Does Michaels Have Clay Bead?

Michaels is the largest arts and crafts retail chain in North America. Founded in 1973, Michaels operates over 1,200 stores across the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company sells a wide variety of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall décor, bakeware, and seasonal merchandise for hobbyists and do-it-yourself home decorators. Michaels offers products for multiple crafting interests including jewelry making, scrapbooking, knitting, beading, sewing and painting. It is known as a go-to source for affordable art supplies and craft project materials. Michaels aims to inspire creativity and provide education through in-store classes, design events and online tutorials [1].

Clay Beads at Michaels

Michaels offers a wide variety of clay beads perfect for all your jewelry making and crafting needs. As one of the largest arts and crafts retailers in North America, Michaels carries all the essential clay beads to take your projects to the next level.

Some of the main types of clay beads found at Michaels include:

Polymer Clay Beads

Polymer clay is an extremely versatile modeling material that air hardens without baking. Michaels provides polymer clay in many colors, sizes and shapes to fit any design. Brands like Sculpey and Fimo are available for maximum flexibility.

Air Dry Clay Beads

Air dry clay beads are quick and easy to work with. At Michaels, you’ll find air dry clays like Hearty Clay and Darice Air Dry Clay that don’t require any baking or firing to harden. Just mold them into the desired shape and let them dry.

Modeling Clay Beads

Michaels stocks smooth modeling clays from top brands like Crayola and ACTIVA for effortless shaping. Modeling clays remain soft and reusable even after drying. Flexible and non-toxic, they are great for kids.

With the wide selection of clay beads at Michaels, crafters and jewelry makers will find the right types and styles for their projects. Michaels makes working with clay easy, fun and creative.

Polymer Clay Beads

Michaels offers a wide variety of polymer clay beads in many colors, shapes and sizes. Polymer clay is an oil-based modeling clay that air-dries into a hard, durable material. It is easy to work with and holds fine details well, making it a popular choice for handcrafting beads.

Some of the most common polymer clay bead shapes at Michaels are rounds, cubes, teardrops, hearts and more. They come in standard bead sizes from 6mm up to 20mm. You’ll find beads in every color of the rainbow, as well as metallics like gold, silver and copper. Popular color assortments include primary colors, pastels, neons and jewel tones.

In addition to solid colors, Michaels has patterned polymer clay beads like faux turquoise, faux jade and swirled designs. The variety allows you to find the perfect beads for any beading or jewelry making project.

Air Dry Clay Beads

Air dry clay beads are a popular option at Michaels for creating jewelry and craft projects. Some key benefits of air dry clay beads include:

• Easy to Work With – Air dry clay is lightweight and malleable, making it easy to roll, shape and mold into beads.
• Quick Drying – Air dry clay beads dry naturally in 24-48 hours without needing to bake them.
• Affordable – Air dry clays like Creatology are an budget-friendly option for beginners.
• Wide Selection – Michaels offers air dry clays in a variety of colors and finishes like glitter.
• Strong When Dry – Fully cured air dry clay beads are durable for wearing in jewelry.

Air dry clays are great for handmaking beads for necklaces, bracelets, keychains and more. The air dry clay selection at Michaels includes popular brands like Creatology, Heartfelt, Darice and more. Both kids and adults can work with air dry clays to make custom DIY beads in any colors and shapes.

See Michaels selection of air dry clay beads and clays here.

Modeling Clay Beads

Modeling clay is one of the easiest types of clay to work with when making beads. It’s an oil-based clay that stays malleable even when not sealed in an airtight container. This makes it great for beginners since it doesn’t dry out quickly while you’re working with it.

Some of the most popular modeling clay brands carried at Michaels are Crayola Model Magic and Sculpey. Both come in a variety of colors perfect for making colorful beads. They can simply be shaped by hand without any special tools or baking required. The finished beads never fully harden, allowing you to continue reshaping them as desired.

Modeling clays like Sculpey can also be baked in the oven to harden them completely. This makes them more durable for long-lasting jewelry or craft projects. When properly baked, the clay won’t deform even with frequent handling and wear. So modeling clays offer flexibility for makers – keep them soft or permanently harden them.

Overall, the ease of use and ability to continuously reshape makes modeling clays a top choice for beginners looking to make their own clay beads without much prior experience.

Clay Bead Kits

One of the easiest ways to get started making clay beads is with a bead kit from Michaels. These kits come with all the clay, tools, and accessories you need to start crafting your own custom beads right away. Michaels carries bead kits for all skill levels, from beginner sets with basic tools and instructions to more advanced kits with luxury ingredients.

