Okay – I dare you to look at the card below and not smile!  Come on – who can resist Playful Penguins and, seriously, who can resist Playful Penguins with scarves, bow ties, and hats?!?!  The group at our recent Stamp Club had a great time making this card, and I had a great time putting the design together!

I have to be honest that I wasn’t truly sold on the set when I first saw it in the Holiday Catalog.  But, when I started using it, I was hooked instantly.  Besides the adorable penguin stamps, there are some really nice sentiments that can be used all year.  And, the script is just gorgeous.

This card is really straight forward to make.  Here are the basic directions:

• Start with a card base from Thick Whisper White card stock, cut to 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, and scored at 4 1/4″ on the 8 1/2″ side.
• Cut a piece of Whisper White card stock to 4″ x 5 1/4″ to be used as the card front.
• Get your Stamparatus out to stamp the images and sentiment from the Playful Penguin stamp set.  Use Tuxedo Memento Black ink to stamp the penguins and Garden Green ink to stamp the sentiment.
• Use one plate of the Stamparatus for the penguin stamps.  One side of the plate can be for the single penguin stamp, and the other side of the same plate can be for the remaining two penguin stamps.  The second plate can be used for the sentiment and for stamping the scarf, bow tie, and hat.
• This is a great card to do in a production line!  You’ll be amazed at how quickly multiples of the card will be completed 🙂
• On the card front, stamp the middle penguin first.  He is going to be the one that is going to show as being in front of the other two penguins.
• After you have stamped his image, put a Post-it Note (or piece of copy paper) over his image, and stamp him again.  You are making a mask of his image.  Cut out the penguin image from the Post-it Note (or copy paper) and stick it back on top of your stamped penguin.  This piece of paper is going to block any ink from getting onto your first penguin image as you stamp the remaining two images.
• Now, stamp the other two penguins as shown.  Remember – the cut Post-it Note (or cut copy paper) will be over the first penguin.  Be sure to put a little more pressure than usual in the spots where the first penguin overlaps the other two penguin images.
• Take off the cut Post-it Note (or cut copy paper) to reveal the three penguin images.
• If you like the score lines that I’ve added on the edges of the card front, grab your Simply Scored tool and add lines, as shown.
• Adhere the card front directly to the card base.
• Grab a piece (or two) of scrap Whisper White card stock to use to stamp the scarf, bow tie, and hat.  I used Cherry Cobbler ink for the scarf and hat.  Garden Green is the ink I used for the bow tie.  Fussy cut the images and adhere them directly on top of the penguins.  Hint:  Be patient when you are fussy cutting the hat!  Another cute alternative is to have each penguin wearing a different color scarf!

That’s all there is to it!  I really hope that you enjoy making this fun, festive Playful Penguin card.  And, I promise that you’ll be smiling while you are making them 🙂

Below are pictures of the main products that I used to make this card.  If you click on any picture, you’ll go to my on-line store.

Until next time…

Happy stamping!
Laurie