Oh Little Town...

Today I have for you another paper creation. Years ago I made the Martha Stewart Winter Village out of her magazine. I loved it and have used it for years. This year I decided to make a smaller version on a base with little trees for each of my neighbors. They turned out wonderful!

I am including a link to the site where you can now print them off. They have put it in an easy to print PDF format. Just click HERE and it will take you to her site. I have tweaked mine, added windows, painted little wreaths and garlands etc. Have fun with these and enjoy the pictures! I have included a supplies list for mine and at the end I placed a glass votive holder over them! Make sure you scale the houses so they fit under the glass if you decide to do that. 

Instructions for the houses are also on her site. I give some tips at the end of this and a picture of the house under glass.

This is an unfinished one that I tested under the glass votive to see if it was short enough.

Supplies list:

wooden base from craft store (mine came from Michael's for 79 cents)

glass votive from Wal-Mart (around $1) note: I found these in the floral area not candle area

Folkart acrylic paints (to paint house and base)

glitter

small bottle brush trees (mine are about 1 1/2"-Hobby Lobby)

quick grab tacky glue

wax paper

E6000 (to glue glass onto base)

craft knife

white card stock or watercolor paper

copier that can reduce and enlarge

LOTS OF PATIENCE

Print image out on card stock or watercolor paper in the size you want to make the house. I painted mine with acrylic paint while they were flat but after I had cut them out. This way I didn't have to worry about seeing my cut lines. After painting, assemble houses according to directions and use wax paper for windows, because I can't for the life of me find glassine paper as she calls for!

Once your house is assembled you can put glitter on the rooftops and awnings etc. I took the green bottle brush trees and placed them in bleach for about 20 minutes. They start turning right away and you can do a soft green if you like by dipping them and rinsing quickly, or go for white like I did. I rinsed well, dried them and glued and glittered them.

I painted all bases white, but you can do any color, just as long as the top of the base is white so your glitter snow looks like snow. After the base was dried I used tacky glue to adhere my house and tree. I then brushed the top of the wood base with glue and shook glitter all over. You can build up the layers if you let it dry and brush more glue onto the base. I used one layer and was happy.

After everything has dried and you are sure the glue has no more moisture left, it is safe to lay some E6000 down around the lip of your base and then place the glass globe over it. Follow the instructions on the tube, but I did find it set up very quickly.

It is time consuming to make these, but they are so pretty and so fun to make! I just love them and plan on making so many more for different seasons.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you will give these little homes a try!

Until Next Time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy