Monday 25 June 2012

Triple Stepper Card Tutorial

Well it's been a while since I wrote a tutorial, so I thought you might like the details for an oldie but goodie: the triple stepper card. This one is adapted from the Hougie technique to make a large centre panel.

"Scores and cut marks"

To start, take an A4 sheet of good cardstock, something like 300gsm, and cut it down to a nice even 28cm in length. Next on the wrong side, mark two pencil lines parallel to the longest side, at 5cm from each edge. Using the pencil marks, score crease marks from each edge to the line at the following measurements from the shortest edge: 3cm, 6cm, 10cm and 21cm. Then score the halfway fold at 14cm all the way across. It's easy to score crease marks using a scoring board, but this can also be done using a ruler and a blunt instrument like an embossing tool or short knitting needle. Finally, you need to cut along the two pencil lines with a craft knife between the 3cm and 21cm score marks.

"Folded card blank"

Making alternate mountain and valley folds along the crease lines, you should end up with a card blank like the one above.

"Card blank with patterned paper panels"

I like to add patterned paper to all the front-facing panels. Cut the paper leaving a 2mm border all the way around the edge.

Here are a couple of stepper cards I made using the Heartfelt Creations Chateau Gate die & matching stamps. We had some rare sunshine here in Northern Ireland when I was taking the photos. As you can see from the reflections, I am much more used to taking pictures in the rain :-)

"Banish those birthday blues"

The flowers for the birthday blues card are all handmade and coloured with distress inks to match. Most are paper, but the grey ones are fabric and were made following the instructions from one of craftyloops fabulous tutorials.



"An Englishwoman's home is her castle"

The flowers for this card are made from cream organza (a present from Lee - thank you sweetie :-), diecut and the edges singed with a heat tool before binding together with natural-coloured brads and fixing in place on the fence railings with pinflair.You can see a couple of feathers peeping out from behind the flowers. They were kindly left in the nestboxes for me by our Barnevelder hens!

"Window scene"

For both cards, the window scene is painted with distress inks and mounted behind the window with Pinflair to add some extra dimension. The legs for the iron gate are cut out with scissors after diecutting the decorative edge. Two fences are diecut and mounted each side of the iron gate using Pinflair. Extra embellishments are added to the side panels.

Ingredients:
Hougie Board & scoring tool
A4 300gsm cardstock & 160gsm smooth, white card
Heartfelt Creations Chateau Gate die & matching stamp sets: Grand Portal & Doorway Trimmings
Sizzix Tim Holtz On The Edge Die: Iron Gate
Sizzix Tim Holtz Bigz: Tattered Florals
Marianne die: fence
Spellbinders: Carnation Creations
Patterned paper: Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby pad
Sentiments: Papermania
Distress inks: Walnut Stain, Tumbled Glass, Chipped Sapphire
Perfect Pearls: biscotti, blue patina
Distress marker set, paint brush, water & non-stick craft sheet for watercolouring background scenes
Handmade flowers & feathers
Brads
Adhesives: PVA, glossy accents, pinflair dimensional glue

Entered for the following challenge:
Joanna Sheen - Summer Daze
Let's Ink it Up - Use your favourite embellsihments (handmade organza flowers!)
Stampin' For the Weekend - Show us your style (vintage)
Frosted Designs - Make Your Own Embellishment (handmade flowers)
Charisma Cardz - Summer
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers - Make Your Own Flowers
Love to Create - Anything Goes

19 comments:

  1. TFS your tutorial and I love both the cards. x

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  2. wow!! Your cards are stunning, I love the design with all the gorgeous detailing especially those beautiful flowers you have made. Thank you also for the fab tutorial, now I may just have a go at that!!
    Take care
    Hugs Sue

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  3. Great clear tutorial, thanks for this I will have a go. xxxx

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  4. What a work ! Thanks for the tutorial. Wonderful and original realization. Bravo !

    Thanks for joining us at Charisma Cardz this week.

    Hugs from France.
    Catherine.

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  5. wow! so pretty! I love how the windows open with such a beautiful scene inside and your flowers are fabulous! Thanks for sharing with us at Frosted Designs!

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  6. Wow, what a fabulous design and I love the scene through the window, great stamping. Thanks for taking part in our challenge at LIIU, good luck. Hugz Suzanne

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  7. Thanks for the tutorial and your "seen through a window" scene is fabulous! Thanks for entering it at the Lets Ink It Up embellies challenge this month!

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  8. Wow..what great cards. Thanks so much for your tutorial.

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  9. Two beautiful cards - perfect for our challenge. Thanks for joining us at Charisma Cardz challenges this week and for the great tutorial, hope to see you again soon.
    Jenni x

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  10. Brilliant tutorial Maddy and I love the cards you've made. Your flowers are all gorgeous. Hey, when did you get sun? Any chance of you sending any down my way?? Lee x

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  11. Thanks for the tutorial will be bookmarking your page for future reference also love your two cards they look great


    Thanks for joining us at Charisma Cardz Challenges

    Hugs Mandy xxx

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  12. Two beautiful cards, thanks for the tutorial.

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  13. I saw this one yesterday and loved it. Thanks for joining us at Love to Create Challenge. Wendy DT. xxx

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  14. Gorgeous cards, the design and flowers are gorgeous. Thank you for joining us at CCM this time.
    Yvonne

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  15. Beautiful cards!! Thank you so much for the tutorial. Thank you for sharing with us at Love to Create Challenge.
    z

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  16. This is just hoppin awesome! Thank you for sharing over at Love to Create Challenges.
    ~Amanda LTCDT

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  17. Very lovely and amazing card. love the steps and the window and the image in the window and the handmde flowers. simply gorgeous. thanks for sharing with us at Frosted Designs.

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  18. Gorgeous triple step card. Thank you for sharing and joining in at LIIU. Hugs, Velma

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  19. A brilliant tutorial, and an amazing card, its gorgeous! :)

    Thanks so much for joining us at the Joanna Sheen Challenge! :)

    hugs

    xxalisonxx

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Thanks for leaving a comment, it's nice to know I'm not just talking to myself :)