Handmade Christmas

[Grimm]

(Mods, I know this is not about woodworking but we do not have a subcategory for general crafts and arts.)

What handmade/homemade Christmas traditions do you have?

Every Christmas I try to make a new house to add to our Christmas village. They are little "Putz" or glitter houses using Mid Century Modern designs. I try to keep them simple and made from saved cereal and cracker boxes. I started when Roo was 2 and only missed last year because I was nursing the baby and had no real time to do any crafting.

This year I am adding a church. I started just before Thanksgiving but the hardest part of this addition has been adjusting the template and making the customization as I went. I have let the unfinished church sit for a few days as I tried different ideas to make 'stained glass' windows. I opted just to for go those for now.

Last night I started glittering it even though it is not attached to the base. I figured I could get the sides glittered while the base gets painted. Once the church is attached I'll use some glitter to cover the glue line at the base then add the trees and fence.

I also want to finish the 'camper park' I started 2 years ago. I have 2 of the campers done but not glittered. I worked on those while I tried to trouble shoot the stained glass windows. I want to add 2 more campers but I am worried the finished piece will be very large with 4 campers- each with its own lights and a tree with twinkle lights in the middle. I'll figure it out.

I also want to make a 'circle' house and a geodesic dome house but that one is not even planned out yet so it may not get done.

K said I should make a few to sell on Etsy next year for some side money. I told him I'm not even going to think about that until after the new year.

Here are some of the houses (and policebox) I made the previous years.

 

[Redbeard]

Wow! Those are really cool!

 

[Grimm]

Thanks.

Not my templates but I did customize them a bit. All the window frames and doors are separate pieces that are an eighth of an inch wide and cut out of chipboard. The original templates call for all details to be painted on. I also glitter the entire house surfaces where most people will accent with glitter or tinsel.

 

[Dani]

Those are too cute! Have you tried the tissue & glue on wax paper for stained glass? We did that project for the kids at church one year. It may be difficult to tear the tissue in that small of pieces but maybe with tweezers, toothpick and small paintbrush maybe?

 

[Grimm]

Those are too cute! Have you tried the tissue & glue on wax paper for stained glass? We did that project for the kids at church one year. It may be difficult to tear the tissue in that small of pieces but maybe with tweezers, toothpick and small paintbrush maybe?

I thought about it. Not sure it would really translate well in scale. There are 4 arched windows that are 1x2.5 inches and a 1 inch circle window.

 

[Sentry18]

Very cool! You are clearly more talented than I have you credit for. ;D

 

[Redbeard]

I thought about it. Not sure it would really translate well in scale. There are 4 arched windows that are 1x2.5 inches and a 1 inch circle window.

If you could get it to work it would probably look really good.

 

[Grimm]

If you could get it to work it would probably look really good.

My concern is the light source. I use led tealights to illuminate the houses (except the 'big blue box'). They use watch type batteries. I'm not sure they are bright enough to shine through the tissue paper and wax paper/parchment paper.

 

[Grimm]

Very cool! You are clearly more talented than I have you credit for. ;D

Really!? I posted pictures at PS of the Tinkerbell costume I made Roo.

 

[Sentry18]

Really!? I posted pictures at PS of the Tinkerbell costume I made Roo.

I know, I was just being coy. We all know you are supremely talented and multi-faceted.

 

[Dani]

They make a stain glass film, but it just seems like I have seen something that is a colored opaque sheet somewhere just cant remember what it was or where. I just realized it may have been those medicine sheets that melt in your mouth for diarrhea. I used them recently on a goat. . . it was blue but think it would melt. :0

 

[Amish Heart]

Like the colors you chose

 

[Elgar]

They are fabulous! Hard to believe they are made out of cardboard. Very well done.

 

[phideaux]

Grimm , thanks for the input,
We now have a Crafts and Arts subforum...
and I slid your thread over to it,

This is the way a GOOD forum should work..


Jim

 

[Swing]

Tardis and trees is my favorite.

 

[Grimm]

Tardis and trees is my favorite.

There is a lot more detail in that one than can be seen in the photos. I added a wreath after that picture was taken and the top beacon flashes!

 

[Swing]

I love it. You are talented.

 

[Grimm]

Thank you.

In a couple years we are thinking of taking the girls (Roo and Juju) to Disneyland for Christmas like we did when Roo was 3. I was thinking of making a glitter castle as a way to surprise the girls that year with the trip. I found a paper model template but it is 39 pages and several hundred pieces. I would have to start on it now.

I also found a paper model template of the haunted mansion. If I made that one I'd decorate it to match the haunted holiday look. But one geek fandom at a time.

 

[joel]

We made pine cone crafts when I was a child.

 

[Swing]

I do doll clothes (which I should be doing, but I'm here).

 

[Grimm]

I do doll clothes (which I should be doing, but I'm here).

I did doll clothes before the girls were born. I am a doll collector even though I haven't gotten a new doll for my collection since they were born.

I was a costume designer for film before the my oldest was born. Now I just make costumes for the girls.

 

[Grimm]

I got the church finished.

 

[Grimm]

And some photos of the detail in the blue box.

 

[robin416]

They're adorable. I'd love to see them in place. I'll bet it's a sight to see.

 

[Grimm]

They're adorable. I'd love to see them in place. I'll bet it's a sight to see.

The only place I have to put them this year is on the bar counter. My counter is cluttered with Roo's school stuff and food that doesn't fit anywhere (no pantry or cabinet space in the whole house!).

 

[robin416]

Well, shoot, I was looking forward to seeing the village.

 

[Grimm]

They are just lined up on the counter with a mountain of books and snack foods behind them. I'll see if I can find a home for the clutter to get a picture.

A few years back we had a long cabinet under the TV that I would set them on. But when Ikea recalled it I took it back (we wanted to replace it anyway).

Here is a photo from the second year I made a house...

 

[Terri9630]

They are just lined up on the counter with a mountain of books and snack foods behind them. I'll see if I can find a home for the clutter to get a picture.

A few years back we had a long cabinet under the TV that I would set them on. But when Ikea recalled it I took it back (we wanted to replace it anyway).

Here is a photo from the second year I made a house...
View attachment 725

what materials did you use to make the cat? Its so lifelike.

 

[Grimm]

what materials did you use to make the cat? Its so lifelike.

Cereal boxes, glitter and glue.

 

[Grimm]

I told K I wanted him to make me a display for the houses. He thinks I meant shelves until I showed him this...