Cheap Joe's 2 Minute Art Tips - Don't Throw Away Those Desiccant Beads

[@annsowers4591]

Great tip. I have several of them. Now I know what to do with them.

[@ralphcrosby9622]

Thank you for this tip

[@rainbowfox1934]

Thanks for the terrific tip.

[@CynthiaJKress]

Great tip Julz!! Thanks❤🎨🤗

[@claudiahowell9508]

Thanks. Will start saving them.

[@ralphchristianson]

Would have been a nice idea to show some examples for this idea.

[@hibernogirl]

I think we are to be encouraged to do 'do it for ourselves'. However I tried it out but could not see any special effect, nothing to beat salt!

[@vidavis8060]

Hello Ralph.... I understand what you are saying. But... maybe this will help. About 6 months ago I did two videos about similar techniques. One is about using salt, you would use the beads in the identical fashion. (male sure it’s a really wet wash!) Additionally there is a second video right around that time called “Disturbing the Flow” and has some other techniques along those lines. Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching! ☺️ Julie

[@HeartandSoulApothecary]

Bead Packet Tip #1 = Save your mobile devices from being ruined when wet.... If anything, save them in a ziplock bag, add uncooked dry rice - I keep this bag in your ‘junk drawer’ in the kitchen - whenever someone’s phone hits water - you can then put the phone inside bag for three days to ‘dry out’. Works like a charm!

[@healingmagichands]

The other part of the package is the little packet itself. After I take the top off and harvest the beads, I use the package to make pockets for itty bitty tags for small journal pages. They are quite strong and take glue and paint well.

[@typewriterTTPD]

I've embedded them in acrylic paintings, either in thick paint or gel medium on top or mixed them with texture paste on my base layer.

[@essietangle9931]

I save mine to put beside watercolor pallets but I never thought about trying them in art. Thanks Julie!

[@tangoann]

Not related to art but I recently accidentally knocked my phone into the washing machine 😢; I grabbed it out immediately & put it into a zip lock bag of uncooked rice & desiccant bags I had saved to put into shoes. Twenty four hours later I took the phone out & it worked!

[@melissanielsen8215]

Thankyou😀

[@barbwhite6217]

I wish you would have shown the effect of the beads in watercolor but thank you for the tip!

[@AppelmoesArtandPhotography]

I heard that you can also dry flowers with it and they will hold it’s shape, unless pressing flowers. I haven’t tried it yet, but I saved a few of those packages to try in the future.

[@phenomenal_woman]

Thank you Julie.

[@longyarn4288]

These little packets come in vitamins and all sorts of products. They're great to put in a freshly filled watercolor palette too! I fill up my pans, tuck a couple of packets in on the side and in a few days check them to see if any need to be topped up. It used to take a week or two for full pans to dry out, now they're ready to go in a quarter of the time! 😁

[@vidavis8060]

long yarn ooooohhhhh.... now you’re thinking! What a great idea! Thanks for sharing that! Julie 🤗

[@nanwool]

I have even colored the beads with Copic markers or refills and use them for the center of flowers 🌺

[@QueenofheartsWA]

I lucked upon a giant canister of them at a thrift store for $2 as flower drying beads. I have been using them in my paper crafts and resin and all kinds of stuff!

[@Kitchensurprise]

Fabulous tip...I can think of many uses for these little packets...Thanks!

[@Donna_G]

I use a syringe with a needle on it to fill my TWSBI Eco when I am getting ink from an ink sample bottle. When I wash the syringe and needle, I store them in a cup that has a couple of those desiccant packets in it. The packets help to pull the moisture out.

[@deannabates1575]

Great tip. Thank you.

[@cindylillard2938]

I was waiting for you to show us what the beads do in the fluid.

[@roospooscreate]

Cindy Lillard 😂😂 me too

[@annevickers3307]

This is the most helpful tip. Thank you.

[@cjsimplyscraps]

I use them instead of micro beads for my mixed media. I did not know about the instead of salt trick. Will try this out , thanks

[@alisonknight5371]

Demonstrations are so much better than talking!

[@jacquelinesmith3450]

Samples needed. Thanks

[@susanrgreetdanielsen4826]

Wow! Thank you for this interesting tip. Just wish I hadn't thrown them all away now!!!!

[@longyarn4288]

They come in vitamins too!

[@tainadelcaribe]

I live in the south and have them inside drawers, boxes and container all over my art studio.

[@OhJodi69]

Vitamin bottles often have these. I use them in my brush box.

[@hellokittielover10]

I kept waiting for an example of how they work in the way you explained, but thank you for the tip.

