My great nephew Finn’s, first birthday is coming up with his party theme being Monsters Inc., so I made his card to match the theme.

This ladder card has been on a lot of channels, but I like Sam Calcott’s version and followed it for the most part…Here’s a link if you want to follow hers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC5ax1HpdU4

You’ll need a piece of cardstock for the base of the card that is 9 1/2″ x 6″ scored on the 9 1/2″ length at 1 3/4″ and 7 3/4″. On the 6″ length, make a mark at 2″ with a pencil on both sides then take your paper trimmer and line up the pencil mark and the score on the 9 1/2″ length to cut an angle. Do the same to the other side, making the mark at 2″ and cutting from that mark to the score on the 9 1/2″ length.

I used white Recollections Heavyweight cardstock from Michaels for my ladder pieces, but recommend you use cardstock that isn’t as heavy, as it’s hard to fold the 1/4″ scores if you use heavy cardstock.You’ll need steps for your ladder that are:

5″ x 6 1/2″

4 x 6 1/2″

3″ x 6 1/2″

2 x 6 1/2… this is the front of the card that I decorated with a bunch of ones in different colors.

All of your steps, you’ll need to score on the 6 1/2″ length at 1/4″ and 6 1/4″

Fold and burnish all of your scores. Put tear tape on the ladder pieces from the 1/4″ score to the edge of the paper..I used 1/4″ wide tear tape, but you can use wet glue. If you do use wet glue, only put the glue on the left score as we’ll put glue on the right side on all ladder pieces at once later. If you have stamped something on any of the ladder pieces, you’ll want your tear tape or glue on the side that has the design on it.

Take your 9 1/2″ x 6″ piece and the first ladder piece which will be the largest one that is 5″ x 6 1/2″. Make sure the angle cuts you made on the sides of the card base are at the top of the card base. Line up the left side of the ladder piece so it butts up against the left score line of the card base making sure the bottom of the ladder piece is lined up with the bottom of the card base, then shut the left side of the card base and rub it to adhere it. Do the same to each of the ladder pieces making sure the left side of the ladder piece is butted up against the left score of the card base and the bottom of both the ladder piece and the card base are lined up. Once you’ve done glued all of the left sides of the ladder pieces in, fold them so they are flat against the left side of the card base and then put glue or tear tape on the area between the right hand score and the edge of the ladder pieces and remove the tear tape backing, then fold the right side of the card base onto them and rub to adhere. This should make a perfect ladder card.

I used decorative paper from Park Lane from Joann’s in a 12 x 12″ pack called Floral Spice and cut four pieces to 1 3/8″ x 5 3/4″ wide to insert on each ladder step. If you do it this way, you save a ton of decorative paper, because otherwise, you’d line the whole 5″, 4″, and 3″ pieces when it’s not necessary to do so. I glued the first one on the top of the card, centering it so there’s a border of green on three sides, then glued the next one in front of the first ladder piece, then did the same to the next two ladder pieces and rubbed all of them to made sure they were well adhered.

I took a piece of white cardstock 1 1/2″ x 5 3/4″ wide, and colored it with alcohol markers to a green that matched my designer paper and then used herb shears link: https://tinyurl.com/39y8wmsv and cut slits the whole way across the 5 3/4″ length cutting up about 1″ into the 1 1/2″ height. I didn’t like the look of this once I glued it behind the front 2″ high ladder piece, so cut the height down on angles and cut each strip (from the shears) in half so they are thinner.

I used monsters and bugs and a bear holding a sign stamps. The monsters came from a set from Katzelkraft Silly Monsters KTZ193, the bugs came from Tim Holtz Entomology and the bear is from Mama Elephant and the set is numbered SC0767 Bunny and Bear Holding Sentiment.

To write on the card, use a white piece of cardstock 5 3/4 x 5 3/4″ with a stamp from Simon Says Stamp set called so talkative, link: https://tinyurl.com/ye285yxf and glue it to the back of the card.

Just a reminder that Cards for Cubs where we make encouraging or birthday cards for kids in foster card is this month and you can submit cards until the end of April. To register your card donations, simply go to https://cardsforcubs.org/

I bought some stamp sets from Unity Stamps:

Mouse Wonderful Gift link: https://tinyurl.com/2p8cxsuc

Don’t be Perfect link: https://tinyurl.com/bdfbazu5

Wear confidence link: https://tinyurl.com/693bvhbw

Whatever comes next, link: https://tinyurl.com/nhduap5j

I hope you’ll join me in making cards this year..

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