Gifted touch

Get crafty this christmas with brenda harvey's unusual jewelley cards

Brenda Harvey, Project Designer

These christmas cards are perfect for creating something different and are sure to impress!

For truly unique gift ideas this Christmas try creating jewellery gifts which can be combined into simple card designs. You don't need to be a papercrafting pro; these simple greetings use co-ordinating card with festive messages printed from a home PC. Choose some choice apertures and motifs, then get creative adding your jewellery makes, which should of course all have the necessary Christmas sparkle!

Snowflake Necklace Card

1. Open an 8mm jump ring, add a large crystal snowflake on a second 8mm jump ring and close carefully. Make eleven individual droppers by threading silver head pins with a single 6mm bicone crystal, or one or two 4mm bicones and a stardust bead or freshwater pearl. To form the droppers bend the wire above each top bead with round-nosed pliers to form a right angle and trim to 1.5cm with wire cutters.
2. Holding the end of the wire between the tips of round-nosed pliers turn your wrist to create a circular loop, but leave a small gap. Hook the droppers onto the top jump ring and carefully close up the gaps with pliers. To finish the necklace simply add a fine silver ready-made chain.
3. To make the card, fold a 21cm square of blue card in half and cut a 4.5cm x 11.5cm aperture in the front with a craft knife. To make the frame cut a matching opening in a 7.5cm x 14.5cm piece of contrasting card, wind the necklace chain around the top of this and hold in place by gently tying with organza ribbon.
4. Attach the frame to the card with two layers of 3-D foam pads, being careful not to get any of the pads stuck to the chain. Use a computer and white paper to print a festive greeting, tear the edges carefully and glue in place on the card.

Bracelet Card

1. Cut a 25cm length of 0.5mm elasticated beading cord and thread with a variety of crystals and briolettes, foiled glass and stardust beads. Check for fit and tie very tightly in a double knot, apply a drop of beading glue for extra security. Add a bow of satin and organza ribbons. To make the card, fold an A5 piece of coloured card in half. Use a computer and white paper to print a festive greeting, tear the edges carefully and glue in place.
2. Tear a piece of card to 8.5cm square. Place the bracelet on this and make several small pinholes, equally spaced around it. Cut short lengths of fine beading wire and use these as 'staples', pushing them through the holes to anchor the bracelet to the backing card. Twist the wires over on the reverse and cut short. Glue this onto a slightly larger square of white card and attach with 3-D foam pads.

Christmas Tree Card

1. Cut two 60cm lengths of monofilament beading thread. With both ends together, add a calotte then a 2mm crimp. Compress the crimp with flat-nosed pliers, trim away the excess thread and gently squeeze the calotte around the crimp to completely enclose it.
2. Keeping both strands together, add five 4mm crystals. Separate the strands and thread one with a single stardust bead and the other with a small silver daisy spacer, followed by a freshwater pearl, 6mm crystal and a second daisy spacer. Bring both strands back together and add five 4mm crystals then separate them as before to repeat the sequence. Once the necklace is the required length add a calotte and crimp to the other end. Secure to a toggle clasp with jump rings to finish.
3. To make the card, fold a 12.5cm x 25cm piece of coloured card in half. Use a computer and white paper to print a festive greeting, tear the edges carefully and glue onto a piece of contrasting background card 11.5cm square. Draw and cut out a simple tree shape in card, with a separate section for the base. Carefully wrap the necklace around the tree like a garland and position the toggle closure at the front so that it can sit on the separate base as shown.