[@jackiemorrell2298]

I've used those beads to save my cellphone as well as a few friends phones when they got wet. I open the little bags and store them in a plastic container, works every time. I've also seen people use them to dry flowers with, I've never tried that but I've seen it done.

[@edrymes3653]

Don't forget that you can "dry" them out in a warm oven to keep them active.

[@catlink8998]

Years ago my family kept crackers in a tin which had a glass knob filled with some sort of desiccant. The color would change and then my mother would remove the knob and bake it in the oven for a bit. The knob then showed the dry color and was reattached to continue keeping the crackers crisp. This was before home air-conditioning was common and the Florida humidity was terribly destructive to many foods and household items like paper and fabric.It was such a handy canister - I wouldn't mind having one again!

[@AmberDuffer]

Since the beads are silica, would it work like silicone in an acrylic pour?

[@charisma-hornum-fries]

I put the content of 4-5 packages into an old unusable nylon stocking and taping it to the back and / or top of my closet so that it keeps moist away from my clothing. Those beads are valuable items in my household.

[@acatssoftnose3940]

Could you link that video where you demonstrate how to hang up your watercolor paintings, so they don't buckle?

[@natureluvr_d7186]

I save mine to put in plastic storage boxes that I have all over the place. Will try some with watercolor. I've never bought Damp Rid so I wonder if it has the same type or different types of beads in it to absorb dampness.

[@jackiemorrell2298]

I'm pretty sure Damp Rid is different, my hubby used to get it for his car trunk where he put his golf clubs. The moisture from the clubs would make his trunk really stinky and Damp Rid absorbed the moisture and kept it from stinking but you'd have to pour out the liquid which built up in the Damp Rid container. It was weirdly thick and slick but looked like water.

[@OhJodi69]

DollarTree has containers of "damp rid" for just a buck and they work great to cut down on dampness and absorb musty odors.

[@colorcat2686]

Thanks for the tip!

[@hannahcrumley3103]

Always helpful! Thanks!

[@carolprice3142]

Would have liked to see example

[@lisesheeba4156]

Great tip...thanks...this tip will be useful from now in...i will try it, instead of salt

[@juliewurglitsh8196]

Guess who just threw one away? Great tips. Darn it!

[@bummer23]

Great tips!

[@ileanakreus2167]

Great tips

[@julieenslow5915]

Julie: It looks from the comments that this item is due a full video. In case you need inspiration some day! :D Thanks! Great tip!

[@maribelteklado7491]

Great tip!!!

[@celticdowser5566]

Don't forget to dry them out with a few seconds burst in the microwave. they can become saturated. Some change colour with moisture for indication.

[@LavishHim]

Wow! Thanks! I would have to imagine that they could keep pastels dry as well!

[@vidavis8060]

Danielle Fry Hey Danielle... yes, you are exactly right! Thanks for mentioning that.... and thanks for watching! 😊 Julie

[@KarenSmith-bc7nd]

Julie, this is a random question. I thought if anyone would know the answer, you would. Every month I draw a different scene on my daughter’s kitchen chalkboard. I use chalk and various chalk pens. What I really would like to do is paint on the board with an erasable paint. Is there such a thing. Every time I research it, chalk paint comes up and I don’t want that. Help, please.

[@dianeoconnor8310]

Do they stick to the paper? One reason that I don’t like salt is that it sticks and is hard to remove.

[@vidavis8060]

Diane O'Connor Hello Diane... the beads are much easier to remove than salt in a wash. Most of them roll right off. Just keep in mind... make sure it’s a really wet wash for maximum effect! Thanks for your question and thanks for watching! ☺️ Julie

[@aurorarain1265]

Demo?

[@csbollard2698]

Question, in a dry climate like in AZ, can watercolor paper go bad or too dry?

[@vidavis8060]

C S Bollard Hello CS, I don’t believe you would have any concerns with it being too dry. That would actually be a huge benefit since you aren’t having to worry about mold, warping, etc! Thanks for your question... and thanks for watching! 😄 Julie

[@gunsmokeandghouls]

Never had that issue and have lived 20+ years in an equilly arid climate as AZ.

[@vonaldautterback8831]

Example, please!

[@suzalasuzala1135]

I throw them into my flat files to keep my watercolor paper dry. My studio is below grade.

[@KathyWillhite]

I keep one packet wrapped up in my dampened plein aire towel.

[@Pizzarules]

Julie you rule

[@debbieskinner4402]

Didn’t do anything. Just talked. Where is the example?

[@juupiissocool]

Examples would have been nice 😆

[@theencouragingartistaiyann7002]

💞💞💞💞💞💞💞

[@bheanacu]

Please be careful using desiccant beads if you have pets. It is extremely harmful, can even be fatal, if they ingest them.