Star of David Bead Pave' Card

Tiny beads or glass marbles can create a stunning pave on the front of cards or on gift boxes. In case you haven’t heard the word before, a pave isn’t anything fancy – it’s just a setting of those adhesive gemstones that are placed together so closely that they resemble a single setting.

For this Hanukkah card, I cut out a Star of David from a sheet of double-sided adhesive and then pressed the star into a bed of little beads. Try this technique with simple shapes such as a star, heart, circles and squares to embellish whatever holiday cards you craft. It’s simple and inexpensive, but will add such a dressed up and dramatic addition to your season’s greeting.

Supplies

1 sheet nice white cardstock (8 x 11 inches)
Blue paper (complementary color to beads)
Scissors
Double-stick tape
Peel-n-Stick double-sided adhesive sheets, super-strength
Blue seed beads or tiny glass marbles
White letter stickers

Directions

Step 1: Fold white cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease). Also, don’t feel limited to white – use whatever color that works with your design.

Step 2: Cut an 8 x 2-inch strip of blue paper (If your design uses a different color bead, use a matching paper – the idea is to have the background blend with the beads.). Use double-stick tape to apply the strip along the inside back flap of the card aligned with the right edge. Trim 1-inch off the front flap of the card along the right edge to allow the blue strip to show when the card is closed.

Step 3: Draw a small Star of David on to the backing paper of the Peel-n-Stick adhesive sheet.

Step 4: Cut out the star. Peel off one side of the backing paper.

Step 5: Place blue beads or marbles in a small saucer. Press the adhesive side of your star into the beads until it’s completely covered. Use your fingers to neaten up the beads into the star shape if necessary and fill in the beads within the design.

Step 6: Peel off remaining backing on star and apply it to the front of the card. Use letter stickers to spell out "Happy Hanukkah" on the top of the card.