Fray Dikat Studio

This is something I’ve wanted to try for a while now. First, I love crafts that repurpose things—especially stuff that might otherwise be trash. Second, every year around February and March, we end up with a ridiculous amount of plastic beads. Usually, we donate them back so they can be tossed again in next year’s parades. And third, I’ve seen some amazing art made from Mardi Gras beads, so this year, I decided to make my own!

I’m a transplant to the Gulf Coast of Alabama, and the Mardi Gras culture here was one of the biggest surprises when I moved. There’s an entire social scene built around parading societies—the groups that organize the parades—and they take their fun seriously. All year long, they stockpile throws: toys, trinkets, beads, and stuffed animals, along with custom-printed cups, frisbees, balls, and doubloons featuring their society’s logo. Then, they don elaborate masks and gowns, climb onto bright, colorful floats, and toss all that loot to the crowds along the parade route (usually while enjoying a lot of booze).

Now, if you’re picturing the wild energy of New Orleans, that’s not quite the vibe here. Our parades are much more family-friendly—no flashing or rowdy street parties, just music, floats, high school bands, and, of course, a mind-boggling amount of beads.

And don’t get me wrong—I love it. It’s one of the few things that will actually get this introvert out of the house. But still… there are so. many. beads.

To cut down on waste, there are bead collection programs where people can donate their extras for recycling or resale. But even with that, there are always plenty floating around—for crafts, rearview mirror decor, and even Mardi Gras trees (yes, that’s a thing!).

So, let’s get crafty!

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Mardi Gras Bead Mosaic: My First Attempt

I’ve seen bead mosaics featuring stars, flowers, and even flamingos, but Mardi Gras motifs seem to be the most common. Plus, if you’re using Mardi Gras beads, chances are you’ve got plenty in the traditional colors: purple, green, and gold. For my first attempt, I kept it simple—a mask design—so I could get a feel for working with the beads.

Supplies:

• Stretched canvas
• Lots of Mardi Gras beads in various colors
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

Optional:

• Acrylic paint
• Printed template of a Mardi Gras design
• Tracing paper

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Step 1: Prep Your Canvas

This part is optional, but I painted my canvas purple since I planned for a purple background in my design. You could leave the canvas white or even buy a black canvas for a cool contrast. Let it dry overnight.

Step 2: Pick Your Design

Step 3: Glue the Beads!

No strict instructions here—just start gluing! Although, I do recommend working from the inside out to make sure the beads fit together best.

I cut individual beads off the strands and glued them down with hot glue. Would I recommend this method? Eh… not really. It left fuzzy tufts on either side of each bead where the string went through. If you’re more patient than me, you could probably clean them up with a razor blade, but I just rolled with it. Cutting full sections of beads might have been easier, but this method allowed me to mix colors more freely.

Step 4: Show Off Your Mardi Gras Mosaic!

That’s it! It’s a super simple and fun craft. Even with my corner-cutting, I’m really happy with how mine turned out. It may not be craft-fair worthy, but it’s definitely cute enough to hang on my wall or door for next Mardi Gras!

So, if you’ve got a pile of leftover beads, why not give it a shot? Tag me on Bluesky or Instagram—I’d love to see what you create! 🎭✨