How to make a mobile with wood beads

This wood bead mobile adds a personal touch to a bedroom, and will be enjoyed by any child who has an uncommonly spelled name and can't find personalized pencils and shirts in gift shops. It's also a nice way to publicize the family surname in the living room.

This tutorial provides instructions with a specific number of beads, stars, letters and colors, but it's customizable. Use any desired color and shapes. Note that as with all small items such as beads, keep this mobile out of the reach of small children and infants.

Materials
- Small, medium and large wood beads
- 3 bowls
- Small wood dowels or round craft sticks (diameter must match the bead holes), 6 to 8 inches long
- White, gold and blue craft paint
- Paint palette
- Artist’s paintbrush
- Medium wood stars
- Wood letter spelling out name or initials
- ½-inch diameter wood dowel, 12 inches long (longer for longer names)
- Twine
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Hot-glue gun
- Hot glue
- Removable wall hanger

1. Sort the beads into their respective sizes and put each group in a separate bowl.

2. Slide five medium beads onto a 6-inch dowel, keeping the beads separate. Do this twice. Repeat with the large beads.

3. Slide 12 small beads onto one dowel.

4. Put each paint color on the palette. Paint the beads, using all three colors for each set. Place the dowels over the bowls so the paint dries.

5. Paint the fronts and sides of the stars and letters any desired color. Let the paint dry.

6. Paint the long dowel white. Rest it on a bowl and let it dry.

7. Remove the beads from their dowels and place them in their respective bowls.

8. Cut 12 inches of twine. Cut as many pieces as you have letters. Tie one end around the center top of the letter. Tie a knot and trim the excess twine.

9. Thread the other end of the twine through the needle. Feed the needle through 13 beads. Use different sizes of beads in various colors. Tie the other end of the twine around the painted dowel and tie it off. Trim the excess twine.

10. Cut 8 inches of twine. Cut as many pieces as you have stars. Glue one end to the back of a star. Let dry.

11. Thread the other end of the twine through the needle. Feed the needle through as many beads as desired. Use different sizes of beads in various colors. Tie the other end of the twine around the painted dowel and tie it off. Trim the excess twine.

12. Cut 18 to 20 inches of twine. Tie each end 1 inch in from either end of the painted dowel. Trim the excess twine. Hang on a removable wall hanger.