own home, it’s such a cool gift for that creative in your life!!
Table of Contents
- About the smART Pixelator + how to design your own fuse bead keychains
- There are two ways to load patterns
- Additional features of the smART Pixelator
- Want to make your own fuse bead keychains design?
- Download your free spring clip art to Pixelate
- What you need to make spring fuse bead keychains
- How to make fuse bead keychains with any pattern
- Upload and perfect your design in the smART Pixelator app
- Assemble your fuse bead keychains
Today, I’m sharing with you so me fun spring designs to make as fuse bead keychains. I love how versatile spring crafting is: you can still enjoy these all year round!
I did have these in mind as a fun Easter basket filler, but with spring break coming, and summer following that, we all know the kids will need some good, wholesome entertainment. It can be so immersive to create fuse bead keychains. I couldn’t stop at one, and had to cut myself off at four so that I can actually write this post for you! Y (almost six) helped me create these but it’s best for ages seven and up.
I used ball chains to complete these as they are simply the best option for fuse bead keychains. Having a thicker border around your keychain hole makes your project stronger. Ball chains can be threaded through wherever…
About the smART Pixelator + how to design your own fuse bead keychains
The smART Pixelator may be the perfect crafting tool for the tween-teen stage, but there’s actually no age cap on it. I might even keep it for myself! Okay, I’ll share with the boys too… You can make anything with it: coasters, portraits, 3D designs, bracelets, and more!
The way it works is very simple. Once you select your design, the lights light up in the correct color based on your pattern.
There are two ways to load patterns
- Load the SD that comes with your Pixelator and use the easy buttons to find the design you’d like to make.
- Download the free app, and then upload and pixelate any image.
We’ll be using the second method to get more options for fuse bead keychains, however you can and should definitely explore the designs that come on the SD as well. It’s easier to see the finished project through the app (they’ll load once you connect the SD).
The SD allows you to use the smART Pixelator without an additional device – the app just means your possibilities are majorly expanded.
I created an additional bunny design, but you can make one using the SD as well. You’ll also find a large butterfly and flower on the SD, great for a spring trivet.
Additional features of the smART Pixelator
- Comes with ironing paper and bead applicator
- Removable bead tray
- Each bead kit comes with a new tray so that you can make a few and iron them in batches.
- Optional step by step process for designs that are included on the SD makes it easier. Or, have the whole design loaded and work row by row.
- Large buttons are easy (and fun) for children to work with.
- You can also use it to create sequin and peg art.
- Designed for ages 7 through adult
Get $5 off the smART Pixelator with code MOMSANDCRAFTERS!
Want to make your own fuse bead keychains design?
Simply draw your image, take a photo, and pixelate it. Small designs need to be simple, and symmetrical designs are easier to pixelate. Keep in mind that the pixelated nature of fuse beads make for impressionist images, not realistic.
You can try this with monograms, simpler images such as hearts, and even Easter egg designs too!
Download your free spring clip art to Pixelate
I created a beetle, bee, rose, and Morning Glory flower keychain. I included images of a tulip, a generic flower, a ladybug, a Monarch butterfly, and a small bunny for you to choose from as well.
To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.
Your file will arrive in a ZIP folder. Learn how to unzip files here.
What you need to make spring fuse bead keychains
- smART Pixelator and beads – get $5 off with code MOMSANDCRAFTERS!
- Iron (I like to keep a travel iron in my craft room)
- Ironing paper (included with your smART Pixelator)
- Keychains – I recommend using ball chains for fuse bead keychains as it allows you to make the hole for them deep in, allowing your final keychain to be very durable.
How to make fuse bead keychains with any pattern
You can absolutely also make this using the designs that come on the SD that comes with your Pixelator! I decided to share a few new designs for spring too and the instructions include how to upload it.
Upload and perfect your design in the smART Pixelator app
1. Download the images above to your device. You’ll need to unzip it. If you don’t have a way to unzip files on your phone, download it to your computer and send it to your phone or whichever device you’ll be using to pixelate. Download and open the free smART Pixelator app and click on the camera icon once you’ve connected to your Pixelator.
2. Next, click on the photo thumbnail in the bottom right corner. It’ll show the latest photo in your library there.
You should now be in your image library. Choose the image you’d like to pixelate.
3. This is the ladybug image that I sketched. You can see that it’s almost there but not quite. You’re now able to get in close and choose your colors.
You can pinch to zoom and get in quite close. Here’s the rose in your download. While I illustrated it red, I created in pink. Make this easier by changing the colors in the app- or just change it as you assemble.
Where it’s relevant, I recommend that you note how symmetrical your drawings are and then adjust your bead plans accordingly. When you’re satisfied, hit the heart on the top right to save your design, so that you can stop in middle and continue another time. Zoom all the way out to get a green check mark and send your template to your smART Pixelator.
Assemble your fuse bead keychains
4. Time to start assembling! Your smART Pixelator will showcase your design as colored lights and now it’s up to you to do the rest. Y wanted to work color by color, using the bead tool to place each one in the correct spot.
5. I found it easier to work row by row and use my hands, and occasionally using the tool to nudge things into the correct spot. Turn on the music and relax while you work through your design!
Don’t forget to leave one bead off for the keychain!! You want this to be deep enough into your design that it’ll have a strong border. I like for it to have at least two beads between the hole and the edge.
6. When your design is complete, you can remove the bead board and frame from the Pixelator.
7. Cover your design with an ironing paper and iron it. Once it starts melting, you’ll see it through the paper.
I like to iron it until it looks like solid pixels, with only a tiny dot in the middle left of the hole (or not). Flip it over, gently peel off the board, place another paper on top, and then iron the back too if you’d like.
8. When it’s completely done, thread your ball chain through the hole. You may need to stretch the hole a bit if the beads melted a lot. I did this by gently and carefully twisting the end of a pair of scissors in the hole to complete the circle.
Your fuse bead keychains are complete! Who will you be sharing this with? Check out the smART Pixelator here (use code MOMSANDCRAFTERS for $5 off) and then comment below with your ideas and feedback!
