The Cottage Series: Chipboard Putz Kits

I am so pleased to be adding four new styles to the Christmas Village offerings!  These craft kits come with the pieces already cut out and scored for folding. You assemble them using liquid glue, and then you can paint and decorate them to suit your own style.  They come with vellum sheet of windows and doors that will glow if you add fairy lights through the holes on the back walls of the cottages.

I designed each one of these cottages, imagining they exist in the coziest fantasy town.  We have the Cozy Cottage, which is a classic putz design. It has a big chimney, and a sloped roof.  The English Cottage embodies the quaintness of the countryside, timeless, with a cut-corner roof. The Coastal Cottage could belong on a seaside bluff, sturdy, slim, with a chimney on each end to keep warm.  The Storybook Cottage is right out of a fairytale with sharp peaks and a long chimney nestled into the roof.

Supplies:

• Chipboard Cottage Kits: 4-piece set, Cozy Cottage, English Cottage, Coastal Cottage, Storybook Cottage
• Straight Edge Tool: Bone Folder, Scraper, Stamping Block
• Scissors
• Fast Drying Liquid Glue: Aleene's Turbo Tacky Glue, Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue
• White Gesso, Acrylic Paints, Paintbrushes
• Clear German Glass Glitter in Fine Grain and Mixed Grain

Assembly: 

• For crisp edges, fold all of the components along the scored lines against an object with a straight edge like a bone folder, metal ruler, or acrylic block. Assemble the pieces in the order shown.
• Use a fast-drying liquid glue such as Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue  or Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue. Apply the glue to the components to be joined, and hold each piece in place for about 20 seconds to secure a bond. Let each piece dry before adding the next component. 
• If you are planning on painting your house it is recommended to assemble the walls and roof before painting to avoid paint cracking at the corners. The windows and door can be installed after painting to keep them clean, and then the house can be attached to the base.
• Glitter can be applied before or after installing the windows. Clear glass glitter allows the paint to show through. You can also use colored or white glitters to achieve different sparkling textures.

Assembly Video for the Cottage Series Houses: The Cozy Cottage, The English Cottage, The Coastal Cottage, and the Storybook Cottage

The Cozy Cottage:

Can't you just imagine sitting by a roaring fire in this little cottage? This is an easy-to-assemble design with classic Christmas village features.

The English Cottage:

Create your own countryside scene. The English cottage has a versatile design with a unique, folded roof.  

1. Walls: Fold walls and tabs along the scored lines. Glue the side tab to the inside of the back wall.

2. Roof: Fold the roof panel along the score lines. Apply glue to the outer tabs on either side and attach them to the inside of the back roof panel. Apply glue to the tabs on the house, and affix the roof, tucking the front of the roof behind the cutout on the front wall.  Roof accent: Shape the roof accent into an arc. Apply glue to the back edge, line up the outer points with the roof panel’s lower edge. Hold in place until the glue sets.

Paint assembled house walls & roof if desired.

3. Windows & Door: Cut windows and door slightly larger than the openings. Apply glue, position inside the house through the open base, and press against the inside of the front wall to attach.

4. Base: Apply glue to the bottom edges of the house and center on the rectangle base.

The Coastal Cottage:

Double chimneys ensure the inhabitants of the coastal cottage will stay warm on blustery winter nights. 

1. Walls: Fold walls and tabs along the scored lines, including the small chimney lines at the top. Glue the side tab to the inside of the back wall.

2. Chimneys: Apply glue to the front end tab on both chimneys, fold, and affix the glue tab to the inside so that the seam is at the back of the house.

3. Roof: Fold the roof panel. Apply glue to all six tabs on the house as well as the recessed part of the roof panel at the peak. Align the outside edges of the roof panel with the sides of the house, then press the chimneys inward against the roof.

Paint assembled house walls & roof if desired.

4. Windows & Door: Cut windows and door slightly larger than the openings. Apply glue, position inside the house through the open base, and press against the inside of the front wall to attach.

5. Base: Apply glue to the bottom edges of the house and center on the rectangle base.

The Storybook Cottage:

An idyllic cottage fit for a fairy story.  The storybook cottage is one of the more complex designs with sharp peaks, and a tall chimney nestled into the roofline.

1. Walls: Fold walls and tabs along the scored lines. All lines are folded away from you except the line marked with arrows. Fold this line towards you.  The footprint of the house will be an ‘L’ shape. Glue the side tab to the inside of the back wall.

2. Roof: Left roof panel - Apply glue to the four tabs on the left half of the house (with arched doorway.) Fold the left roof panel along the score line.  When you center it on the house, the cutout section will hook over the walls. Press the left roof panel down until the glue sets.  Right roof panel: Fold & apply glue to angled edge of the right roof panel and the remaining tabs on the house. Press the right roof panel onto the tabs and against the left roof panel. Line up the lower edges of both roof panels. Hold until the glue sets.

3. Chimney: Fold the roof panel. Apply glue to all six tabs on the house as well as the recessed part of the roof panel at the peak. Align the outside edges of the roof panel with the sides of the house, then press the chimneys inward against the roof.

Paint assembled house walls & roof if desired.

4. Windows & Door: Cut windows and door slightly larger than the openings. Apply glue, position inside the house through the open base, and press against the inside of the front wall to attach.

5. Base: Apply glue to the bottom edges of the house and center on the rectangle base.

Glitter tips: A glitter shaker jar works great for applying an even sprinkling of glitter.  Fine Grain Glitter in Clear allows the color of the paint to show through. Apply glitter one wall at a time.  Use a smaller brush to paint an even coat of Elmer's Glue-All to the wall avoiding the door and windows, sprinkle with glitter, and shake off the excess into a bowl. Opaque White Glass Glitter in Coarse or Fine Grain makes a lovely snow effect for rooftops. Add a little clear glitter to make a sparkling snow mix.

Use LED string lights to illuminate the putz houses.