For jewelry makers and mixed media artists, Michaels has polymer clay bead kits that are perfect for pendants, earrings, and more. These kits include colorful blocks of polymer clay, which can be easily shaped, baked to harden, and decorated. The clay easily takes paints and glazes to create any type of finish. With a polymer clay kit, you’ll get cutters, stamps and molds to help shape the clay into uniform beads or unique shapes.

Michaels also offers air dry clay bead kits. These are great for kids and adults wanting instant gratification. The air dry clay beads can be shaped and decorated right away. Once air dried, they can be painted, sealed and assembled into necklaces, bracelets or other projects. These clay bead kits are mess-free and easy to use right out of the box.

For a tactile, organic look, try a natural clay bead kit with modeling clay. This type of clay never needs baking or sealing, so the beads retain a soft, malleable texture. Michaels kits include earthy tones of natural clay along with twine, leather cording and other elements to enhance the boho vibe in finished pieces.

With the variety of clay bead kits at Michaels, beginners can learn basic jewelry making techniques while more advanced artisans can explore new materials. The convenience of getting started with a kit makes clay beads accessible for crafters of all levels.

Clay Bead Brands

Michaels carries many popular brands of clay beads that crafters love to use in jewelry making, home decor projects, and more. Some of the top brands to look for include:

• Sculpey – One of the most well-known polymer clay brands, Sculpey makes a wide array of colors and finishes like pearl, translucent, and metallic.
• FIMO – This classic polymer clay comes in standard colors plus unique hues like emerald green and fuchsia. Their soft clay is easy to condition and shape.
• Premo! – With a smooth texture and vivid colors, Premo! polymer clay is a great choice for achieving flawless beads and jewelry components.
• Model Magic – This lightweight air dry clay dries to a matte, papery finish. It’s available at Michaels in white and colors.
• Hearty Clay – An air dry clay that’s both strong and flexible when dry. Available at Michaels in white, black, and terra cotta.
• Crayola Model Magic – A classic air dry clay for crafting and kids. Michaels carries colorful Model Magic in individual colors and variety packs.

With so many options, crafters can find the perfect clay at Michaels for making beads, jewelry, charms, ornaments, and more.

Using Clay Beads

Clay beads are widely popular for jewelry and craft projects. Their smooth, moldable texture makes them perfect for stringing into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Polymer clay beads are lightweight and come in endless colors and shapes to match any jewelry design. According to Creative Clay Bead Craft Ideas for DIY Enthusiasts, you can make boho-chic multi-strand necklaces by mixing and matching polymer clay beads with other natural materials like wood or shell beads. Air dry clay beads are easy to paint once dry, so you can create one-of-a-kind bead jewelry.

Clay beads are not just for jewelry – they make great embellishments for crafts too. A fun project is to use clay beads to spell out names or words on frames, vases, boxes, and more. Modeling clay beads can be flattened or shaped as needed to form letters. For more clay bead craft ideas, check out videos on TikTok.

Clay Bead Storage

Properly storing leftover clay beads is important for maintaining their quality and shape. Here are some tips for clay bead storage:

Store clay beads in an airtight container. Exposure to air can cause clay beads to dry out over time. Plastic containers or resealable bags work well for preventing air exposure. According to The Art of Storing Clay Beads: Best Practices and Suggestions, airtight storage helps keep clay beads soft and workable.

Use separator trays or dividers in your storage container. This keeps individual beads from sticking together while in storage. Some crafters recommend egg cartons as inexpensive trays. You can also wrap beads individually in plastic wrap.

Avoid storing clay beads in very warm places. Heat can cause clay beads to gradually harden over time. Store beads in a cool, dry location instead.

Clean clay beads before storage. Dust, debris, and Surface residue may affect the clay material. Gently wipe down beads before putting them into storage.

Label your clay bead storage containers. Include the clay brand and type, as well as the date. This helps you easily identify beads when retrieving them from storage.

Conclusion

In summary, Michaels does offer a variety of clay beads and clay bead supplies. They have polymer clay beads which can be baked to harden, as well as air dry clay beads that harden as they dry. Modeling clay beads are also available for short term sculpting projects. Michaels sells clay bead kits that contain all the supplies needed to make clay beads, as well as individual bags of clay beads from brands like Sculpey and Creatology. The clay beads from Michaels can be used for jewelry making, embellishing crafts and scrapbook pages, making buttons, decorating frames and mirrors, and more. Michaels provides plenty of options whether you need just a few accent beads or want to make an entire clay bead necklace or pair of earrings.

When working with clay beads, proper storage is important to keep the clay soft and pliable. Sealing clay beads in plastic bags or airtight containers will help prevent drying out. Allowing finished polymer clay beads to cure before use will help maximize durability. With the wide selection of clay beads and bead-making supplies at Michaels, crafters have plenty of options for incorporating clay beads into their projects.