I've always been utterly enchanted by miniatures and still have my box of "tiny treasures" that I collected in my childhood. The teeny-tiny toys, dolls, and lilliputian objects never fail to put a smile on my face. So, when I discovered the world of vintage German Putz houses several years ago, I was keen to get a collection going. Each year I enjoy setting up and adding to my little "Santa's Village", and am always a little sad when it's time to pack it away.
In recent years, there's been a resurgence of interest in the diminutive glitter houses, giving rise to an abundance of free templates and tutorials to get you started on creating your own little village. This winter, my friend Holly (of 504 Main) and I stockpiled our cereal boxes and had fun experimenting with a few different glitter house patterns.
With Easter just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to come up with an original glitter house of my own to suit the occasion.
Starting with a Martha Stewart pattern, I made some modifications and came up with a simple pattern for a wee little house that sits perfectly atop a wide mouth canning jar. An old cereal box and jar are reborn as a "Jellybean Factory". Here's how to make one of your very own...
Jellybean Factory Glitter House Jar
(For a printer friendly version of this tutorial, click the "Print Friendly" icon at the bottom of this post)
Materials
1 Jellybean Factory Glitter House Template (Free HERE) *Note: if you have any trouble getting template, please email me
1 Cereal Box, flattened
Pencil, ruler, craft knife, cutting mat
Tacky Glue
Assorted Acrylic Paints
Paintbrushes, assorted sizes
DecoArt Snow-Tex
Decorative Ribbon
Clear or Micah glitter
Wide Mouth Mason Jar
Mod Podge or Elmer's glue
Small piece of pink felt
1. Print template. Cut out pieces. Trace pieces on to flattened cardboard (on the non-printed side). Using a craft knife, cut piece from cardboard. Fold at dotted lines (I find that making a shallow score along the dotted lines with the craft knife makes for a very clean fold -- just don't go too deep).
2. Glue body of house together at the tab, using Tacky Glue. Attach roof. Roll and glue chimney pieces (I use a pencil to help the process). Glue chimney pieces to roof. Dry.
3. Using Tacky Glue, glue the two pieces of the canning jar lid together. Paint the lid and the house with white acrylic paint. Dry.
4. Paint the house in the colors you desire. Dry. Add any fine details you wish. Dry.
5. Mix a small amount of light green paint with some Snow-Tex and apply to the top of the lid with a paint brush (this will be the "grass"). Set painted house directly into the wet "grass". Dry.
6. Lightly brush some Mod Podge or school glue on areas you wish to glitter. Sprinkle with clear glitter.
7. Pull away some fibers from the small piece of pink felt. Put a small dab of glue inside each chimney. Using the end of a small paintbrush, tuck a small tuft of felt fibers into each chimney.
8. To finish, use a bead of tacky glue to adhere some decorative ribbon around the band of the jar lid.
9. Fill jar with jellybeans and enjoy!