These gorgeous cards by Jill Alblas are bound to make the recipient feel special at Christmastime.

What you need...

• Card: silver, white
  
• Aida, white, 14 count
  
• Embroidery thread: pink, white
  
• Velvet ribbon, 8mm, magenta
  
• Beads: rocailles, pink; spacers, silver,
  
• 3mm; silver beads, 3mm
  
• Silver bead caps, 9mm
  
• Christmas sentiment stickers
  
• Embroidery hoop
  
• Adhesives

instructions

1. Triangle Tree Card - 1 Pencil a triangle, 6cm x 8.5cm, on Aida and fix in an embroidery hoop, then secure ribbon across the bottom. Use half cross stitches and two strands of pink thread to sew a row of rocailles above the ribbon, keeping within the pencilled border. For the next row, use half cross stitches and white thread to sew silver beads through alternate squares. Stitch rocailles as before.
   
   2 Space six bead caps evenly along the top of the rocailles. Attach by taking the thread up through the centre of the cap, then add a silver bead and take the needle back down the centre. Secure
   each bead cap in this way then, using the image as a reference, continue beading upwards.
   
   3 Cut a triangle from silver card, 6cm x 8.5cm, and tape in position to fit around the beaded triangle. Trim white card, 9cm x 13cm, and cut a triangle, 7cm x 9cm, 3cm from the bottom of the card. ape the silver card and beading in place on the back. Secure ribbon across the bottom and fix a greeting above. Attach a cap and silver bead at the top, then stick the completed card on the front of a blank.

2. Beaded Square Design - 1 Pencil a 5cm circle on Aida and fix in an embroidery hoop, then secure ribbon across the centre. Using the image as a reference, bead above and below the ribbon.
   
   2 Trim a 5.5cm circle from silver card and fix around the beaded Aida. Cut white card, 10cm square, snip a 6cm circle and attach onto the silver. Secure ribbon from the bauble to the top of the card and embellish with a bead cap and spacer beads. Fix a greeting along the bottom and use tiny spots of glue to randomly attach rocailles on the card. Stick the completed card on the front of a blank.

3. Bauble Greeting - 1 Pencil a 5cm circle on Aida and fix in an embroidery hoop. Space five bead caps evenly across the centre and sew in position with silver beads, as before. Work above and below the bead caps using the image as a guide.
   
   2 Trim a 5.5cm circle from silver card and fix around the beaded Aida. Cut white card, 8.5cm x 14cm, then trim a 6cm circle, 5cm from the bottom of the card, and attach onto silver. Secure ribbon
   across the bottom and stick agreeting above. Make a ribbon loop, decorate the end with a bead cap and silver bead, then secure at the top. Tape the completed card on the front of a blank.