How to Bedazzle Board Games, Dr. Seuss Books & More — The Ultimate Rhinestone Gift Guide
This live tutorial is a crash course in bedazzling everything — and a complete guide to turning inexpensive items into gifts that look like they cost a fortune. It's the kind of session that starts with one Candyland board and ends with you rhinestoning every flat surface in your house.
The centerpiece of the video is bedazzled board games. You'll see fully rhinestoned Candyland ($5.98 on Amazon), Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly, Sorry, and Trouble boards — all with game pieces that still slide perfectly over the surface. The secret is keeping all your rhinestones at roughly the same level so characters move smoothly. Every one of these games still folds up, goes back in the box, and plays exactly like it should — it just looks a million times better.
There's a full rhinestone size guide woven throughout. The recommendation is to stock three sizes: 3mm (SS12) for detail work and gap-filling, 4mm (SS16) as the all-purpose everyday size, and 5mm (SS20) for borders and statement areas. For 5mm, Crystal AB, champagne, and black are the three must-haves. The Beads Land brand on Amazon is the go-to — significantly cheaper than Michaels, great quality, and the size chart is printed on the back of every package.
The video also covers bedazzled books as gifts. Dr. Seuss titles like "Oh, the Places You'll Go," "Cat in the Hat," and "If I Ran the Party" make incredible baby shower, birthday, and graduation gifts when you add rhinestones to the illustrations. The key is using 2mm or 3mm stones and keeping them sparse — just a few per page so the book doesn't warp. Classic literature covers from Marshalls ($6–9 each) are also shown as coffee table display pieces.
Beyond games and books, the tutorial shows bedazzled acrylic clutch purses, cross-body bags, wine totes, sunglasses upgraded from flat matte rhinestones to shiny 3mm crystals, a pearl art camo jacket from Goodwill, and rhinestoned shoes made with a mix of 5mm and 3mm stones for fill-in work. Every project includes which adhesive to use: GemTac (poured into a syringe) for shoes and clothing, E8000 or B7000 for hard surfaces, and diamond painting sealer as the final protective coat that locks everything in without dulling the sparkle.
There's also an honest review of rhinestone-by-number keychain kits (adorable, but the sticky residue is a problem — the fix is brushing diamond painting sealer right over the entire piece), and a useful tip about extra game pieces being available on Amazon for every classic board game if you're buying secondhand from Goodwill.
Whether you're a brand new bedazzler or someone who already has a million dollars in rhinestones (no judgment), this session is packed with ideas, techniques, and gift inspiration for every skill level.
Supply List
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Board Games (All Amazon)
Candyland — $5.98
Chutes and Ladders — $5.98
Sorry — $5.98
Trouble — ~$8 on Amazon; also available at Goodwill
Monopoly — $19.99 (Walmart has a 250th Anniversary edition too)
Scrabble — ~$18–19
Extra game pieces — available on Amazon for every classic game
Rhinestones
Beads Land brand (Amazon) — cheaper than Michaels, size chart on every package
4mm (SS16) — best all-purpose size for most projects
3mm (SS12) — detail work, lettering, fill-in gaps between 4mm and 5mm
5mm (SS20) Crystal AB — borders, statement areas, tile holders, game box lids
5mm Champagne — beautiful neutral for shoes and large areas
5mm Black — bold accent for game boards
Crystal AB = maximum sparkle and multi-color reflection (recommended over plain crystal)
Crystal/glass rhinestones preferred over resin/jelly for most projects (more sparkle, better quality)
Avoid 6mm+ — too large, hard to pick up, looks bulky
Adhesives
GemTac Glue — best for shoes & clothing; washable; pour into a precision syringe for application (white, dries clear; rhinestones float then settle as it dries)
E8000 / B7000 — precision tip, great for hard surfaces like game boards and purses
Precision syringe applicators — Amazon (keep a lid on the syringe to prevent hardening)
Sealers
Diamond Painting Sealer — apply with a cheap brush after all rhinestones are placed (glossy finish, does NOT dull rhinestones; also fixes sticky residue on rhinestone-by-number kits)
Tools
Wax picker pencils — sharpen with a regular sharpener (~$3 for 10 on Temu, ~$6 on Amazon)
Picker pens with replacement wax tips — Amazon or Michaels
Rhinestone trays — shake to flip stones right-side up
Mini vacuum cleaner — picks up stray rhinestones (YouTube's noise-canceling apparently hides the sound!)
Books & Gift Ideas
Dr. Seuss books — ~$9.99 each on Amazon (use 2–3mm stones, keep sparse to avoid warping)
Classic literature covers — Marshalls, $6–9 each (Jane Austen, etc. — gorgeous on coffee tables)
Diamond art notebooks — 10 pack for ~$29 on Amazon
Old lady keychain kits — 6 for $9.99 on Amazon (rhinestone by number, adhesive, comes with everything)
Purses & Accessories
Acrylic clutch purses — Amazon (with gold chain) (only bedazzle one side so rhinestones don't catch on clothing)
Cross-body bags — Amazon
Wine tote bags — Amazon, ~$6–7
Doggy bag / restaurant bag — Amazon (fun gift to bring to a birthday lunch)
Clothing & Shoes
White shoes — $39 on Amazon (bedazzled with 5mm crystal AB + champagne, 3mm for fill-in)
T-shirts — wash first, use GemTac, seal with diamond painting sealer, wash inside out
Camo jacket — Goodwill ($15); pearl art design transferred with white transfer paper
Pearl art kits — $9.99 on Amazon (adhesive-backed, no glue; transfer pattern to fabric with transfer paper)
Storage
Rolling rhinestone organizer cart — TJ Maxx or Ross, ~$39 (3 levels with wood top; fits all organizer cases inside)
