Adding plants to a scenario can bring your tabletop terrain to life. In this guide, I’ll show you how to craft three types of plants from sticker paper: spiky grasses, hanging vines, and fern-like bushes. Each build uses affordable materials and simple techniques, making it great for beginners. Let’s get started!
1. Spiky Grasses
To craft spiky grasses, you’ll need:
- Sticker or label paper (the non-glossy kind like Avery makes worked well for me)
- Green and yellow markers
- XPS foam or Readi-board
- A hot glue gun
- Just a little bit of brown paint
Steps:
- Create the Grass Blades: On sticker paper, alternate green and yellow stripes to make variegated grass. For plain grass, stick to one color. To make fantastical grass, use any colors you like.
- Cut and Fold: Cut the stripes down the center of the green sections to ensure a balanced variegation. Peel off the backing, fold the sticker in half, and align the edges to minimize any white showing.
- Shape the Blades: Use a craft knife to cut each folded sticker into a pointed shape. Save the side scraps to use as extra blades.
- Prepare the Base: Carve a small piece of XPS foam or Readi-board to serve as the plant’s base.
- Assemble the Grass: Add a tiny dab of hot glue to the base of each blade and attach it to the foam. Arrange 3-7 blades per tuft for a full look.
- Finish: Paint the base brown to blend it with your terrain.
2. Hanging Vines
Hanging vines are perfect for softening cliffs and waterfalls. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sticker or label paper
- Green and yellow markers or pens
- This cutting template/Cricut file
- Jute cord
- A craft knife
Steps:
- Prepare the Leaves: Cut out bisected leaf shapes from sticker paper either manually, or using the Washi tape setting on your Cricut. Decorate them with green and yellow designs. I used this template.
- Attach to the Stem: Use jute cord as the vine stem. Place the cord in the center of each sticker and fold the leaf around it, aligning the edges carefully.
- Assemble the Vine: Alternate the direction of the leaves as you move up the stem for an even look.
- Hang and Enjoy: The stiffness of the jute cord allows you to bend and hang the vines without permanent attachment, making them versatile for different setups.
3. Fern-Like Bushes
These small bushes are inspired by sword ferns or bird-of-paradise plants. Gather:
- Sticker paper
- This file as either a cutting template, or for use with Cricut.
- Floral wire
- XPS foam
- Green acrylic paint
- Sand or gravel
- White glue
Steps:
- Design the Leaves: Use a Cricut’s print-and-cut feature or cut leaf shapes manually. Here is a helpful template. Place the floral wire in the center of each sticker and fold the sticker around it, aligning the edges.
- Assemble the Bush: Cut the wire to your desired length, leaving extra to stick into the foam. Arrange 3-5 leaves per bush for a full appearance.
- Secure the Stems: Insert the wire stems into a foam base. Add a dab of white glue to hold them in place. Let the glue dry.
- Stabilize the Base: Coat the foam base with white glue, then sprinkle on sand or gravel to add texture and weight. Seal it with black Mod Podge for durability.
- Paint: Add paint to blend the base with your terrain.
Final Thoughts
These DIY plants are simple, cost-effective, and incredibly rewarding to make. They’ll add vibrant life to your tabletop terrain and give your builds a unique, handmade touch. For detailed Cricut files and templates, check the link in the video description.
Until next time, happy crafting!