On the light green cardstock, measure 6 strips that are 1 inch across and 5 inches long.
Cut out the strips of paper.
Repeat, cutting 6 strips from medium green that are 1 inch across and 6 inches long.Cut another 6 paper strips from dark green that are 1 inch across and 7 inches long.Cut one final dark green piece of paper that is 1 inch across and 10 inches long for the shamrock's stem.
To make one of the shamrock's leaves you'll need 2 strips of each colour.Make 2 piles of paper strips. Start with the 7 inch pieces (dark green), then the 6 inch piece (medium green), and finally the 5 inch piece on top (light green).
Bring the two piles together with the 2 longest pieces sandwiched in the middle.
Staple the bundle of paper strips together where the ends are all lined up.
Step 3: Make the heart shaped leaves and stem
Line up the ends of the top 3 paper strips.
Place a paper clip on these strips of paper to keep them in place.
Line up the ends of the other 3 paper strips. (There's no need to clip this side together.)
Bring the two ends down and together to create a heart shape.
Remove the paper clip and staple the lined up ends of the paper strips together.
Repeat, using the remaining paper strips to make 2 other heart shaped leaves. (Cut 2 more pieces of each colour if you'd like to make a 4 leaf clover.)
To make the stem, place the 10 inch dark green strip above a ruler. Fold the left side over to the 9 inch mark. Open the paper and fold the right edge over to the 1 inch mark.This creates a shamrock stem with a flat bottom.
Step 4: Glue the paper shamrock together
Add tacky glue over top of the staple on one side of a leaf.
Place one end of the stem over the glue and hold it in place until it stays on its own.
Repeat on the other side, enclosing the bottom of the leaf in the stem.
Fold the edge of one of the other leaves down, just above the staple.
Add glue onto the folded edge and press the leaf onto the side of the stem.
You'll need to hold the leaf in place for about 30 seconds to keep the pieces together.
Repeat, folding and gluing the last leaf to the other side. Allow the glue to dry.