Print, Cut, Play Gingerbread Town

 Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread house found on Pinterest, no credit

The kids will be out of school soon for Christmas Break. After a day of watching tv, and maybe another day of playing on a computer, all while anticipating the excitement of Christmas morning, kids get restless. Perfect time to make a gingerbread village! 

Too messy? Too much sugar?  

Why not make a paper one?  Today, let’s put that printer to good use, and print out some candy houses. Draw some gingerbread people to go in it. Get the scissors and glue out. Then we can decorate them with bits cut from catalogs, magazines, and more.

Here are the first few:

 These are not my original house plans, by the way. I found all of them on Pinterest, and none of them had reliable source information. I always try not to step on anyone’s toes, or hard work. If you recognize who has drawn any of these please let me know so I can give credit where it is due.

You can use cardstock in your printer for a nice sturdy village. 

After printing and cutting out, it’s time to get all those Christmas shopping catalogs that have been flooding your mailbox. Cut out some decorations to glue to your gingerbread houses.

For smaller children, let them use paper punches to add decorative details. You may find it easier to glue things on before assembling, or you might prefer to add on after the houses are put together. Try both ways.

I would suggest you use a good glue on those assembly flaps. My favorite is Aleene’s Tacky Glue in the gold bottle for a good all-purpose glue. For fine detail work I prefer Art Institute Glitter Adhesive. You should be able to find both of these in any craft store, or even Walmart.

Now let’s get some peeps for your village! You will need to play around with the correct sizing for these. Make them as big or small as you prefer.

These cute elves can be fastened together with brads or eyelets for movable parts, or glue the parts together to make more of a sturdy paperdoll. Glue them onto a thin cardboard like a cereal box for durability. For small children play you might think about laminating them.

Here is a Santa to go with them:

German

I also found these ginger-people paper doll figures:

Cottonartsboutique.com

I have shown in past blogs how to make stands for your paper dolls.

Other ideas for your gingerbread village include using scraps of fabric, ric-rac, ribbons, buttons and more to decorate your houses.

Try some glitter glue for sparkle! I think Sticklers is the best for that, and it comes in so many colors.

Most of all, have fun.

Here is one last paper doll for you:

‘Til next time,

inkspired

Christmas garlands

 Welcome!

Lia Griffith

Let’s get started on some fun DIY decorations for the upcoming holidays.

No, I’m not skipping Thanksgiving. However, if you haven’t started on your crafting projects for Christmas/holiday season you better get cooking!

(As in, hurry it up now).

I love garlands.

They can be in such a broad range of styles, colors and themes. Many are very easy to put together, and many are also kid-friendly to do together.

Let’s start with a basic shape.

Perhaps you did paper chains in school. You can’t get much more basic. Start with strips of paper or ribbon. Construction paper and scrapbooking paper works great. Cut them all equally sized in a rectangular shape. Make a circle and fasten it in your preferred way. Some use staples. Some use glue or a glue stick. Double stick tape works. Thread a second strip through the first and fasten the second one. Repeat for as long as you want your garland. Look at the photo to understand the directions.

Mixed ribbons of equal width and in the same color family can look super!

Try two or three coordinating colors.

Or just go with the Merry and Bright look and mix up holiday colors for a kaleidoscope of hues.

The one below uses recycled music sheets edged with glue and dipped in glitter. Do the glitter before you make your chain.

Here is a garland made from circles. A paper punch will cut the circles out in a jiffy. Fasten the garland together with baker’s twine, 1/16 inch ribbon, rickrack or yarn. You can even use your sewing machine for a stitched garland.

Paper Dot Party Spot

DIY par Alice Gerfault

Cut your circles from any material you want - paper, double sided scrapbook paper, cardstock, felt, stiffened fabric…

My next garland is a simple tree shape you can cut from paper. I would use my Cricut for a fast and easy project using different color cardstock and double sided heavier scrapbook paper.

