Friday 29 July 2011

March of the Penguins!

Hello, welcome if you've arrived here by way of Michelle's blog on the Shady Tree Studio blog hop! If you didn't come that way and you'd like to follow the hop then back up to Shady Tree Studio where it all starts and find out how to be in with a chance of winning one of the eight sets of stamps up for grabs!

I love the penguin that features in the new Naturally Christmas set! If you've seen the movie March of the Penguins, you'll probably remember what an endearing sight it is to see a whole horde of penguins all stoically making their way across the snow and ice. I thought it would be fun to recreate that "en mass" experience on a pop up stage card!


The penguins are quite tall so I added some torn card stock snowbanks towards the front of the stage to fill in the space (if your taller pop up items are too near the front they'll hang over the edge when the card is flattened down for mailing). The penguin at the back is raised up on a torn cardstock hillock so he gives some variety to the height of the group, too.

I wanted the trees to have taller trunks so I didn't ink up the end of the trunk before stamping so that I could extend the lines with a fineline marker.

The back of the card is lined with a piece that has snowflakes embossed using a Fiskars texture plate and I sprinkled glitter around the feet of each penguin and along of the joins where the snowbanks meet the base of the stage.

To keep the card closed, I created a belly band using the checkerboard border and a sentiment from the other new set being released today - Homespun Holiday. The checkboard lines up easily to extend it right across the band but if you're worried about it, just make sure the join comes where you want to place an embellishment or other element (the cut out penguin in this case).

Stamps: Naturally Christmas and Homespun Holiday sets by Shady Tree Studio
Paper: Smooth white, black
Ink: Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Other: Copic markers, Threading Water edge punch, Fiskars texture plate, Glamour Dust glitter


The lovely Carla is the final stop along the way, I'm sure she'll have something wonderful to share with you on her blog at Paper Pastorale. Hope you've been enjoying the new stamps so far along the hop!

19 comments:

Paula Whittaker said...

wonderful pop up card.

tracy said...

thats a lovely card joanne :) thanks for the little tips you've given too :)

Caroline said...

Fab cards Joanne - love the use of the Fiskars Texture Plates too!

Roxie said...

This is just too cute Joanne, that scene is not only a great card but makes a nice decoration too.

salamanda said...

I love this card - penguins just make me smile.

Kathy said...

This is fab, Joanne. I saw a tute on a recent SCS Weekly Inkling for these and I'm going to have a go (eventually)
Love the belly band closure

Nancy said...

So fabulous, Joanne!! Love the penguin march -- and the one in back looking like he wants to see above the crowd! The front is just darling . . . I really like the checkerboard with the penguin! Too cute :) .

Carla said...

This is an absolute treasure! I would keep it and get it out every Christmas if it were mine!

Janice said...

What a great way to showcase this stamp. love the chequered band - a bit of GP influence perhaps?

sonyaeverding said...

I love your popup card. I would love to win these stamps. Please wish me luck. Thanks

Jenny said...

What a cute parade, Fab card :)
Jenny x

Eileen M said...

I love your pop up card! It looks terrific!

Babe O'Mara said...

What a fabulous card. So cute. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us.

Babe
youiesmom@att.net

Sharon34 said...

What a creative card and just too cute!

Hazel said...

I so love penguins on Christmas cards - yours is so creative and gorgeous. x

Jan Stone said...

I love pop up cards and also penquins so this card caught my eye immediately, they all seem to love marching in the snow.

Mary said...

Your penguins are adorable--they are my favorite!!
I also love the black/white checked border you made!! Great coloring too!!

Jennifer Scull said...

oh gosh, these are both adorable! :)

Alison said...

Gorgeous card Joanne! Those penguins are adorable! x