Some days, the holiday spirit looks like beautifully wrapped presents and cheerful Christmas music. Other days, it looks like a penguin lying face down beside a spilled drink! These five cards celebrate the wonderfully relatable chaos of the season using the Snow Done Stamp & Die Set and Rein It In Stamp & Die Set from Spellbinders’ Merry Mayhem Collection. I paired these expressive characters with patterned papers from older Spellbinders releases, mixing fresh products with favorites from my stash. With exhausted penguins, a frazzled reindeer, and sentiments that say exactly what everyone is thinking, this little collection delivers holiday cheer with a generous helping of sarcasm.
Card One: The Elf Can Handle It
A Festive Strip of Pattern
I started with a white card front and added a vertical strip of red patterned paper along the right side. The delicate gold motifs bring in a little Christmas sparkle, while the generous white space keeps the design light and lets the character take center stage. Using just a strip of patterned paper is also a lovely way to stretch those older papers in my stash.
A Reindeer Having a Moment
For the focal point, I used the Rein It In Stamp & Die Set to create a reindeer in warm orange-brown cardstock. I assembled the contrasting details with black antlers, ears, and hooves, a pale belly, and bright white eyes. That wide-eyed expression and open mouth give this little fellow the unmistakable look of someone who has just seen the holiday to-do list.
Placing the Holiday Panic
I positioned the reindeer across the edge of the patterned strip so that part of the character sits against the red and part against the white. This overlap connects the two areas of the card and gives the simple layout a little movement. With both arms raised, the reindeer looks ready to hand over every remaining Christmas responsibility.
Passing the Job to the Elf
To finish, I stamped “The elf can handle it” in black ink in the upper white area. The sentiment and the reindeer’s expression work together perfectly—this is clearly someone who has decided that delegation is the only way forward! I kept the remaining space clear so the joke is easy to spot.
Card Two: Merry & Melting Down
Red, Gold, and Room to Breathe
For this card, I used a larger rectangle of the red-and-gold patterned paper across the middle of a white card front. I left white space above for the sentiment and below to frame the icy scene. The warm background makes a cheerful contrast to the cool blue ice and the penguin’s rather uncheerful energy level.
Building an Icy Rest Stop
Using the Snow Done Stamp & Die Set, I assembled the ice block in white and pale aqua shades. The layered pieces define the top surface and the jagged details around the sides. I placed it across the lower portion of the card, overlapping the patterned panel to give the scene a prominent place in the design.
One Very Tired Penguin
I assembled the penguin with a black body, white facial details, and orange accents. Resting flat on the ice with closed eyes and outstretched flippers, this little character seems to have completely run out of festive energy. Beside it, I added the pale aqua tipped glass and deep red spill to complete the story.
Barely Holding It Together
I stamped “Merry & barely holding it together” in black in the white space above the patterned paper. There is something especially funny about such a cheerful red-and-gold background paired with a penguin who has clearly reached its limit. The scene needs very little extra decoration—the penguin has already supplied all the drama!
Card Three: All Wrapped Up and Over It
A Strip of Christmas Greenery
I began with a white card front and placed a vertical strip of dark botanical patterned paper along the left side. The green foliage and berries introduce a traditional Christmas feel, while the dark background creates contrast against the white. This narrow strip adds detail without filling the entire card with pattern.
A Present with Golden Details
Next, I created a large square present using the red-and-gold patterned paper, backed with a narrow pale cardstock border. Metallic gold ribbon strips cross the front, with a coordinating gold bow at their intersection. The repeated gold details make the package feel festive and tie it neatly to the tiny motifs in the paper.
A Penguin on Packaging Duty
I added the penguin made with the Snow Done Stamp & Die Set along the top edge of the present. Leaving out the ice block gives the same character a completely different setting—it now looks as though gift wrapping has finally defeated it. The black-and-white penguin also stands out clearly against the colorful package.
Officially Done
At the top of the card, I stamped “Merry whatever. I’m done.” in black. With the beautifully wrapped present below and the exhausted penguin draped over it, the sentiment feels like the final announcement after a very long wrapping session. I love how the polished gold bow makes the penguin’s total lack of enthusiasm even funnier.
Card Four: Festive on Empty
Three Patterns, One Simple Border
For this landscape card, I arranged three horizontal strips of older Spellbinders patterned papers along the bottom. The dark leafy print, red-and-gold pattern, and blue geometric design bring together colors used throughout the collection. Narrow white gaps between the strips keep the patterns distinct and give the border a crisp finish.
Keeping the Penguin Simple
I used the Snow Done Stamp & Die Set again, assembling the penguin in black, white, and orange. This time, I left out the ice block and placed the penguin toward the right, resting along the top patterned strip. The small character against the large white area makes its exhausted pose especially noticeable.
A Little Spill, a Bigger Story
I placed the tipped pale aqua glass and deep red spill below and to the right of the penguin, overlapping the lower patterned strips. Separating these little accessories from the character spreads the scene across the border. It creates the impression that the penguin made a brief attempt at celebrating before deciding it needed a lie-down.
Festive, Technically
I stamped “Festive but tired” in black on the left side of the white area, balancing the penguin on the right. The short greeting suits this uncluttered layout perfectly. There is plenty of festive color along the bottom, but the penguin is making absolutely no promises about participating!
Card Five: Season’s Greetings from My Last Nerve
A Diagonal Dose of Drama
For the final card, I paired a blue geometric patterned panel with a white section divided by a strong diagonal edge. The gold lines in the blue paper add a little shine, while the angled composition immediately gives this card a different personality almost like a comic book layout. It also creates two distinct spaces for two very different holiday reactions.
Panic on the Blue Side
I used the Rein It In Stamp & Die Set to make a pale tan reindeer with a white belly and dark contrasting details. Positioned against the blue patterned paper, the reindeer appears to peek out from behind the diagonal white section. Its raised arms and startled expression bring plenty of comic energy to the upper part of the design.
A Penguin Who Has Checked Out
On the lower white section, I added the penguin from the Snow Done Stamp & Die Set, together with the tipped glass and red spill. The reindeer looks overwhelmed, while the penguin has moved straight to complete surrender! Bringing both characters onto one card makes the scene feel like a tiny snapshot of holiday mayhem.
A Border and a Breaking Point
I finished the white section with a loose, sketchy black border and stamped “Season’s greetings from my last nerve” above the penguin. The slightly irregular lines suit the frazzled mood of the card and frame the scene without adding another layer of paper. Between the panicking reindeer and the exhausted penguin, the sentiment could easily belong to either one!
A Little Laughter for the Holiday Mail
These five cards were such a fun way to explore the personalities of the Snow Done and Rein It In sets while giving older Spellbinders patterned papers another moment to shine. Changing the backgrounds, leaving out the ice, and placing the penguin on a present gave the same characters fresh stories to tell. If your holiday crafting could use a little comic relief, try pairing an expressive die-cut character with a sentiment that makes you laugh. Let me know which card best matches your holiday mood—and if these inspire your own funny Christmas creations, tag cardsncraftsnyc on social media so I can enjoy them too!
Hugs,
Jyoti
Snow Done Stamp & Die Set Shop at: SB |
Rein It In Stamp & Die Set Shop at: SB |