Anthropologie 

Or you can cut accordion style with scissors. Be sure to leave an area on both sides of your folded paper that touch. Here is a simple pattern:

Oxford University Press

Overlap your cutouts to make your garland as long as you want. I use dabs of glue to connect them.

Here is another pattern:

Onelittleproject.com

You might want to make your garland with fabric trees. Here is a nice pattern for that:

Next is a garland of hearts. Make it rustic with fabric stuffed shapes, or elegant with gold and silver cardstock. Connect the hearts with rickrack or metallic thin ribbon. This garland also works well for Valentine’s Day decorations, or?

Michele Sartin

Vintage Stitch Studio

The felt gingerbread men bring a country charm to that last garland. Here is a pattern for one, although there are MANY patterns out there for slightly different shapes.

Poshmark

Notice the mismatched buttons.

I thought this gingerbread couple was cute for a garland also:

For the next garland, have the kids help you color the dove shapes. Fingerpaint, markers, crayons - whatever you want them to use will look great!

terrain

Holly leaves and berries are always associated with Christmas. If you have a home cutting machine, such as a Cricut, you can have a long garland of holly in no time. The sample below used stuffed paper balls for the berries, but you can just as easily cut large circles.

Adjust the size of leaves to where you want to hang your garland.

At Home With Ashley

There are numerous patterns online for simple or detailed holly leaves. Choose one that works for you. This next garland uses a simple shape cut from stiffened fabric and machine stitched edges.

I think red buttons for berries would look really charming.

It’s The Season

Have a little extra time and want to put more effort into your garland? This next one is for you!

Sophie Turner

I found this fairly simple Santa head pattern that will work. Cut out just the outer shape and hand draw in the features (mustache, beard, etc.) or cut out the main shape and then individually cut out the inner shapes and glue on top. You could use paper or felt. You could also use fusible webbing and fabric.

Coloringpage.eu

Santa might need a clothesline to get ready for the Big Night. 

The Craft-at-home Family

While I couldn’t find an exact duplicate pattern, the shapes are fairly simple. Here are a few clothing pieces to inspire you:

RoyalBaloo.com

Pinterest

The two samples are cut from felt. I think sturdy paper would look fine also. When choosing your materials decide how long you want to use these garlands. One season? Paper is great. Want to re-use them for several seasons? Go with fabric, felt or sturdy cardstock.

Paper chains are almost the least exxoensive garland you can make and the materials are readily available. Don’t have any plain white paper? Try using magazine pages, or paper placemats.

Pinterest 

Oxford University Press

Here are a few more ideas:

Crafty Cue

AuntAnnie.com

Firstpalette.com

Does Santa need a few reindeer? 

Here we go!

Paper Source

SIMPLYLOVECOLORING.COM

Here is a fun reindeer garland:

Duncan’s Woodcraft

Pinterest

Let’s close with perhaps my favorite garland - gingerbread houses!

I found several variations with this theme on Pinterest. I love the way it looks! The base is simply cardboard. You could use the inside of cereal boxes or any cardboard type box. Draw a simple house outline and cut out. Want it to be 2-sided? Slap on some paint to cover any writing/graphics. I would use brown to go with the gingerbread theme. To make the white ‘frosting’ lines you can use a white acrylic paint pen. I find these at my local craft/hobby store. If you can’t find them there, Amazon also carries them.

If you are uncomfortable with freehand you can sketch out your designs in pencil and then ‘draw’/paint over them with the paint pen.

Want to make it even more fun with the kids? Prepare several bowls with different kinds of candy - M&Ms, sweet tarts, peppermints, etc. Have the child squeeze a circle of glue and press a candy into it, to make your gingerbread houses really fun looking. Use some string licorice for piping. Let dry thoroughly before hanging, and keep out of strong sunlight so the candies don’t melt.

(Eating the leftovers is part of the fun too.)

On a smaller scale these also make really cute magnets.

I hope you try at least one of these ideas to bring some holiday cheer to your living space. Do I hear office cubicle, anyone?

‘Til next time,

inkspired