How to Make a Funny Christmas Penguin Card: Merry & Barely Holding It Together

Create a hilarious holiday card featuring an exhausted penguin, a spilled glass of wine, and the all-too-relatable sentiment "Merry & Barely Holding It Together." In this step-by-step tutorial, you'll learn how to assemble layered die-cut characters, create a dramatic winter sky with ink blending, add embossed sentiments, and finish the design with snowy splatter effects.

This project is perfect for cardmakers who enjoy humorous Christmas cards and scene-building techniques. The Snow Done Clear Stamp & Die Set combines playful imagery with witty sentiments, making it easy to create holiday cards that stand out from traditional festive designs.

Hello, crafty friends! It's Lisa Tilson here with you on the blog today to share a card using the Merry Mayhem Collection. I'll be showing you how to create a fun Christmas card featuring the Snow Done Clear Stamp & Die Set and one of my favorite holiday sentiments.

Project Snapshot

Project Details	A humorous Christmas card featuring a penguin sprawled on an ice floe with a spilled glass of wine against a dramatic winter sky.
Skill Level	Intermediate
Approximate Time	60–90 Minutes
Project Type	Humorous Christmas Card
Techniques	Die Cutting, Ink Blending, Heat Embossing, Splatter Techniques, Layering
Occasion	Christmas, Holiday Greetings
Finished Size	A2 Card (4.25" × 5.5")
Featured Products	Snow Done Clear Stamp & Die Set, Masking Sheets, White Opaque Watercolor

What You'll Need

Spellbinders Products

• Snow Done Clear Stamp & Die Set
• Masking Sheets
• Black Foam Adhesive Squares Mix - 1mm
• Splatter White Opaque Watercolor
• Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock
• Raven ColorWheel Cardstock
• Carrot ColorWheel Cardstock
• Cranberry ColorWheel Cardstock
• Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock
• Fairy Tale ColorWheel Cardstock
• Lavender ColorWheel Cardstock
• Reverse Tweezers
• Craft Stax Medium Tray Set
• Large Blending Brushes
• Blending Brushes
• Spellbinders 4" Detail Scissors
• Handy Craft Tool Set
• Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue
• Best Ever Craft Tape
• Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine
• My Sweet Petunia MISTI

Other Supplies

• Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock
• Versamark Ink
• Anti-Static Powder Bag
• White Detail Embossing Powder
• Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink
• Picked Raspberry Distress Ink
• Wilted Violet Distress Ink
• Black Soot Distress Ink
• Heat Tool
• Splat Box
• Acrylic Block
• No. 2 Round Brush

How to Make a Funny Christmas Penguin Card

Step 1 – Die Cut and Assemble the Penguin and Ice

Using the Snow Done Clear Stamp & Die Set, die-cut:

• Ice pieces from Classic White Cardstock
• Penguin face from Classic White Cardstock
• Penguin head and body from Raven Cardstock
• Nose and foot from Carrot Cardstock
• Cheeks and wine from Cranberry and Chiffon Cardstock
• Wine glass from Fairy Tale and Lavender Cardstock
• Ice block from Fairy Tale Cardstock

Designer Tip: Store die cuts in a Craft Stax Medium Tray while working.

Secure dies with Best Ever Craft Tape and run them through the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

Die-cut the remaining ice layers from Classic White Cardstock.

Assemble the penguin face by attaching the facial features onto the penguin head.

Attach the head to the penguin body.

Using tweezers, attach the foot beneath the penguin.

Adhere the ice layer onto the pale purple base.

Create the layered ice platform by attaching the second white ice piece.

Assemble the wine glass by adding the wine layer to the glass base.

Attach the top layer of the glass.

Finish the wine glass by adding the base detail layer.

Step 2 – Create the Ink-Blended Background

Die-cut a curved mask from Masking Sheets using the border die included in Snow Done.

Trim the mask with detail scissors where necessary.

Apply the mask to the lower portion of an A2 panel of Distress Watercolor Cardstock and blend Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink around the outer edges of the sky.

Add Picked Raspberry Distress Ink in several sections across the sky.

Blend Wilted Violet Distress Ink into portions of the pink areas.

Build additional depth using more Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.

Deepen the pink and purple blends.

Add additional Chipped Sapphire Ink to create a dramatic evening sky.

Continue blending until the desired balance of color is achieved.

Finish the outer edges with Black Soot Distress Ink.

Carefully remove the mask.

Use the remaining piece of masking sheet to mask off the sky.

Position the mask along the horizon line.

Blend Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink across the lower section to create the sea.

Remove the mask and allow the panel to dry completely before embossing.

Step 3 – Stamp the Sentiment and Add Snow

Position the panel inside a MISTI and determine sentiment placement using the assembled penguin scene as a guide.

Pick up the sentiment with the MISTI door.

Ink the sentiment with Versamark Ink.

Apply anti-static powder over the sky area.

Stamp the sentiment onto the background panel.

Apply white detail embossing powder and heat-emboss the sentiment.

Remove stray powder before heating if necessary.

Place a small amount of Splatter White Opaque Watercolor onto an acrylic block.

Add water and splatter paint across the sky to create falling snow.

Step 4 – Assemble the Card

Adhere the completed background panel onto an A2 white card base.

Attach the ice floe between the sea and sky sections.

Adhere the wine glass onto the ice.

Apply black foam adhesive squares to the back of the penguin.

Attach the penguin to finish the scene.

Tips for Better Humorous Christmas Cards

• Use dramatic ink-blended skies to create contrast for smaller focal images.
• Build color gradually when working with Distress Inks.
• Allow heavily inked panels to dry completely before heat embossing.
• Use foam adhesive behind focal images to increase dimension.
• Add splatter effects to unify the entire scene.

Ways to Customize This Project

• Create a daytime sky using lighter blue inks.
• Replace the wine with another accessory from the collection.
• Add additional snowbanks or winter critters.
• Create alternative color combinations for the sky.
• Use different Merry Mayhem sentiments.
• Turn the background into a shaker-style design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why let the panel dry before embossing?

Embossing powder will stick to wet Distress Ink, so the background must be fully dry before heat embossing the sentiment.

Can I create this scene with regular cardstock?

Watercolor cardstock is recommended because it handles heavy ink blending better, but smooth heavyweight cardstock can also work.

How do I avoid harsh ink-blending lines?

Apply ink in light layers and gradually build intensity using circular motions with blending brushes.

What makes humorous Christmas cards effective?

Relatable imagery and playful sentiments create memorable cards that stand out from traditional holiday designs.

More Christmas Card Ideas from Spellbinders

• Funny Christmas Card Ideas
  
• Ink Blending Tutorial for Beginners
  
• Sparkling Christmas Card Tutorial
• Festive Holiday Building Card Tutorial

Conclusion

The Snow Done Clear Stamp & Die Set is perfect for creating humorous holiday cards that feel refreshingly different from traditional Christmas designs. By combining dramatic ink blending, embossed sentiments, layered die cuts, and snowy splatter effects, you can create a card that's both festive and relatable during the busy holiday season.

Whether you're making it for a friend, family member, or even yourself, this exhausted penguin is sure to get a smile.

About the Designer

Lisa Tilson

Lisa Tilson is known for detailed die-cut projects, creative color combinations, and approachable cardmaking tutorials. She enjoys combining layering, texture, and storytelling to create memorable handmade cards for every occasion.

For more inspiration, visit Lisa on her blog, Instagram, and Facebook.