Vintage Christmas village.

Hi and Happy December. :) I just received an e-mail from Linda Albrecht with this gorgeous project, and I had to share it right away!! It's only December 1st, so you have plenty of time to get to work on these and have a set for your very own. They remind me of a Christmas wonderland.



Linda says, "These little vintage style houses are great on top of a box to use for holiday décor and gift giving. They are also a fun size to use for an ornament for your tree. The house patterns can be downloaded at the Victoria Magazine website. They take some time and a little patience, but are worth it in the end. You could also buy pre-made paper mache houses at a craft store."




Instructions:
1. Cut the house pieces from chipboard and patterned papers as desired.
2. Trace and cut out the square window shape onto the chipboard then cut out with an exacto knife.
3. Trace the shape of the window onto the matching patterned paper pieces that will be used for each house.
4. Cut the individual window panes from the patterned paper then adhere the house pieces together with hot glue.
5. Adhere the papers to the house, leaving the roof for the next step.
6. Adhere papers to the roof pieces then place the roofs onto the houses.
7. Fill in any cracks where the roofs and house meet with extra glue and sprinkle on clear glitter to hide any imperfections.
8. The house template pattern does not call for this, but I cut a piece of cardstock and patterned paper as a base for each house to sit on. Adhere the base to the house.
9. Adhere papers to boxes then adhere the houses to the top of the boxes.
10. Apply adhesive to the houses and boxes then sprinkle with clear glitter.
11. Apply additional adhesive to select areas to add Mica Flakes for a snow effect.
12. Add decorative pins or silver beads to the house peaks.
13. Apply white paint to the chipboard snowflakes, punch holes to add to snowflake effect then adhere Mica Flakes and rhinestones to them as desired.
14. Adhere the snowflakes to the back side of the houses and add any additional embellishments to the box tops as desired.
15. Adhere Sticker Shapes as shown. I pressed the sticky backside of the stickers into clear glitter first, then glued them to the house backs and large chipboard snowflakes.
16. Apply additional glitter and rhinestones to the sticker fronts as desired.
17. Poke a slit in the door to add a mini brad for the door handle.
18. Use hot glue to adhere silver pipe cleaners to the edge of the boxes.




Supplies:
Echo Park Life is Good, The Neighborhood
October Afternoon Very Merry, Fill the Stockings
October Afternoon Very Merry, Trim the Tree
Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly, Merry Berry
Webster’s Pages Waiting For Santa, Wrapping Paper
We R Memory Keepers Merry January, Flake
We R Memory Keepers Merry January, Slush
We R Memory Keepers Merry January, Twig
October Afternoon Very Merry Shape Stickers
Maya Road Chipboard Snowflake Coaster
Maya Road Trinket Pins, Crystals
Maya Road Vintage Crochet Trim- Baby Pom Pom
We R Memory Keepers Merry January Collection, Flocked Lace
Craft Supplies:
House templates downloaded from: http://magazine-directory.com/Victoria.htm
glitter, Mica Flakes, bottle brush trees, rhinestones, jingle bells, silver pipe cleaners, mini brads, plain chipboard



Thanks so much Linda, for your gorgeous work, your detailed instructions and your monthly inspiration! Looking forward to your next project, of course.

Hey, I almost forgot. YES, we are having a December sketch contest. Check back on Friday, when I'll post all the details. Have a great day. Dana