Supplies:
*Pattern (3 pages)
*Heavy Cardboard (work area, house base, & roof)
*Light Cardboard (house)
*Transfer Paper (or carbon paper or make your own)
*Hot Glue
*Craft Glue
*Scissors
*Xacto Knife
*Paint
*Masking Tape
*Toothpicks
*Tissue Paper (or vellum)
*Felt (enough to cover house base)
*Glitter (optional)
*Electric Tea Light (battery powered)
*Decorations
Difficulty Level: Medium - It's basically a slightly fancier A-Frame, but there's a lot of assembly with the toothpick roof & Tiki totems if you wish to include those.
Time: 1 - 2 hours. I did not make this one personally. My friend did & it took him hours, but all my friends at that party were perfectionists, I think.
Directions:
01. Print out the pattern (images below - direct link to download at Retro Renovation below that).
02. Lay the carbon paper onto the plain side of the lightweight cardboard (such as a cereal box you've cut open). Lay the printed out pattern on top of the carbon paper. Using a pencil or pen, trace the entire pattern (all lines, window openings, doors, circle for door knob, & the tabs).
*I have carbon paper already, so it's what I used. You can use another type of transfer paper, or you can make your own, as shown by Retro Renovation. Use charcoal or a pencil to colour in & sheet of plain paper. Use the charcoal/pencil side facing the cardboard & the pattern on top of this.
*Pattern (3 pages)
*Heavy Cardboard (work area, house base, & roof)
*Light Cardboard (house)
*Transfer Paper (or carbon paper or make your own)
*Hot Glue
*Craft Glue
*Scissors
*Xacto Knife
*Paint
*Masking Tape
*Toothpicks
*Tissue Paper (or vellum)
*Felt (enough to cover house base)
*Glitter (optional)
*Electric Tea Light (battery powered)
*Decorations
Difficulty Level: Medium - It's basically a slightly fancier A-Frame, but there's a lot of assembly with the toothpick roof & Tiki totems if you wish to include those.
Time: 1 - 2 hours. I did not make this one personally. My friend did & it took him hours, but all my friends at that party were perfectionists, I think.
Directions:
01. Print out the pattern (images below - direct link to download at Retro Renovation below that).
02. Lay the carbon paper onto the plain side of the lightweight cardboard (such as a cereal box you've cut open). Lay the printed out pattern on top of the carbon paper. Using a pencil or pen, trace the entire pattern (all lines, window openings, doors, circle for door knob, & the tabs).
*I have carbon paper already, so it's what I used. You can use another type of transfer paper, or you can make your own, as shown by Retro Renovation. Use charcoal or a pencil to colour in & sheet of plain paper. Use the charcoal/pencil side facing the cardboard & the pattern on top of this.
03. Next you'll cut out the pattern that is now on the lightweight cardboard. Be sure to have heavy weight cardboard underneath all of this on your work surface. (You'll use it for Xacto-ing, painting, glittering, & hot gluing. You'll also need a portion to use as your house base.)
First Page: The big square is cut out so you can insert the electric tea light. You'll lightly score the little rectangle, as that will fold & become one side of the house. The other is the front of the house & you'll cut out the triangles because those are windows. For the door, you only cut out the little circles, as those are also windows. The little rectangle, again you'll lightly score as it will fold to become a side of the house.
Second & Third Pages: Both sides of the roof. You'll lightly score along those dotted lines so you can get the roof angle right.
First Page: The big square is cut out so you can insert the electric tea light. You'll lightly score the little rectangle, as that will fold & become one side of the house. The other is the front of the house & you'll cut out the triangles because those are windows. For the door, you only cut out the little circles, as those are also windows. The little rectangle, again you'll lightly score as it will fold to become a side of the house.
Second & Third Pages: Both sides of the roof. You'll lightly score along those dotted lines so you can get the roof angle right.
04. From here you can fold all the tabs and lines that put the house into shape & hold both the front & back up (together). This will give you an idea of about how large to cut the base for your house. Do you want to add trees? Do you want no space really? I suggest a 1/2" - 1" space in the back. 1/2" - 3" for the sides. 1" - 4" for the front yard. You should also keep in mind where you will display these & if your desired size base will fit?
