Use this idea as a base for your handmade garden greeting cards!

Dressing Up A Premade Stair Step Card

Feb 9, 2021 | Rubbernecker, Scene, Step Cards | 1 comment

If you are new to the world of the premade stair step card I am about to make you SO happy! And if you’ve used them before, you are going to love the tweaks I am sharing today. Making your own stair step card base is not difficult, it’s just more of a pain because you have to do some funky measuring, cutting and scoring. No thanks! I’d rather spend my “fussy time” making beautiful scenes like this one.  To make this card I used Rubbernecker’s Gate and Arbor, Winter Tree, Picket Fence, Tall Terracotta Pots, Grass, Small Ivy, Flower Buds, Tiny Flower Buds, Leaves and Greenery, Tiny Leaves #2 and Small Butterflies.

Step Card Base and Grass

I know a card like this may seem daunting because there are so many die cuts used to create the scene.  But if you break the scene down into smaller steps it really is very easy.

• Pull out the premade card, fold all the steps at the pre scored lines and used use your bone folder to crisp the folds.
• Cut a white layer layer to fit on the right back step to use to create the background for the tree.
• Use a large blender brush and Beachside ink to apply a colorful sky background to both the left side background and the right background layer.
• Attach the right side background layer to the back step using double stick tape.
• Use green cardstock to cut several grass sections to fit across the front card section and to the steps.
• Attach two grass sections to the card front using ARG adhesive, one section for the middle step and two grass sections to the back step background.

Arbor and Picket Fence

• Cut the arbor and picket fence using white cardstock.
• Use green cardstock to cut several small ivy sections and purple cardstock to cut the tiny flowers,
• Trim the last couple of leaves off of the ivy sections to make them easier to apply to the arbor.  Note:  The ivy sections are naturally rounded and shortening them makes it easier to overlap and create a fuller arrangement.
• Attach the ivy to the top of the arbor using glossy accents. Attach the first ivy sections at the lowest part of the arbor on each side and continue adding and making sure the tip leaf of each ivy sections covers the previously added section.
• Place the flowers face up on the molding pad and push down in the center using a small tipped stylus.
• Attach the purple flowers to the ivy using glossy accents.
• Apply thin strips of mounting tape to the back of the arbor, tuck it in behind the grass and attach it to the card base.
• Apply small strips of mounting tape to the back of the picket fence, tuck it in behind the grass and attach to the card front.

The Tree and Fence Flowers

• Use Kraft cardstock to cut the tree and light brown ink and a blender brush to color the tree.
• Use green cardstock to cut several sections of leaves, place them face up on the molding pad and gently form them using the leaf tool to add dimension.
• Attach the leaves to the tree using glossy accents.
• Apply ropes of rolled up double stick tape to several key spots on the back of the tree, tuck in between the two grass layers on the back step and attach the background.
• Use green cardstock to cut more ivy sections and use yellow cardstock to cut more flower buds.
• Attach the flowers to the ivy sections, allow them to dry for a few minutes and then tuck them in behind the grass and attach them using glossy accents.

The Flower Pots

• Use yellow cardstock to cut the terracotta pots.  Pro Tip:  Starting with the yellow cardstock makes it much easier to add shading to the pots and still allows the light yellow shine through.
• Use Mango ink and a mini applicator to apply a light shade to cover each pot.
• Continue shading the pots using Apricot and Cinnamon ink to create the look of terracotta.  Notice that I shaded the outer edges of the pots while leaving the light yellow center to show.
• Cut a few sections of Leaves and Greenery foliage and attach them to the back of the pots using glossy accents.
• Use pink cardstock to cut the tiny flower buds and aqua and purple cardstock to cut the flower buds.
• Attach the flowers to the three pots using glossy accents.
• Attach the pots to the back of the wagon using glossy accents and them to the middle step using a strip of mounting tape. Note: I didn’t list the wagon because you can’t really see it when the card is open.
• Finish the card by attaching three small pink butterflies using glossy accents.

I took the above photo to show the three step layers.  The weight from the die cut pieces makes the card want to fall back and ruin the affect of the step layers.  To solve the problem I placed three cardstock braces on the underneath sections to help hold the card in place when open.  See phot below.

• Cut one section of white cardstock 4.00″  inches long and 1.00″ wide, score in the middle at 2.00″ and 1.00″ on each end.
• Cut two section of white cardstock 2.00″ long and 1.00″ wide, score each at 1.00″ and .50″ on each end.
• Fold the strips and apply double stick tape on each end and insert them on the underneath.
• The size of the folded strips may vary due to the weight of the card you are making.  

There is absolutely NO SHAME in using templates and pre-cut elements and these premade stair step card bases are one of my personal favorite short cuts to creating some of these more complex projects. I love being able to spend all the fun time on, well, the FUN stuff!  Check out my step card category to see other examples of cards that I’ve made. How about you? Do you like to make dimensional cards using stair steps, box cards or z fold cards?

Color Fuse Set #3 [ RBB ] Gate and Arbor Die Cut 5166D [ RBB ] Winter Tree Die Cut 5170D [ RBB ] Picket Fence Die Cut 5152-01D [ RBB ] Tall Terracotta Pot Die Cut 5147-16D [ RBB ] Tabed Grass Set Die Cut 5152-03D [ RBB ] 5162-03D Small Ivy [ RBB ] Flower Buds Die Cut 5147-09D [ RBB ] Tiny Flower Buds Die Cut 5147-10D [ RBB ] 5309-04D Leaves and Greenery Die [ RBB ] 5334-02D Tiny Leaves #2 Die [ RBB ] Small Butterflies Die 5147-08D [ RBB ] Outer Stair Step Card Kit [ RBB ] Color Fuse Set #9 [ RBB ] Color Fuse Set #2 [ RBB ]

Life Changing Blender Brush – 4 Piece… [ ELH ] Sizzix – Paper Sculpting Kit [ SBC ] Mini Glossy Accents, Ranger Accents [ ELH ] Scotch Foam Mounting Tape [ ELH ] Scor-Tape 1/2′ (12mm), Scor-Pal Tape [ ELH ] Fiskars 01-005452 Recycled Bypass… [ AMZUS ] ATG Kit, Advanced Tape Glider [ ELH ] Teflon Bone Folder, Essentials by Ellen [ ELH ] Scor-Pal Measuring & Scoring Board 12×12 [ ELH ] Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutting… [ RBB ]

Using a premade stair step card takes all the work out of making one and gives you time to the fun stuff.