Someone recently asked me how to make a shaker card so this article is a step by step guide do doing just that. Shaker cards are great fun and make excellent Christmas or birthday cards for children as well as adults. The novelty factor of being able to fill yours cards with just about anything you like and being able to hear and see the effect is wonderful.

Shaker cards can be created to suit whatever scene or effect you like. Fill them with small white beads of polystyrene for great snowy Christmas scenes or small yellow beads to bring a beach card to life.

Just follow my simple steps and within no time at all you will have a stunning handmade shaker card.

Step 1 - Begin by folding a piece of card onto a hard surface. Here I have used an A4 piece of card and folded it half.

Step 2 - Open your card so you are looking at the inside and draw the shape you wish to cut out for the 'shaker' part to be. You can use stencils or draw free hand.

Step 3 - Using a craft knife or a shape cutter carefully cut your shape out.

Step 4 - Turn your card over and decorate with a ribbon or any embellishment you desire.

Step 5 - Once decorated, turn the card back over. Place double sided tape around the cut out shape and affix some acetate to cover the hole. This does not have to be perfect and will not show in the finished card.

Step 6 - Once the acetate is in place turn the card back over to the front and place peel offs or ribbon around the cut out shape to make it stand out. At this point you may want to add any extra bits such as ' happy birthday' if you do not feel the card is quite done.

Step 7 - Turn the card back over and place 3d foam all around the acetate. Try to place it as close to the edge as possible as this will mean you can use less beads or what ever you are adding as your 'shakers'.

Step 8 - Choose a piece of paper that you want to be shown through the window

Step 9 - Place double sided tape round the edges of the inside of the card

Step 10 - Remove the backing from the double sided tape and 3d foam and carefully pour in your beads. You could also use small confetti, or punched out paper shapes.

Step 11 - Carefully place your chosen paper over the top, taking care to press down around the window and the edges of the card. Once secure trim off any bits you do not need around the card.