05. Now you can paint your house & trim. Any paint will do, even cheap dollar store kids craft paint. It doesn't have to be fancy. Allow all paint to dry completely (about 15 - 30 minutes).
06. When the paint is dry, you'll add the windows. This is where the tissue paper or vellum comes in. Just flip your unbuilt house front over so you're working with the backside (the interior). You'll cut your pieces so there is enough excess to glue around the windows onto the cardboard. It doesn't have to be exact, or perfect, or a large piece. You can cut one piece for all three of those front windows, including the circle windows on the door. Glue around the edge of window with Elmer's type glue & then stick the tissue paper to this. Allow to dry completely (about 5 - 20 minutes).
05. Now you can paint your house & trim. Any paint will do, even cheap dollar store kids craft paint. It doesn't have to be fancy. Allow all paint to dry completely (about 15 - 30 minutes).
06. When the paint is dry, you'll add the windows. This is where the tissue paper or vellum comes in. Just flip your unbuilt house front over so you're working with the backside (the interior). You'll cut your pieces so there is enough excess to glue around the windows onto the cardboard. It doesn't have to be exact, or perfect, or a large piece. You can cut one piece for all three of those front windows, including the circle windows on the door. Glue around the edge of window with Elmer's type glue & then stick the tissue paper to this. Allow to dry completely (about 5 - 20 minutes).
07. While waiting for things to dry you can assemble your roof. You'll need at least half a box of toothpicks, the masking tape, & hot glue for this section. Attach toothpicks to sticky side of tape, then you'll glue the sections onto the roof. You can also use a watered down colour of paint or stain to give a different colour "wash" to the thatched roof, then while that's still slightly wet you can give a little shaking of glitter if you choose. (Do this bit before gluing sections to roof).
You can also use this time to create Tiki totems like in that picture at the top, if you so wish. (That was free hand, so there's not pattern for those).
08. Now it's time to assemble, which means warming up the hot glue gun. First items I'd recommend are covering the house base in felt. You can use white for snow (or The Sister created one using tan for sand). Just have a colour you want your yard to be. Grass? Choose a green. Dirt? Choose brown. Snow? Choose white. They even make white felt with glitter in it, so that's pretty.
Then hot glue tabs to put the house together. Then hot glue bottom tabs & stick house onto base, pressingly firmly (but not firmly enough that you crush it). Next hot glue the roof onto the house, again pressing firmly, but not too firmly.
09. Now it's time to decorate. This is where you affix your Tiki totems or bottle brush trees or pieces of felt as a walk way, a wreath you made or purchased, presents under the tree, large pieces of glitter or pom poms as snow flakes, twinkle lights, or simply festive decoration. This can be things you wish to purchase, things you make or have yourself. You don't even have to decorate if you don't wish to.
10. Turn the tea light on & place inside. Ah... it's so pretty!
You can also use this time to create Tiki totems like in that picture at the top, if you so wish. (That was free hand, so there's not pattern for those).
08. Now it's time to assemble, which means warming up the hot glue gun. First items I'd recommend are covering the house base in felt. You can use white for snow (or The Sister created one using tan for sand). Just have a colour you want your yard to be. Grass? Choose a green. Dirt? Choose brown. Snow? Choose white. They even make white felt with glitter in it, so that's pretty.
Then hot glue tabs to put the house together. Then hot glue bottom tabs & stick house onto base, pressingly firmly (but not firmly enough that you crush it). Next hot glue the roof onto the house, again pressing firmly, but not too firmly.
09. Now it's time to decorate. This is where you affix your Tiki totems or bottle brush trees or pieces of felt as a walk way, a wreath you made or purchased, presents under the tree, large pieces of glitter or pom poms as snow flakes, twinkle lights, or simply festive decoration. This can be things you wish to purchase, things you make or have yourself. You don't even have to decorate if you don't wish to.
10. Turn the tea light on & place inside. Ah... it's so pretty!