Serenity in Scrubs - Craft Day with Silicone Beads

Turquoise pen with turquoise and black silicon beads with a silicone nurse top. The pen is resting on top of a white dish.

Whimsy Over the To-Do List: Silicone Bead Crafts You'll Love

Some days, the best form of self-care is to hit pause on the never-ending to-do list and create something whimsical. If you've browsed a boutique store lately or visited a local craft fair or farmers' market, you've probably spotted adorable creations made with silicone beads. These colorful little beads come in all shapes and sizes and are surprisingly easy to work with!

You can find silicone beads at local craft stores, like Michaels or Hobby Lobby, or (no surprise) online at Amazon. After seeing many cute, beaded pens and keychains, I made some myself.

A Nurse-Inspired Silicone Bead Crafting Haul

One of my favorite finds? Nurse-themed silicone beads I discovered at Where Ya Bin in Dublin, Ohio. Let me tell you, if you’ve never been to a bin store, it’s a treasure hunt! These shops are filled with overstocked and returned merchandise from major retailers. The items are tossed into bins, and you dig through to score deals, and prices vary depending on the day of the week. I've gone on $3 and $1 days—so fun! Honestly, bargain-hunting is a form of therapy for me.

To complete my creations, I also ordered pens and extra beads online to make both beaded pens and keychains. Trust me—nurses love their pens. Take one of these to work and you might not get it back! They’re inexpensive, super cute, and so easy to make, you'll want to whip up extras for coworkers.

👉 Check out the Instagram video to see how simple the process is!

Lip Gloss Wristlets—Functional and Fabulous with Silicone Beads

One of my favorite designs was a keychain/wristlet combo with a lip gloss attached. I used ELF lip balms from Ulta for these. A quick money-saving tip: Ulta often has a coupon for $3.50 off a $15 purchase. The lip balms are $4 each, so with the coupon, four balms come out to about $3.13 each. They come in fun flavors like Vanilla Icing (my favorite!), Grape, Honeydew, Peach, and Strawberry.

What You’ll Need to Get Crafty

If you’re ready to give this a try, here’s what you’ll need (and many silicone bead kits already include several of these supplies):

Silicone beads (various sizes and colors)
Keychains and tassels
Nylon rope or elastic cord
Jump rings (4mm)
Seed beads (optional, for added detail)
Eye headpins (for charm embellishments)
A couple of fun charms
Push pin (to poke a hole in the lip balm container)
Craft glue (to seal the knot for durability)

Easy, Affordable, and Oh-So-Cute Silicone Bead Crafts

A turquoise and cream beaded wristlet with attached e.l.f. vanilla frosting sqeeze lip balm. The wristlet also has a turquoise tassel attached.

Here’s a photo of a keychain and wristlet I made. You’ll find plenty of tutorials on YouTube that walk you through the process—perfect for visual learners like me. These make amazing gifts or party favors, and they’re such a fun project for a relaxing afternoon. So go ahead and skip the to-do list today. Put on some music, grab your beads, and make something that sparks a little joy. 💕