Penguins Decoration

This adorable penguin decoration is a perfect craft for the winter season. It'll brighten up any room and add a little Christmas cheer. An unusual material needed for this craft are child's tights.
 

Materials:

• STYROFOAM Brand Foam:
  • Balls: 6"; 4";1-1/2"; 1", one each
• Black crochet thread
• Child's black tights
• Plaid flannel fabric: 18" x 3" for mama's scarf; 6" x 1" for baby's scarf
• Craft foam: black; white, one sheet each
• Acrylic paints: black, bright red, yellow, white
• Wooden shapes: small circles, two; medium diamond, one; large diamonds, four; 1-1/2" x 1/8" heart, one
• 3/16" wooden dowel, 7" length
• Silk holly cluster
• Paintbrushes: Nos. 10 and 6 shader; No. 3/0 liner
• Craft knife
• Fine-line markers: black, white opaque
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Disposable palette
• Paper towels
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Pattern
   

Instructions:

1. Join 4" foam ball to 6" ball by applying glue to half of wooden dowel. Insert dowel into 4" ball, letting unglued portion protrude. Apply glue to remainder of dowel and then insert it into 6" foam ball. Squeeze additional glue between balls to strengthen bond, forming penguin head and body. Allow to dry.
    
2. Cut a 15" length from black tights, measuring from toe up. Slide tights over penguin to cover, gathering open end at top of 4" head. Tie with black crochet thread and then trim excess fabric 1-1/2" above foam. Make several vertical cuts in tied-off fabric to form a tuft of feathers. Glue a holly cluster to base of feathers.
    
3. Using patterns, cut face, tummy, and wings from craft foam as indicated. Draw a wavy line around edges of face and tummy with black marker. Outline wings with white marker. Align and glue face and tummy to front of penguin. Glue top of wings to opposite sides of body at neck.
    
4. Using photo and pattern as a guide, drybrush cheeks with red paint. Paint two small wooden circles black, let dry, and then dot a white highlight on each one. Glue circles close together to face for eyes with highlights at 10 o'clock position. Paint medium wooden diamond yellow and allow to dry. Draw a wavy line around edges with black marker. Center diamond below eyes for beak; glue in place. Draw eyebrows, crow's-feet, mouth, and beak details with black marker.
    
5. Glue three buttons vertically to center front of white tummy. Tie 18" x 3" flannel scarf around penguin's neck and knot on right side. Glue 3" lengths of wire to back of scarf tails and then shape as desired. Cut slits in ends of scarf tails to fringe.
    
6. Paint four large wooden diamonds yellow and allow to dry. See diagram to pair and glue diamonds to form webbed feet. Glue feet to bottom of body with points visible at front.

Baby Penguin

1. Glue 1/2" foam ball to 1" ball. Follow Step 2 to cover baby penguin with a 4" length cut from black tights, trimming excess fabric 1/2" above head.
    
2. Follow Step 3 to cut face and tummy from craft foam, detail with black marker, and glue to front of baby penguin.
    
3. Drybrush cheeks with red and paint beak yellow. Allow to dry. Using pattern as a guide and black marker, dot eyes and beak, and draw eyebrows, crow's-feet, and mouth.
    
4. Paint wooden heart yellow, let dry, and then glue to bottom of body with curves at front for feet. Tie 6" x 1" flannel scarf around neck and tie on left side. Cut slits in ends of scarf tails to fringe.
    
5. Wrap tip of mama's left wing forward and glue to her tummy. Glue baby tucked inside curled wing.