More Step Cards Class

Today I have more step cards from our latest class.  The first 3 have a clear Autumn theme and are the ones we made in class.  At the end, I show 2 more versions of these cards - same types, but decorated differently.  Here's the list of materials used for the first three cards (all from Stampin' Up! (except for the little bit of ribbon & the squirrel that I found in my stash):

• Autumn Leaves (stamps & dies), Changing Leaves (hybrid embossing folder with dies, stamps), Textured Notes (stamps).  Note that the first two sets are no longer available, but there are several other options currently available here.
• Thick Basic White cardstock for card bases
• Colored Cardstock in these colors - Pecan Pie, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry 
• Woven Textures DSP - beautiful neutral papers that can be used for MANY different themes, and make great backdrops for these Autumn makes (and the last two cards as well).
• A bit of To Market DSP that had a basket on it. 
• A squirrel from my stash (made with a Karen Burniston die, but you can get a very similar look using the Fluffy Squirrel bundle from Stampin' Up!  
• A bit of brown grosgrain ribbon from my stash
• Classic Inks in these colors: Pecan Pie, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, Old Olive 

I had them make a bunch of leaves using the both the Autumn Leaves dies and the Changing Leaves Hybrid Embossing Folder.  They used blending brushes to add color to the leaves to make them look more real.  This is mostly what we used to decorate the cards, so we could focus on how to make the cards themselves.  Here's a look at the cards. 

Center Step Easel Card: 

This first card base was made from a piece of Thick Basic White cardstock that was 5 1/2" x 11".  This was then scored at 8 1/2" creating a flap for the "easel" portion of the card, while the 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" portion was cut and scored like any other center step card.  

Stair Step Card: 

 

This card started as a piece of cardstock that was 5 1/2" x 10 1/2".  This was scored at: 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 4 1/4", 6" and 8 1/4" and folded accordion style.  I covered a piece of cardstock that was 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" with patterned paper and glued it to the back step, then covered the remaining steps with Pecan Pie cardstock.  Then I simply added my leaves, basket (which I "filled" with leaves), squirrel, and sentiment using glue and Mini Stampin' Dimensionals.

Finally,  I have my Triple Side Step Swap Card:

 

 

The structure is created quite similarly to a side step card, but has a narrower area on the left and the back two stairs are created side by side with different heights.  I decorated with leaves (from Autumn Leaves dies and Changing Leaves Hybrid Embossing folder - discontinued from Stampin' Up!) & a sentiment.  This time, the stamp for the sentiment came from the Textured Notes stamp set, and was created using the Autumn Leaves dies.

 

These cards look remarkably similar, and I wanted my students to understand these shaped cards can be decorated a variety of ways.  So, I created a couple more cards for them to spark their ideas.  

 

Another Center Step Easel: 

 

 

 

I LOVE this card.  I saw some similar makes on-line, particularly the one on You-Tube by HMADE Studio and decided to try something like it.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the Stampin' Up! fireplace stamps and dies - those were discontinued some time ago.  Would have loved to have those!  But, I DID have a set of stamps, dies, and embossing folder that I got in a card making magazine quite awhile ago.  It worked great!  I stamped the "fire" on parchment paper and colored it with markers.  I can then put a battery powered tea light candle behind it and it looks like the flame is flickering!  Great fun.  Oh yes, the green "carpet" was cut from a scrap using a Karen Burniston die called Ovals Crosshatch.  The little pictures on the wall were framed with Gold Foil paper using a die from Karen's Fireplace Extra's Two.  The pictures themselves were created on thick vellum using a stamp from Stampin' Up!s Winter Scenes stamp set, embossed with clear ink, and colored with some Stampin' Blend markers.  A single scene was cut into pieces to create those little pictures.  And, the background papers were from the Woven Textures DSP.

 

Another Triple Step Card: 

 

This last card, again covered with Woven Textures DSP, was created mostly using stamps and dies from the Flower Cart set (discontinued).  The sentiment was stamped & die cut using the Autumn Leaves bundle.